Growing up, I never understood why people ran races the morning of Thanksgiving. I thought those people were out of their minds and could never picture myself doing it. How could anyone? Why would anyone willingly miss the parade? I held this mindset for a long time, even while running cross country in high school! I didn’t start to change my mind until college. My sisters ran a Turkey Trot my freshman year of college. They had a great time, and I was upset that I missed out. I vowed to do it the following year.

And I did.

It was so much fun! None of us were actually racing, it was more of a fun run with our family. We posed for pictures with matching shirts and an inflatable turkey, just having a great time in general. There were runners actually racing and trying to earn medals, and I did think that those people were crazy. Why make yourself exhausted before eating Thanksgiving dinner/dessert? After thinking about it though, I realized that racing was fun for those people, and no matter the speed, we were all running together. My sisters and I had an amazing time, laughing and smiling the entire morning. We were so excited for the next Turkey Trot.

This year’s Turkey Trot was looking bleak. Due to COVID-19, most of the Turkey Trot 5Ks in my area were cancelled and are being held virtually. My sisters and I were beginning to lose hope until we found a local 5K held in person and following COVID guidelines. We signed up immediately and ordered matching shirts. I’m eager to see what this run has in store and how everything will be handled in regards to social distancing.

Returning to my own past opinions, you might wonder: Why does anyone willingly run a 5K on Thanksgiving morning? I never understood why either until I actually ran one. I’ve always enjoyed running in general, and running with other people is ten times more fun than running alone. I also love the adrenaline of racing, but at least within my family, Turkey Trots are more relaxed runs: we all try to run together. It’s also refreshing to wake up and get a run in. Not to mention, a little workout before Thanksgiving dinner leaves more room for great food and desserts! You’ll also sleep like a baby Thanksgiving night.

So before you question or judge people who run a Turkey Trot, like I used to do, try to run one yourself! It’s a great time and it’s always exciting to run with other people!