Boilermaker and Beyond

‘Thanksgiving, man. Not a good day to be my pants.’

Kevin James

If someone asked you what day of the year has the most races/ runners what would your answer be?

The answer would be Thanksgiving.

In New York the Turkey Trot, an 8k which takes place in Buffalo, with 14,000 registrants is simply of the largest races in the state. This year marks its 117^th running making it the longest continuous race in North America (five months older than the iconic Boston Marathon).

So why is Thanksgiving such a running magnet?

 Thanksgiving runs tend to be a family affair and what better holiday that brings family together? They are, in general, a more casual affair stressing participation over finishing time (well, for most people).

Most of these events tend to tie in a charitable aspect supporting food pantries; there is a certain self-satisfaction in giving to those in need.

Finally, if Thanksgiving touts the most runs I assume it’s the day of the year we pack on the most pounds. I saw a factoid that the average American consumes 4,000 calories on Thanksgiving   In order to run off that load (assuming you lose 150 calories for every mile run) you would (literally) need to run a marathon!

Locally the 28^th Utica Thanksgiving Run will take place at the Parkway Rec Center. Registration begins at 7:30 am. 

There is a Kid’s Run that commences at 8:50 followed by a 5k run and 2 mile walk at 9:00; cost is $5 or $15 for a family. Please bring 2 non-perishable food items.

Thanks to the Utica Road Runners and very, very special thank you to Dave Jones who got this event started.

See you there!