A fun race or walk for some, a serious competition for others, Turkey Trots have become a part of Thanksgiving as much as cranberry sauce, green bean casseroles and grandma’s pie.
The tradition’s been around for more than 100 years, with credit for the first trot going to a handful of runners striding down a New York dirt road in 1896.
The Zack’s Place Turkey Trot (zacksplacevt.org), which attracted some 1,670 runners last year and raised more than $80,000 for the Woodstock special needs nonprofit enrichment center, has been run since 2007. The Thanksgiving Day 5K event leaves Woodstock Elementary School at 10 a.m.
The Nov. 22 Norwich Turkey Trot departs from the gazebo on the Norwich green at 9 a.m. for a 4.4-mile run and 2-mile walk to benefit the Upper Valley Haven, while the canine-friendly, fifth annual Brownsville 5K Turkey Trot hosted by The Climb Fitness Center (theclimbfitness.com) gets going early at 7:45 a.m. from the center on Hotel Road. As an added challenge — or incentive — to the Brownsville event, all participants get a free slice of pie!
Also on Thanksgiving is the Lake Sunapee Turkey Trot (sunapeeturkeytrot.com) in Sunapee Harbor. In its 12th year, there is a 1K children’s Chicken Run, too. The event benefits the town recreation department, with this year’s project being a new skateboard park near Veteran’s Field on N.H. Route 11.
Costumes are encouraged at the deliciously named Gobble Gobble Wobble 5K at Stratton (stratton.com) on the harvest holiday. The race starts at 9 a.m. from the clock tower and takes trotters through the village and around the resort. The Pickle Barrel is race headquarters for Killington’s eight Turkey Trot (killington.com), which gets under way at 9:30 a.m. on T-Day.
“Our passionate locals make up most of the runners and walkers in the annual Turkey Trot,” Killington’s Courtney DiFiore said.
On the day after carving turns and turkey, try Okemo’s (okemo.com) aptly named Trot It Off 5K.
“For a full decade, Okemo has been the place to trot off the extra calories after gobbling up that extra mound of mashed potatoes and gravy or that second slice of pumpkin pie,” Okemo’s Bonnie MacPherson said. “Okemo’s Trot it Off 5k and Tots Trot fun run are a post-Turkey Day tradition for many families visiting Vermont for the holiday weekend.”
Quads burn during Mount Snow’s free Nov. 23 Turkey Hangover Hillclimb (mountsnow.com) at noon from the bottom of the Tumbleweed lift. Costumes are encouraged.
Between the turkey trot and the Audi FIS World Cup Nov. 23-25, Killington’s going to be a busy place with lots of cowbell as the fastest women on snow compete in giant slalom and slalom races for the third consecutive year down the Superstar trail.
The 5:45 p.m. Friday Athlete Bib Presentation, followed by a DJ and fireworks, is a good chance to see all the racers up close.
“What’s a bib presentation? It’s where the top 15 ranked giant slalom athletes will be presented with their start order for the giant slalom race on Saturday. Each athlete will be introduced on the stage and presented with a bib,” DiFiore said.
The autograph signing with women’s Swedish World Cup athletes at Coopers Coffee in the K-1 base lodge from 1:30-2:30 p.m. also is popular.
DiFiore suggested catching an early shuttle on the Saturday of race weekend starting at 6:30 a.m. to secure a good viewing spot for the competition.
Late November also is time for early season rail jams like the Nov. 24 Cease and Desist at Loon (loonmtn.com) in Lincoln, N.H.
“It wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated park staff or our talented snowmakers, who can produce a large quantity of high-quality snow so early in the season,” Loon’s Greg Kwasnik said. “That snow is key to building the Cease and Desist course, allowing our park staff to shape the snow and install newly-fabricated rails in all shapes and sizes, with plenty of kinks and bends.”
In Pinkham Notch, N.H., Wildcat’s Cans or Cash on Nov. 24 (skiwildcat.com) is a mellow rail jam at the base of the mountain with access earned with either a donation three canned food items or three bucks both going to a local food pantry. The rail garden jam is a hike-only deal, another way to burn off that pie.
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Marty Basch can be reached at marty.basch@gmail.com.