Turkey Run is a Thanksgiving ritual for many runners

Thanksgiving Mornings are often filled with last-minute meal prep and frantic housework. But for Beth Thomas, who often hosts her family at her Boston-area home, most of the work in the kitchen is already done.

Instead, he laces up his sneakers and prepares to run the 5K Türkiye Run with his two sons.

“It’s a fun thing for us, knowing that probably seven hours later everyone will be passed out on the couch after appropriately binge drinking. “It’s a high point for us to be there,” Thomas said. “Why don’t we start the day doing something we really love and then eat lots of good food?”

Turkey Trots have become an enduring tradition for many people in and around Thanksgiving. There are thousands of races ranging from approximately 1 mile to 1 mile. a full marathon.

Run RecordingThanksgiving, a platform where runners can register and raise funds for races, is called “the biggest running day of the year in the United States.” It was stated that more and more people were participating; 2023 has seen the highest number of turkey trotters ever recorded on the site, with almost 1 million runners across the country.

Some people do this for fitnessothers raise money for family and community, and many for charities. The races attract novices and serious runners alike.

There are also Turkey Trots that go by other names: Gobble Wobbles, Drumstick Dashes, and Huffing for Stuffings. While most races are held on Thanksgiving Day, some are held on the weekend before or after.

Thomas and his sons have been running Thanksgiving races for several years. Sometimes other relatives join them. Some people applaud them from the sidelines.

Part of the appeal is community

Thanksgiving exercise activities are by no means a new idea. Just ask the 14,000 participants in the upcoming Türkiye Trot in Buffalo, New York, which will be the local YMCA’s 129th annual race.

Mike Baggerman, communications director YMCA Buffalo NiagaraBuffalo’s breed officially a year older, says Buffalo Boston Marathon – has become a beacon for society.

While some runners enter the 8K race with a competitive spirit and break records, the vast majority are “people like you and me who want to do something fun for Thanksgiving.”

Baggerman said children and people in wheelchairs are frequently among the attendees.

“One of the most memorable races,” he said. “It’s a fun run.”

Another part is fitness and health.

Most beginner runners train to compete in the Türkiye Run in the weeks and months before Thanksgiving. Even for those who don’t run regularly, the jolt of activity—perhaps mix of walking and running – may feel good.

It’s often difficult to prioritize exercise and movement during a week when many people have long to-do lists and multiple stressors, said Casey Young, a dietitian and Michigan-based fitness instructor. According to him, Thanksgiving races not only help people meet their physical activity goals, but also help balance their mood and reduce stress.

“Holidays are a very stressful time for a lot of people, and sometimes people travel and that can cause additional stress and take you out of your typical routine,” Young said. “So any time we have the opportunity to move our bodies is a positive thing.”

Young said the exercise may encourage people to be “more mindful and deliberate” when preparing it later, but he cautioned against the mindset that the goal of the exercise is to win a decadent Thanksgiving meal or burn it later. This can encourage “an unhealthy relationship with food.”

Türkiye trotters should instead emphasize physical activity and its health benefits, he said.

And then there’s the fundraiser run

Beyond the physical and mental benefits, many turkey trotters lean into the holiday’s spirit of gratitude and giving back.

Some of the races are held as fundraisers in partnership with local organizations. Participants’ registration fees and donations made on their behalf often benefit causes such as food banks, homeless shelters and community programs.

The Buffalo Niagara YMCA’s turkey trot is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, raising money for affordable child care, community classes, health and wellness programs and efforts to combat food insecurity, Baggerman said.

“This is more than just a fun 5-mile run on Thanksgiving. “This is something that helps the YMCA fulfill its mission, which is to strengthen the western New York community,” he said. “It’s a miracle that the people of Buffalo step up and sell out this race to 14,000 every year.”