Front Range Turkey Trots

Care to earn your Thanksgiving dessert, as well as join in one of this country’s oldest running traditions? Then join the hundreds of thousands of runners across the nation that lace up their running shoes every Thanksgiving morning and run their local Turkey Trot. Whether it’s a small-town race of a hundred people, or tens of thousands that come out and race the larger metropolitan area races, Turkey Trots provide a healthy way to start what has become an increasingly over-indulgent day. Typically racing in the middle-distance range of 5k to 5 miles, Turkey trots also provide a nice respite from what can sometimes be a stressful season. The first Turkey Trot was run in 1896 in Buffalo, New York, and the event has become as traditional as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Colorado boasts no less than eight Turkey Trots on the Front Range, including the 43^rd annual Mile High United Way Turkey Trot in Denver’s Washington Park, and the much newer Harvesting Hope 5k in the Stapleton area, which is in its second year. Our friends down in Colorado Springs at the Briargate YMCA they will be hosting a 5k on Turkey Day. Meanwhile, our neighbors in the north, The Fort Collins Club will be hosting their 23^rd annual Thanksgiving Day Run in partnership with the Ramstrength Foundation – Northern Colorado’s most popular four mile family run/walk. There are also a couple of Turkey Trot’s up in the Boulder/Louisville area. The Louisville Turkey Trot 5k is absolutely free, operating under donations from their sponsors and collecting non-perishable food items and winter apparel for local charities. Live in the Highlands Ranch or Castle Rock areas? There are races for you there as well. The Turkey Rock Trot in Castle Rock features a 5k with cash prizes, great swag, a beer garden and Flippin’ Flapjacks at the finish. The Highlands Ranch Turkey Trot, now in its 13^th year with over 2,500 participants, features coffee, cocoa, beer and pancakes at the finish.

These races are family oriented and most allow dogs and strollers. Runners Roost is a proud sponsor of many of these races and support all of them and what they do for their local communities. If you haven’t run a Turkey Trot, find one and sign up! If it is already part of your holiday tradition, mix it up and race somewhere different. Regardless of where you run, just get out Thanksgiving Day and enjoy your pre-feast festivities!