Turkey Trotting

Trot your way to the finish line this Thanksgiving at the 42nd annual Turkey Stuffer 5K Nov. 23 at Lively Park. Before you work all day cooking a feast or watching Thursday football, spend your holiday morning smelling the fresh early winter air while exercising on 31 acres of green scenery. Bundle up for the breezy morning because, in rain or shine, the event trots on. Walk, run, waddle or dinner roll your way through the flat course loops. Once you’ve trotted your way through the path, stay after the race for awards and typical race snacks such as bagels and bananas served by local volunteers. Don’t forget to add this year’s themed shirt “Pour Some Gravy on Me” to your registration. With a picture of a long blonde turkey wearing bright red running shoes holding a ladle larger than itself, who wouldn’t want that on a shirt? “This is a great tradition for the participants of the event, but it’s also a really great tradition for the neighbors,” says Tracy Kribs, Willamalane Park and Recreation District special events and operations program manager. “A lot of the community members will come out of their houses in the morning, and they’ll cheer on the runners and they’ll make signs and have noisemakers. It really just lends itself to a really great community building tradition.”