6 Reasons to Keep the Turkey Trot Tradition Alive This Year

turkey trot


The turkey, the pie, the football, the family time! There are so many things to love about Thanksgiving—did we mention the pie? Every family has its own traditions and activities it looks forward to on the holiday, but if running a family turkey trot isn't already one of yours, it should be! Thanksgiving might look a little different this year thanks to the pandemic, but your annual turkey trot is one tradition that doesn't have to die. Here's why.

Earn a Second Helping

According to the Calorie Control Council, the average American can consume up to 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving. That's more calories than a family of four should eat for two meals!

Help your body out by getting in a quick run before the big feast, so you can feel a little less guilty when you grab that second helping of potatoes or extra slice of pie. Turkey trots usually follow a 5K course, and you can burn up to 300 calories in just 30 minutes of running.

Tire out the Kids

You know how the saying goes: A tired kid is a well-behaved kid. Or is that for dogs? Either way, it's true! Waking the kids up early for a 7 a.m. turkey trot will tucker them out so they're not running around the house while you're trying to set the table. Add in some natural tryptophan from the turkey, and they might even crash by 9 p.m.—just in time for the adults to start the real Thanksgiving party!

Establish a Tradition

Run a turkey trot once, and it instantly becomes a family tradition. You'll look back on turkey trots from years past with fond memories, and you'll even be able to see how much progress your family's fitness has made over the years. You might've started at a true trotting pace, but soon it's an all-out race to the finish! Turkey trots are a great opportunity for family photos, too, as well as a wonderful excuse for everyone dress in matching outfits.

Dress It Up!

Once Halloween passes, there really aren't a lot of opportunities to dress up in silly costumes like a turkey, a slice of pie or a whole cornucopia—and that's just sad! The more times you can squeeze Dad into a ridiculous costume, the better. Force the whole family into matching orange tutus or make DIY turkey day shirts, and it'll take your holiday photo ops to the next level.

Do It for the Medal

There's something intrinsically motivating about a shiny new medal. Challenge your kids to collect as many race medals as they can, and they'll be addicted to running races in no time.

Cast a Wider Net

If your local turkey trot was canceled for the year—or you're looking to start running for the first time—don't worry! The beauty of a virtual race is that you can participate from anywhere in the world! If you're not able to run your local trot this year, why not look for the virtual offering with the best swag? Or maybe you've always wanted to run the turkey trot in your hometown but aren't able to make it there on Thanksgiving Day thanks to other family activities. Virtual running is as simple as choosing your race and clicking register.

Looking for the prefect turkey trot to run with your family this year but don't know where to start? Find all the races ACTIVE has to offer right here.

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