Posted on: November 5, 2017

It’s estimated that the average adult consumes between 3,000 and 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving day. And that’s just for dinner! A great way to counteract those extra (yummy!) calories is to get some fun physical exercise before the big meal.

The Glen Ellyn Park District’s Turkey Trot 5-Mile Run, held on Thanksgiving morning, has been a long-standing tradition since 1988. “Over the last 5-10 years, we’ve averaged about 350-400 runners per year,” said Jeannie Robinson, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation Services for the Glen Ellyn Park District. “This event is special because it’s a “fun run” (or walk) that families can participate in together before the start of their Thanksgiving holiday. Since it’s free, it’s a great way to kick off the big day!”

This isn’t your ordinary 5-mile event. Participants aren’t competing against each other; the goal is to complete the course in the amount of time you predict before the race begins. “Runners love that it’s a challenging course, but it’s fun since there’s no pressure to be the first to cross the finish line,” said Robinson. “They’re running against their predicted finish time, so the real challenge is to keep the pace steady to finish as close to the predicted time as possible.”

The Turkey Trot begins at 8:00 am on Thanksgiving morning, November 23rd. Participants are asked to arrive at the Lake Ellyn Boathouse (at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road in Glen Ellyn) before the start of the race to sign a race waiver and enter their predicted finish time. This year’s event is sponsored, in part, by 1776 Senior Care.

All ages are invited and the event is FREE! Strollers are welcome, as participants will be running, jogging, and walking along the non-marshaled race course. Thanksgiving-themed costumes are encouraged; you may see some funny looking turkeys during the race!

The Park District is offering a reward to the two participants who finish the course closest to their predicted time. Each winner will receive a delicious pie to enjoy after their holiday meal.

In addition to the race, Park District staff will be collecting non-perishable food donations on behalf of the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry to help fill its shelves for the holiday season. Items requested include peanut butter and jelly, white and brown rice, pasta and spaghetti sauce, sugar, and canned veggies, fruits, beans, and soup.

Please note: timing devices are prohibited on the race course. For additional information, please visit www.gepark.org/turkey-trot.