Turkey or train?

So the weather is colder, there are less races to focus on during this time of the year and the holidays are finally here.  Every year I tell myself that I am not going to chow down but I have a big appetite and I like the sweets!
On Thanksgiving day it has always been tradition for me to put in at least a 10 mile run to justify some big eating.  However, this year I was not able to do this because as a single dad I had my son this year and was not able to get a babysitter for a good run.
So I basically told myself that I was not going to chow down since I did not get the long Thursday workout under my belt.  However, my son and I had a few places to stop by and by the time we had arrived I was starving!  So I start by snacking and get my fill and then the dinner arrives and it would be rude to refuse to eat a huge plate of food that somebody has prepared for you - so I dig in and next thing you know my 6 pack stomach is beginning to get a round bulge because of all the food that I have in my belly.
After this dinner, my son and I had to go to another family members home for desert.  I tell myself that I am full and will refuse the sweets.  However, my Aunt (behind my back) plates a piece of Pecan pie (I love the pecan pie!) and Apple pie and makes them humongous pieces.  She tells me to share them with my son.  My son is claiming that he wants his own plate of pie - so my Aunt cuts him his own piece of apple pie and leaves me to consume the crazy big pieces.  I can't let that food go to waste so I find a way to get it all down.  It tastes so good and at this point I don't care that my stomach is stretched to its maximum.
At this point, it's time to go home and our tradition is to put up the Christmas tree.  As my son and I are decorating the tree, there is a knock on our door.  My neighbors have shown up with their daughter and want to talk and have the kids play.  I also have a couple hundred bottle wine room in my home and everyone always wants to stop by and drink the "good stuff".  Even though my body is not digesting things quick enough, I go to the wine room and pull down a supreme 2003 Ferrari Carano Cabernet Sauvignon.  Yummy stuff, but adding more to the bulge.
However, this is the time of the year that everyone should be thankful.  I am thankful for having the opportunity to spend amazing time with family and friends, my son and his health and happiness and watching Transformers in hi-def 7.1 surround sound and his cheers to the cool camero, drinking an incredible bottle of wine with good friends and watching Giada DeLaurentis on the Food Network cook up something good and wonder how come I can't marry some beautiful, healthy, fit, friendly woman like this (probably because she would make me fat)!
I am also thankful for my own health.  I get to train and race multi-sport, create new goals and challenges for upcoming races, and apply them to see improvement in my fitness and my racing.  I am also thankful for the creation of Athlete in You and having this platform for athletes of all types and ages to share information and their own personal stories.  I hope that 2008 will bring tons more like minded individuals that have much to share with our world.  Also to see Athlete in You getting into listing races and offering a fair price for signing up for races - as everything is getting so expensive, including the companies that are charging a ton of money for filling out an application to race - it's ridiculous!  So I am sending out a cheers to everyone and hoping for better health, happiness, goal attainment, and even more of a connection with all types of athletes in the very near future.
Today, I am going to put in about a 60 mile bike ride and try and burn some serious calories.  Next week it's continuing my normal training regimen - swimming a few times a week for a few miles, riding at least 3-4 times for at least 100 miles, and running at least 3-4 times for the week.  Next Sunday, I have to put in a 20 mile run as I am building up to the Phoenix rock and roll marathon in January.  So my running mileage will be quite large next week.  This is a great life and something that I hope never changes for me personally!