By Jake Russell
Before plopping yourself on the couch to watch 11 continuous hours of football and indulging in your succulent, food coma-inducing Thanksgiving feast Thursday, it’s always wise to work off your meals in some fashion. What better way to work it off than by running?
Queenstown Harbor Golf Course will host its 2nd Annual Great Turkey Chase Thanksgiving morning at 8 a.m. The courses are two and five mile stretches that cross paved roads, grass and wooden idges. The chase benefits the Maryland Food Bank and asks runners to donate non-perishable items. Registration is $35 for the five-miler, $25 for the two-miler and $20 for children under the age of 12. Runners are encouraged to dress up in their most festive costume with prizes being awarded to the best male and female designs.
Starting at 10 a.m. the YMCA of the Chesapeake in Easton will host the 2013 Festival of Trees Run/Walk for Hospice. All run/walk registration fees benefit YMCA Camp Lazy Days and Talbot Hospice Foundation. Check out festival-of-trees.org or call 410-819-FEST for registration fees and more run/walk details.
Fleet Feet Sports offers a scenic Thanksgiving morning “tour by run” of Downtown Annapolis. The free 7th Annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run will eak runners into three groups: Group One: 9 a.m. - 8:30/minute mile or faster; Group 2: 9:03am - 8:30/min mile - 10:00/minute mile; and Group 3: 9:06am - 10:00 minute mile or slower (Best for strollers/dogs). The run is free and open to the public but Fleet Feet Sports kindly asks for $5-$10 donations to The Bowen Foundation for Autism.
If you lacked the motivation to run Thursday morning, South River High School in Edgewater will host its 15th Annual Cold Turkey 10k Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The race, run in memory of Kati Fisher, will award the top three finishers by gender and features customized long-sleeve shirts to all pre-registrants. Random prizes will also be handed out. Stop by annapolisstriders.org for more race details.
On Saturday at 9:30 a.m., the Jug Bay Post Turkey Trail 5K will begin at Plummer House and careen through at the beautiful Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary. Visit aacounty.org or call 410-222-7315 ext. 355 for registration and trail information.
