Every year I remind people to run or walk on Thanksgiving morning! It’s almost turkey time – and that means food, football games, food, family, food, holiday sales and even more food. But we runners have a secret weapon – turkey trots. Almost everywhere in the country there are races on Thanksgiving morning. So you can run and not feel as guilty later on in the day when you indulge.
Just in Northern NJ there are more than a few turkey races:
- Ashenfelter 8K – In Glen Ridge, this fast and rather flat course is a NJ team championship race. This is an older race and is kind of the tradition to do in the area. Horace Ashenfelter won the steeplechase at the 1952 Olympics and used to attend the race
- Upper Saddle River 5K – this hilly course brings out all the fast high school runners between XC and winter track and has awesome odd sized trophies
- Krogh’s Turkey Trot 5K – In Sparta, so a bit out west from my location
- D & I Turkey Trot 5K – South Orange – so about 15 miles south of my location
- Morris Township Turkey Trot 5K – Morris Township – again a bit west of my location
- There are even more within 20 miles of me and you just have to search on the topic to find them
- On Saturday there is a 5 Miler in Westfield, NJ
My friend in southern NJ also has an 8K – the North Wales Turkey Trot, so they are all over the place. I am visiting family in Hebron, CT and, in Manchester, the next town away, is the annual 75th Manchester Classic, a 11,000+ runner 4.748 mile race and is one of the oldest road races in the nation. I am running that with my college daughter for the 6th straight year. So even if you are hosting, take an hour and walk or run a 5K in your area – bring the family – it’s worth it and starts your day in the right place….even though it may end quite stuffed!
Can you tell me about cool turkey trots in your part of the country?
Happy Early Thanksgiving
Coach Nick
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