First off, congratulations on finding love (or having great friends)! Second, my deepest condolences on your upcoming Thanksgiving morning.
If you grew up believing Thanksgiving morning was made for sleeping in, and watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in pajamas, finding out your new partner or friends are obsessed with the local Turkey Trot can be quite the surprise. After all, nobody warns you about this in the early dating or friend-group stages. If you’re staring down the barrel of your first Thanksgiving morning 5K, don’t panic. You don’t need to be a marathoner, or even a runner, to survive this sacred holiday ritual. Here’s how to prepare!
Stay Calm
There’s no need to panic. Even if your Turkey Trot group is comprised of elite runners, no one expects heroic effort at a Thanksgiving Day race. It’s just a fun tradition to get the day started. Just make sure you’re signed up for a 5K distance (or less) rather than the more ambitious half marathon. Thirteen point miles are a little harder to pull off on minimal training. If you really can’t get through the 5K at a walk, due to injury, illness, or other reasons, volunteer to be the cheer squad and take finish line photos. Being a part of it all is the point.
Embrace The Festive Gear
If ever there was a time to to wear a tutu and turkey hat, this is it! Lean into your own costume, or put on the provided themed You’ll get street cred, and if you’re showing up as a good sport, no one will care how fast or if you run. Promise.
Lean Into The Term “Trot”
The biggest mistake rookies make is taking off out of the corral at lightning speed. Don’t fall for it! This is a jog-and-chat situation. Settle into a gentle, casual shuffle-walk early on. Your main goal here is staying with your group, or making new friends on the route.
Take Advantage Of The Snacks
Every Turkey Trot will be a little different, but go ahead and take advantage of the fuel stations and post race treats. Some events will offer water and bananas, but I’ve also had Thanksgiving races that offered slices of pie and cranberry sparklers! Consider this an appetizer for the big meal ahead!
Move In Secret
If you’re feeling extra competitive and really want to show what you’re made of, train in secret. Unless you’re a regular runner, no one will expect it, and your race performance will get you plenty of high fives! While it’s absolutely ok to party pace the Turkey Trot, you’ll really turn heads if you show up to the start line ready for action!
Secure Your Spot On The Couch EARLY
The real victory of a Turkey Trot isn’t the finisher medal (although you should ABSOLUTELY wear it to dinner). The prize is the nap you earned. By crossing that finish line at 9:00 AM, you deserve rights to the best spot on the living room sofa for the rest of the day.
Look, nobody actually wants to get out of a warm bed on Thanksgiving morning. But once you’re out there with people in full inflatable turkey suits, you might just catch yourself enjoying it. Run, walk, or shamelessly shuffle your way through it: you’ve got this, and you definitely earned that extra slice of pie!
Were you dragged into a Turkey Trot by a partner or friend group, or were you the one who recruited everyone else? I’m a shameless recruiter!
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