Prepare for Thanksgiving excess with Turkey Trot

Thanksgiving in Polson has a longstanding tradition of running in the morning in bad weather and eating a lot of food for dinner.

Polson Running's annual 5K Turkey Trot is again on Thanksgiving Day this year. The run starts at 10 a.m., beginning and ending at Century 21 of Polson, at the junction of Hwy. 35. The entry fee is just $5, which goes to the local food bank, Loaves and Fishes.

"It's our biggest race of the year in terms of turnout," organizer Cynthia Arnold said. "I attribute that to it being a holiday tradition that families partake in. We don't know what the weather will be like, but as far as I can remember, it has never been canceled because of the weather.

Usually, about 100 runners partake, but as many as 200 have run before.

"I think people feel guilty about what they're going to be eating later and go running, so it will cancel it out," Arnold said.

Turkey Trots have become popular in many towns across the country, and Arnold said they have become as common as watching football and the dog show during the big holiday.

"We try to make it festive with inflatable turkeys and turkey costumes,” she said. “We will have prizes, and sometimes we give away random pies at the event."

Arnold added that everyone is welcome to the run and that it's for beginner and experienced runners, as well as enthusiastic walkers.

"This is a mom-and-pop thing – it's family-friendly," Arnold said. "If anyone needs help or needs more information, we're here to talk to them.”

Polson Running also hosts other runs during the year, including a half marathon in January and the Firecracker Run in July, and they hosted a trail run last summer to celebrate the Mission Valley Aquatic Center's anniversary.

For more info, go to www.facebook.com/polsonrunning