Montana Moves on Turkey Day!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  Yes, even better than Christmas.  Why?  Well, for starters the weather is nicer than Christmas (maybe more so in my home state of Arkansas than in Montana, but it looks like this week is going to be gorgeous fall weather across much of the state).  Next, I suppose it comes down to the fact that I like food, football, and family, (and more food) which Thanksgiving centers around.   Throw in a four-day weekend and you’ve got yourself a pretty awesome holiday!

So, let’s talk about all that holiday food.  We know we’re going to eat a lot this weekend, and I’m not going to feel bad about it (take that Cristin!).  In fact, I’m looking very much forward to it.  But we can balance it out with a little extra calorie burning, especially on Turkey Day itself.  There are opportunities all across the state to get out and be active in your communities with a Thanksgiving Day running or walking event.  Many of these also use your entry fee to contribute to charities within your community, so that’s one more reason to participate.

The following is a list of Turkey Day events you can find on Run Montana.  If you can’t make it to any of these, set up your own Thanksgiving walk, run, or jog with your family or friends.  It will make you feel better about the extra calories that will be consumed over the weekend.  Stay moving with fun Montana activities all weekend long, and look for Cristin’s upcoming blog about Holiday nutrition strategies to help keep your waistline in-check while still enjoying your holiday.

Cristin and I practice what we preach, and will be participating in the Huffing for Stuffing 10k in Bozeman.  We’ll give you a full report next week!  If you’re in a TurkeyDay event, feel free to drop us a line or picture to wellness@montana.edu to tell us how you did—we’ll report it next week!

~NA

Here’s the list of Thanksgiving races from Run Montana (www.runmt.com):

November  22, 2012, Thursday

Turkey Day 8k/3k Family Fun Run • Missoula,  Toole  Park. Visit www.runwildmissoula.org for more info.

Huffing For Stuffing Thanksgiving  Day Run • Bozeman . Hungry to run on  Thanksgiving Day? Come see what the Huff is about and join our 6th  annual fundraiser event! 5K & 10K races, Kids’ Run and Untimed 5K Fun  Run/Walk for people who prefer to ease into the holiday. All events start &  finish at the Museum of the Rockies. Prizes for runners who “Smoke the Turkey” in the 5K! All  participants and volunteers receive a micro-fiber race shirt and cornucopia of  fun! Terrific awards again this year. Entry fee is $20 except Kids’ Run is FREE  with food donation. Everyone can bring non-perishable donations. Proceeds  benefit the Gallatin Valley Food Bank; our five-year cumulative donation is  $97,200! Huffing For Stuffing is about community support, family and fun;  runners and walkers of all abilities are welcome. Register online at Active.com or download Registration Form at www.huffingforstuffing.com.  Race day registration opens at 7:00am and costs $25. See website for more  details. Contact: huffingforstuffing@yahoo.com or call 406-599-6283. Don’t want to run or walk? Please  volunteer. 200+ Volunteers needed! www.huffingforstuffing.com/volunteer.

Burn  the Bird 5k & 10k •  Great Falls. Course will be on the river’s edge  trail starting at FW & P near the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.  More details to come soon.  Please watch www.racemt.com   Race will have online  registration open soon at prerace.com.

The Yellowstone Rim Runners present  the 2nd Annual Run! Turkey Run! – Billings,  Good Earth Market, 9:00 a.m.  Come join us on Thanksgiving morning for the race against hunger!  We will  feature a 5K and Street Mile race in downtown Billings.  Both events will  start and finish near the Good Earth Market with Billings’ finest locally  brewed beers and gourmet sodas, local coffee, bread, and bagels, and assorted  fruits waiting at the finish line.  Once again, t-shirts and pint glasses  will be given to participants.  All proceeds and profits benefit the  Billings Food Bank.  This is a fun-filled family event that we don’t want  you to miss!  For more information and to register visit  www.runturkeyrun.org.

1st  Gobble Wobble• Opportunity, Anaconda.  10k and 5k will be   held  at the Anaconda Country Club, 1521 Country Club Road, in   Opportunity,  Proceeds will benefit 18U Anaconda X Country.  Registration   opens at 7:30 am.  The 10k race will start at 8:30 am and the 5k race will start   at 9:00 am.   The cost is $20 for those whose registrations are received by   November 8th, and $25 for day of race registration.  You can get a   registration form online at www.anacondarunningclub.blogspot.com or pick one up locally at Goosetown Health Club or Beyond Necessities.  Awesome   men and women specific technical T-Shirts are guaranteed for all who   preregister, as well as door prizes the day of the race.  Thanks for your   support of Anaconda’s young runners.

3rd Annual Bucky’s Turkey Trot • Glendive, 10k/5k/Fun Run to benefit Dawson County Food Bank. Race times: 10K-9am..  5K Run/Walk-9:30am..  Kids Race-10am.. *Start at HKT Body Shop on the corner of Benham and Kendrick. Registration: Race and t-shirt – $20 payable on race day. Kids Race and t-shirt – $10 payable on race day.  Race and bib only – 5 non-perishable food items.. Pre-register at www.dawson.edu/webform/Turkey-Trot You can also register Thanksgiving morning starting at 8 am..

3rd Annual Big Sky Turkey Trot 5K • Big Sky. This race supports the Big Sky Ski   Education Foundation. Register 8:00 a.m. Town Center in Big   Sky, MT. Race at 9:00, Technical running Shirt for all participants. $20.00. Go to www.bssef.com for more info.