One of my fondest Thanksgiving memories doesn’t involve Turkey, football or parades…it involves good old-fashioned EXERCISE! My mom is a fitness instructor and every year on the night before Thanksgiving we would all sit on the family room floor tying jingle bells onto little red ribbons for the “Thanksgiving Day Class”. You see, each year my mom teaches an old-school aerobics class where people of all ages come together, bringing canned goods to use as weights (and donate after). We celebrate the start of the holiday season and a day of feasting by working out to holiday classics like ‘Jingle Bell Rock’. It’s fun, it’s festive and it works up a sweat, leaving you ready for filling up with Thanksgiving goodness. This believe it or not, is probably what I miss the most about not being home for Turkey day. There is something about the whole family waking up early and dancing around like crazy people (dad, husbands and kids included) to ‘Run, Run Rudolph’ and other holiday songs that just made our crazy little Thanksgiving perfect.
So….since I can’t make it to the class, I thought I would continue the family tradition of getting up and being active together before we settle in for a day of parades, football and food. Since I was researching for myself, I figured I’d compile for you all a round-up of 2015 Turkey Trots in the L.A. area in case you want to sweat it out before you stuff it in too!
Added bonus…most of the Turkey Trots benefit fantastic charities. So you get to give back too!
Turkey Trot L.A. – Downtown L.A.
- 5k, 10k & fun runs
- cotton boxers for first 4,000 participants, cotton shirts for the rest of us last-minute folks
- finisher medals for all
- no pets allowed, strollers are welcome
- 6:45 registration begins, 8am 5k start, 8:30am 10k start, 10am 1k fun run start
- Price: $20 – $65 depending on what races you enter
- Charity: Midnight Mission
Burbank YMCA Turkey Trot – Burbank
- 5k, 10k & kiddie run
- t-shirt, medal and finish line photo for all participants
- free kids fun zone
- dogs on leash and strollers allowed
- 6am registration begins, 7:30am 5k/10k competitive start, 7:40 5k fun run start, 8:30am kiddie fun run start
- Price: $20 kiddie run, $40 5k/10k (pre-register), $45 5k/10k (race day)
- Charity: YMCA Membership Assistance Program
Banc of California Turkey Trot – Pacific Palisades
- 5k, 10k
- t-shirt for all participants
- 8am start
- Price: kids $25, adults $35(pre-register)/$40(race day)
- Charity: Hearts with Hope Foundation & Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Drumstick Dash – Studio City
- 5k & fun run
- technical shirt and finisher medal to all participants
- live entertainment
- 6:30am registration open, 8am competitive 5k start, 9am walk/run 5k start, 10am fun run start
- Price: fun run $15, kids 5k $25(pre)/$30(race day), adults 5k $35(pre)/$40(race day)
- Charity: Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission
Long Beach Turkey Trot – Long Beach
- 5k, 10k & kids fun run
- t-shirts (not guaranteed to late entry participants), 600 pies for random finishers
- strollers encouraged to use the 10am start time
- 5k/10k start times: 7am, 8:30am, 10am, kids fun run start: 9:40/9:45 (by age)
- Price: $40
- Charity: Community Action Team
Tofurkey Trot – Pasadena
- 5k
- t-shirts for pre-registered runners & race day participants (as long as supplies last)
- well-behaved dogs on leash welcome
- 7:30 registration, 8am yoga, 9am race start
- Price: $15 (under 18), $32 adult
- Charity: National Museum of Animals & Society, The Gentle Barn
Turkey Trot – Santa Monica
- 5k, 10k, 15k, 1/2 marathon
- no dogs, strollers welcome
- no t-shirt, finishers medal and goodie bag
- 6:30 registration, 7am race start
- Price: 5k $20, 10k $25, 15k $35, 1/2 marathon $40 ($5 more for all races on race day)
- Charity: none listed
Lake Balboa Turkey Trot – Van Nuys
- 5k, 1k fun run
- all fun run participants receive a medal, scenic lake views
- 6:45 registration open, 8:30am 5k race start, 9:30am 1k fun run start
- Price: $20 kids fun run, $35 5k
- Charity: none listed
Xterra Trail Run Turkey Trot – Topanga
- 5k (sold out), 10k, 15k
- t-shirt (subject to availability), medal, digital photo, post-race coffee and hot breakfast, cold beer (21+)
- no race day registration – this event will sell out!
- 6:30am packet pick-up, 8am 15k start, 8:15am 5k start, 8:30am 10k start
- Price: $55 10k, $85 15k
- Charity: none listed
Happy running! Do a little wobble before you gobble…and don’t forget to share your Turkey Trot photos with us on Instagram @rockinmamalife!
(You’ll thank me later.)
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