(Photo by Lauren Thomas)
Does the enticing bounty of the Thanksgiving dinner table tend to saddle you with overeater’s remorse afterwards? Or does the head chef in your household grumble about you getting underfoot in the kitchen during the preparation of the great feast? Maybe this year it’s time for you to join the hundreds of Paltzonians who make it an annual tradition to run (or walk) five kilometers for a great local charity on Thanksgiving morning.
The tenth annual Family of New Paltz 5K Turkey Trot steps off at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 28 from the intersection of Plains Road and Water Street, behind the assembly point at the Water Street Market. The mostly flat racecourse follows Plains Road to its end and then returns to the starting point via the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. It’s preceded by the half-mile Mashed Potato Fun Run on the Rail Trail for kids age 10 and under.
Registration begins at 7 a.m. on the day of the event in the upper parking lot at the Water Street Market. There are also several ways to preregister and avoid the long lines: in person at the Jewish Community Center at 30 North Chestnut Street in New Paltz from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27; or online at www.active.com, which incurs an extra service charge.
Up until 6 p.m. on the day preceding the event, the entry fee for the Turkey Trot is $20 for runners/walkers ages 19 to 64 years and $10 for youths age 18 and under and seniors age 65 and over. On race day, the fee goes up to $25 for runners/walkers aged 19 to 64 and $15 for those 18 and under or 65 and over. Entry in the Mashed Potato Fun Run is free. The proceeds of the event benefit the Family of New Paltz food pantry.
Popular kids’ music band Fuzzy Lollipop will perform at the Water Street Market beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the race, Moxie Cupcakes will help you carbo-load and there will be face-painting and family photos available for purchase. The awards ceremony and 50/50 raffle drawing are scheduled for 10:30 a.m., so everything wraps up in plenty of time to make it home for Thanksgiving dinner – minus the guilt. For more information contact Kathy at (845) 255-7957, or find registration forms and info online at www.newpaltzturkeytrot.com.