FALL PLANNING 2019: TURKEY TROT TRAINING

Earned Runs' TURKEY TROT training sticker. Taken by PKSenagore. All rights reserved.

THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING DAY  IN THE USA* IS 13 WEEKS from today. If you hope to run or walk your very first 5K or other distance race on this holiday weekend, it’s time to start planning. Or, if traveling home, you’d like to beat your cousin who perennially has bragging rights to the best finish time at the family’s annual event. Possibly there’s a certain someone who might be at the race and you would like to show good running form and possibly improved body composition.
 
There’s enough time to begin a 12- week training plan, but not everyone needs or wants  to spend this much time in  training. Jeff Galloway wrote an article that promises to get those who are already running as little as 1-2 times per week in shape in 5-6 weeks. However, if you wish to incorporate some wiggle room into a training schedule to accommodate travel, vacation time, crunch time at work, or an illness, it might be wise to add an extra week or two to an 8 or  10-week program.
 
Need a bit of inspiration to commit? In the autumn of 2016 Lydia Estes, a student at Wofford College, wrote a charming article, for Oddysseyonline.com, “10 Reasons Why You Should Run In Your Town’s Turkey Trot.”  You don’t need to be a college freshman to relate to the experience she described as a participant in the local community Turkey Trot.  It was so refreshing to see that the expected reason at the top of most such lists, being able to eat an extra serving of pumpkin pie or other favorite food at Thanksgiving dinner, was last. 
 
What if there is no local race that you and your loved or liked ones can join as walkers or runners? Create your own. This is one reason why Earned Runs provides free bibs and resources for training. Request bibs now; they’ll help motivate you to take action. 
 
I am considering running-walking a 2019 Turkey Trot; my go-to local race is the Zeeland MI 8K. Last year I placed third in my age group after speed walking the entire race. However, plans may change and it may be our turn to travel for Thanksgiving celebration.  I will start training early to accommodate a 5k, 8k or 10k distance anywhere in the United States.
 
My motivation to start penciling workouts into my calendar the next month and begin training early is to be ready for whatever my family's traditions demand.
 
Earned Runs will post a 11- to 12-week plan preview in early September that beginners or those just getting back into running can follow.  A walker plan will also be offered.
 
Will 2019 be the year your Turkey Trot tradition starts or continues?

RUN & MOVE HAPPY!

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/reasons-to-run-in-the-turkey-trot

https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a20846738/how-to-run-a-turkey-trot-race/

https://www.calendar-canada.ca/holiday/thanksgiving2/10-14-2019/

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1047687/thanksgiving-2018-does-uk-celebrate-thanksgiving-usa-where-to-celebrate

https://www.countryfile.com/how-to/food-recipes/british-harvest-how-long-does-the-season-last-when-is-harvest-day-plus-history-and-traditions/

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/thanksgiving-around-the-world/

* Thanksgiving Day in Canada falls on October 14, 2019.  That's a bit over 6 weeks from today. The United Kingdom celebrates an autumn holiday, Harvest Festival, near the time of the autumnal equinox, about September 21-23 each year. 

Other countries around the world have similar themed holidays, which may not be on the calendar in November each year. The date of the US event can be an excuse for a race regardless of country of residence, and thus provide a reason to train over the preceding weeks. Check out the plans even if , where you live, November 28 is not a special day this year.