Start Thanksgiving Day with a Turkey Trot

Have you every heard of a Turkey Trot? The words Turkey Trot were not in my vocabulary until about ten years ago and now Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without taking part in this traditional race. Turkey Trot 5K (3.1 miles) races are held in many cities throughout the country including my hometown of Loveland, Colorado.

Read on and you'll find out how I got involved in the Turkey Trot tradition.

My two sons are runners. One Thanksgiving when they were still in high school, they decided they wanted to run in a Turkey Trot race on Thanksgiving Day. My husband and I were always supportive of their races. However, on Thanksgiving, I had too much meal preparation to worry about and quite honestly, I thought they were crazy to want to get up early on a day off. The race was in Fort Collins, Colorado which is fifteen miles away. They thought it would be fun, so my husband agreed to drive them to the race and watch them run.

It was a cold Thanksgiving morning when they left for the Turkey Trot, but they were determined to race with their friends. They decided they would "dress up" for the event. They wore their running shorts and wrapped beach towels around their waists, took off their shirts and wore Santa hats. The race organizers referred to them as the "towel boys" when they crossed the finish line.

It sounded like they had a lot of fun and I was actually sorry that I didn't go with them. Luckily, my husband took videos so I could see the "towel boys" in action. It was hilarious!

In 2002, the Turkey Trot race made its debut in Loveland, Colorado, our hometown. One of my sons wanted to race in it. I decided the turkey preparation could wait, so my husband and I went to cheer on our son. A few hundred people turned out to race. My son came in third place! Loveland's first Turkey Trot was a successful fundraiser and the decision was made to hold the race each year.

My son enjoyed the race and decided to make the Turkey Trot a yearly tradition. In 2003 he entered again and came in first place!

In 2004, my son continued the Turkey Trot tradition. He convinced my other son, my daughter and me to enter the race with him. He had an injury and couldn't run, so he agreed to walk the course with my daughter and me. He coached us along the way and got us jogging a few times. My other son ran the race and this time he came in first place!

We had so much fun. It was a great way to start Thanksgiving Day. My husband took videos and cheered as we crossed the finish line. I was hooked on Turkey Trot racing!

I have entered the Turkey Trot in Loveland each year since 2004. My son has kept up his tradition of entering the annual race. He wants to be one of the few people in Loveland that has entered the Turkey Trot each year. He doesn't run it seriously anymore. He usually coaches me and convinces me to run (for him it's more like jogging) part of the race each year. Last year, I set a personal best time because both of my sons entered and coached me along the way.

My daughter and son-in-law have joined us for three Turkey Trot races. Last year my daughter was pregnant when we were in the Turkey Trot, so this year we'll have a new addition with us. My six month old granddaughter will be in her first Turkey Trot and I hope it will become a tradition for her too.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

(The 2009 Turkey Trot in Loveland, Colorado will be held on Thanksgiving Day, November 26th. The 5K race begins at 8:30. For more information go to: http://www.bannerhealth.com/Giving+Back/Banner+Foundations/Colorado/McKee+Loveland/Special+Events/Turkey+Trot.htm)