Thanksgiving is coming, which means it’s time to choose a Turkey Trot! Traditionally, Turkey Trots are races first thing thanksgiving morning, to get in some physical activity before the ay of cooking and eating gets underway. It’s a fun tradition, and most turkey trots are super low-key and family friendly, to get as many people involved as possible. Here’s what you need to know when you start huffing for the stuffing!
Pick Your Date
As mentioned, most Turkey Trots take place on Thanksgiving morning. However, some take place the weekend before or after Thanksgiving. Which one suits you best? It’s great to race before you start the holiday, but that day may be incredibly hectic with travel and obligations, so maybe a weekend makes more sense. It still counts!
Choose Your Location
Location, location, location! Location matters, and can be an important factor in choosing your Turkey Trot. If you’re celebrating at home, a local race will be just fine. However, if you’re traveling, see if you can hop into a race in your destination city. It’s always fun to try something new!
What About Distance?
How many miles you run is up to you. Most Turkey Trots seem to be on the shorter side (5K), but there are some longer ones. We even have a Thanksgiving Day half marathon! For me, that’s a little too much on a holiday, but it just means there’s something for everyone. Pick what works for you and your schedule. The goal is to have fun before the festivities.
Support A Great Charity!
Most Turkey Trots have a great charity component. After all, it’s the season for giving! If you’re having a hard time choosing the right Turkey Trot, pick the one with a charity partner that best aligns with you! You might even come across one that allows for direct donations at the site on race morning!
When All Else Fails, Run Virtually!
Sometimes, things just don’t work out. It’s not quite the same as running a race in person, but I love running “with” all my blogging and social media friends from all over the world. It’s a great way to start Thanksgiving Day!
Do you run Turkey Trots? What do you look for in your Thanksgiving Day race?
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Turkey trots are fun but they are sometimes tough to do on a busy Thanksgiving morning! This year I have a marathon that weekend (Saturday). It’s not called a turkey trot but I’ll be counting it.
I missed my turkey trot last year and I hope to make it back this year. Now, which one to choose?
I love turkey trots. I run them every year. I hope my legs are recovered enough this year.
We have a local 5k but I’ve chosen the 10k farther away because it’s larger and earlier.
For almost 20 years, my husband and I put on a Turkey Trot in our town. It was exhausting but fun. And back in the day I’d come home after cleaning everything up and prepare Thanksgiving Dinner. I kind of don’t miss that but, since there’s only one other Turkey Trot near us it makes it easy to pick which one to do.