Are you running a Turkey Trot this year? I had a streak where I ran one every year for quite some time. Then I had a kid and I didn’t make it to one because of travel, illness, and other barriers. This year my schedule has been kind of really up in the air. But we nailed down our plans for the Thanksgiving holiday earlier this week, so I decided I would run a Turkey Trot before we got in the car to drive to see family that day.

But dang… the ones available are expensive! I guess you should plan a little earlier so you get the registration discounts.

So instead I’m going to run on my own and perhaps I’ll plan better next year. I won’t have the experience of being with a bunch of people, but I can still enjoy going for a run!

That said, whether you run on your own or participate in an organized run, a Turkey Trot is such a great way to start the holiday. You can express gratitude for your ability to move and start the day on a healthy note.

I know a lot of people plan to gorge and make themselves physically uncomfortable with a ton of food. It’s wiser to eat more normally, just take smaller portions of all the foods and sample everything. Starting the day with something good for you, like a Turkey Trot,  will hopefully set the tone for the day.

Or just enjoy all the pie that’s available!

To inspire you, the people at Athlinks have pulled together this cool infographic full of cool stats on Turkey Trots around the country. Perhaps you’ll learn something, I did…. turkeys can run almost as fast as Usain Bolt!

And if you don’t have a profile at Athlinks, you should consider signing up. I’ve had one for a long time and it’s a great way to claim/remember all your past race results. Plus they’re running a contest where people who create a profile by November 30 have the chance to win entry to a 2018 race. (up to a $50 value, so maybe it could cover your Turkey Trot next year.)