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

By Kaitlyn Huamani

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