Why do they flock to Turkey Trots? Runners count the reasons

Thanksgiving morning is often a blur of last-minute meal preparation and frenzied chores. But for Beth Thomas, who typically hosts her family at her Boston-area home, most of the work in the kitchen is already done.

Instead, she laces up her sneakers and warms up for a 5K Turkey Trot run with her two sons.

“It’s just a fun thing for us to do, knowing probably seven hours later, everyone’s going to be passed out on the couch after having overindulged appropriately. It’s a high point for us to be out there,” said Thomas. “Why not start the day doing something that we really love and then eat a lot of good food later?”

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

Run Signup, a platform where runners can register and fundraise for races, calls Thanksgiving “the biggest US running day of the year.” More and more people are joining in, it said; 2023 saw the highest number of turkey trotters ever registered on the site, with almost 1 million runners across the country.

Some do it for fitness, others for family and community, and many are also raising money for charities. The races attract both novices and serious runners.

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 take place the weekend before or after.

Thomas and her sons have run in Thanksgiving races for several years. Sometimes other relatives join them. Still others cheer them on from the sidelines.

Part of the appeal is community

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

Mike Baggerman, the communications director at the YMCA Buffalo Niagara, said Buffalo’s race — officially a year older than the Boston Marathon — has become a hallmark for the community.

While some runners show up for the 8K race with a competitive spirit and achieve record-setting times, the overwhelming majority are “people like you and me who just want to have something fun to do on Thanksgiving Day.”

Children and people who use wheelchairs are frequent participants, Baggerman said.

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

Another part is fitness and health

Many beginning runners train in the weeks and months leading up to Thanksgiving to compete in a Turkey Trot. Even for those who don’t run regularly, the jolt of activity — perhaps a mix of walking and running — can feel good.

Prioritizing exercise and movement during a week when many have long to-do lists and multiple stressors is often difficult, said dietician and Michigan-based fitness instructor Casey Young. To her, Thanksgiving races can not only help people reach their physical activity goals but also help stabilize their mood and reduce stress.

“Holidays tend to be such a stressful time for a lot of people, and sometimes people are traveling, and that can add some additional stress and get you out of your typical routine,” Young said. “So, anytime we have an opportunity to move our body is a positive thing.”

Exercise may prompt people to be “more mindful and intentional” when plating up later, Young said, but she warns against the mentality that the purpose of the exertion is to earn a decadent Thanksgiving meal or to burn it off afterward. That could foster an “unhealthy relationship with food.”

Turkey trotters should instead emphasize the physical activity and its health benefits, she said.

And then there's running for fundraising

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

Some of the races are organized as fundraisers in partnership with local organizations. Registration fees for participants and donations on their behalf often benefit causes like food banks, homeless shelters and community programs.

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

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