(TNND) — There are two types of people on Thanksgiving. The first is sleeping in. The second is waking up at the crack of dawn to run.
But where did this tradition come from?
The first Turkey Trot was held in 1896 in Buffalo, N.Y, hosted by their local YMCA. The race was an 8K, about 5 miles, and only six runners participated, with two dropping out during the race, according to Runner’s World.
As the years passed, races continued to pop up along the East Coast throughout the 1900s. According to the Buffalo YMCA, women joined the ranks of the trot in 1972, which garnered the race a more family-friendly vibe. That same year, women also ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time.
More individuals participated and more races continued to pop up. Almost 800,000 individuals signed up for a trot in 2022 officially, according to The Well News. Even more people may have been unaccounted for unofficial trots.
Geoffrey Falkner, communications director for the historic Buffalo Turkey Trot, told Runner’s World that costumes became a race tradition in the early 1980s, with runners dressing up as Canadian hockey players. It’s very common to find people dressed up in turkey costumes or bright colors at your local race.
Despite the original measly participation, the trend stuck. Now, the race is held every year in every major city across the United States and can even be found in local towns.
Most Turkey Trots are focused on raising money for local organizations and charities.
One thing about the Buffalo trot, it remained the same length: 5 miles. Although it is more common to find Turkey Trots that are 5K, or 3 miles, the one in Buffalo decided to go the extra mile, or miles.
So would you run 5 miles before a Thanksgiving meal? Websites like RunSignup or Find a Race are helpful tools to find local runs in your area.