Fitness Friday-How Strong is Your Trot #HOUTurkeyTrot

Can you believe that this year is almost over?  Where did it go?  Who is ready for some turkey? 

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with BakerRipley.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

When you hear the word turkey, what do you think about?  I think about Thanksgiving, traditions, and the trot.  These three go hand in hand with one another in our family.  The Houston TXU Energy BarkeyRipley Turkey Trot has become a family tradition.

Did you know that the trot was my very first race?  It was.  I did not prepare at all for it but I was up for the challenge.  Here are some tips for you:

1)  Trot-Start getting some mileage in everyday.  This will help you get across the finish line.  Whether you run, jog, or trot, it is the best feeling when you cross the finish line.

2)  Tennis shoes-Break your shoes in.  Do not buy new shoes to wear the day of the race.  Make sure you have comfortable shoes.  Good shoes will make a big difference.

3)  Tradition-Make this a part of your tradition.  The trot is a family friendly event.  Grab the entire family and help celebrate the 25 years of Trot. 

4)  Time-Make sure you register before the price increased on November 18th. 

5)  Turkey-BarkerRipley serves more than half a million people across the Houston area.  Serving the community with community centers, charter schools, Headstart programs, senior services and career centers.  This is a way for you to give back.  Then you can go home and have some turkey! 

Currently the prices are as follows:

10K Untimed - $30

10K Timed - $35

10K Wheelchair - $35

Phillips 66 5K Untimed - $30

Phillips 66 5K Timed - $35

Phillips 66 5K Wheelchair - $35

Kids Run - $15

Register now to take advantage of these prices!  Save $5 off your registration by using this code:  17INDEPENDENT

Fitness Friday-Turkey Trot 2013

What did you do Thanksgiving morning?  Did you wake up to start cooking, cleaning, stay in bed extra time, or run a Turkey Trot? 

We got up bright and early.  It was a chilly morning but at least it was not raining.  My husband and I ran the 10K and my teen ran the 5K.  We were also joined by several of our friends and back again this year were several bloggers from all around the city.  So happy that this has become one of our traditions on Thanksgiving morning.  It is part of our day and routine.  We burn calories in the am and then we refuel at dinner.  It is the perfect way to be able to not feel so guilty when consuming all those yummy calories all day long.  Also running the Turkey Trot is for a great cause. 

Turkey Trot 2012 Recap

Thanks to TXU Energy for sponsoring our entries for my family.  It is great to be able to help a great cause like Sheltering Arms. 

Sheltering Arms Senior Services is a nonprofit organization committed to the health and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers. Our mission is to promote the dignity and independence of older adults through service, advocacy, and support for caregivers.

For more information go to shelteringarms.org.  If you would like to sign up for next year's turkey trot, stay tuned for more information from me throughout the year.  Here are more fun pics from this year's race:

Official 2013 time 1:07:58 My timed sucked.  But I had not trained, had not been running, and have been having asthma problems.  No excuses, I still started and finished.  I crossed the finish line with several blisters on my toes.  My pinky toe had a blister the size of it.  But regardless it was fun.

See you next year, right?

TXU Energy Presents Houston Zoo Lights 2013

***Disclosure-No compensation was received.  Informational post only.

Zoo lights is back this year.  The Houston Zoo will be transformed with lights, and beautiful displays.

Starting this Friday, November 22 and continuing each evening except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 

through January 5, the Zoo will be a winter wonderland filled.  The displays consists of more than 1 million 

LED lights.  They are illuminating animal-themed light displays all coordinated to Christmas music to get you 

in the spirit.


Today the switch will be flipped.  This is such a fun awesome event for the entire family to enjoy.  There is 

a 1958 Cadillac that has so many lights that are coordinated to music.  New this year is a dollhouse village,

and a Holiday Train featuring Thomas the Tank Engine and friends, perfect for all the little ones.  My Lil Bit

loves trains!!


There are also special performances each night by area church, school, and community choirs.  

-Rice Philharmonics will perform the opening night of Zoo Lights. 

-Baylor College of Medicine Docappella, 

-MD Anderson Cancer Center Choir

-San Jacinto Girl Scouts 

-Quarter Note and Take Note Choirs

-Shimmer Flute Choir

-Beth Yeshurun Day School Choir

-Juan Seguin Elementary School

-Rennell Elementary Honor Choir 

-Waller High School Chorale.

Tickets-

-$9 (members)
-$12 (non-members)

Buy and print your tickets online at www.houstonzoo.org/zoolights and save $2 per person off the gate admission price. 

Please note: During Zoo Lights, the Houston Zoo will close early at 5 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 4 p.m. The Zoo will reopen for Zoo Lights at 6 p.m. with the last ticket sold at 9 p.m.

Enjoy the festivities as a group with friends, neighbors or coworkers and save even more. Zoo Lights tickets for groups of 20 to 50 are just $9 each and only $8 each for groups of 51 or more. For group ticket information, call 713-533-6500.

TXU Energy Turkey Calling Contest 2014

***Disclosure-My family and I will be participating in this year's TXU Energy turkey trot as we did last year.  Thanks to TXU Energy for being our sponsor.

The annual TXU Energy turkey calling contest is set for 10 a.m. at the Houston Zoo on Saturday.

The event, at the Children’s Zoo Butterfly stage, will start with a visit from a turkey and its handler. Houston-area media personalities then will compete in a turkey calling contest for a chance to win a Houston-area tree planting in their honor next year. After the media squawking, zoo guests will be invited to try to gobble up prizes from TXU Energy and the Houston Zoo.

The contestants are:

Todd Freed | The KUBE Channel 57

Craig Hlavaty | Houston Chronicle

Samica Knight | KTRK – ABC 13

Kyrie O’Connor | Houston Chronicle

GREGO | Newsfix and CW39

Jillian “JJ” Simmons | 97.9 The Box

Rebecca Spera | Mirror/Mirror

Register at the Zoo for the TXU Energy Houston Turkey Trot taking place Thanksgiving morning and receive an on-the-spot 20% discount on all registrations!  Remember your registrations to the TXU Energy Turkey Trot benefit Sheltering Arms Senior Services.