Before the ovens preheat and the pies are sliced, Willamalane is giving Lane County a reason to lace up and take a lap. The Turkey Stuffer 5K returns to Lively Park on Thanksgiving morning for its 44th year, inviting runners, walkers and wobblers to shake off the holiday grogginess. “The Turkey Stuffer is one of Willamalane’s longest-running events. This year will be our 44th annual event,” says Whitney Hoshaw, Willamalane’s marketing and communications manager. Participants make their way through a flat neighborhood course, often in full festive attire. “Last year we had just over 1,200 registrations,” Hoshaw says. Many of those faces — and costumes — reappear annually. “We’ve got a lot of families who participate year over year, so when you get out to Turkey Stuffer, oftentimes you’ll see a lot of the shirts from even decades ago.” For many, the energy is the real draw. The starting line transforms into a Thanksgiving morning pep rally, with turkey hats and inflatable birds bobbing above the crowd. “The Turkey Stuffer is just really fun,” Hoshaw says. “It’s a really fun and energizing way to start your morning. You get out there at 8 o’clock on Thanksgiving morning, and everybody’s energized and dressed up and they got their shirts on, they’ve got their inflatable turkeys.” Kids 12 and under race free, thanks to support from The Hope Project, a nonprofit focused on supporting events that serve the community.

Turkey Stuffer 5K is 8:30 am Thursday, Nov. 27, at Lively Park, 6100 Thurston Road in Springfield. Registration is $25 for ages 13 and older and ages 12 and under are free. The event is stroller and mobility-aid accessible. Packet pickup and preregistration are required 3 pm to 7 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 25, and 9 am to 7 pm Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Bob Keefer Center. No race-day packet pickup is available. For more details visit Willamalane.org.