Get Ready for the Turkey Trot

As a four-time participant in the Alexandria Turkey Trot, Jeff Lutton can tell you about the delight of tearing into a Thanksgiving meal a few hours after completing a rigorous foot race.

"There's nothing better than running five miles in the morning and then getting to stuff your face guilt-free at the dinner table during Thanksgiving," said Lutton, who is helping organize this year's race for the first time.

The 35th installment of the race is scheduled for Thanksgiving morning (Nov. 25) and there's more than $1,000 in prize money available. Interested participants and have until the morning of the race to register.

Organizers urge runners to register on the Turkey Trot website prior to race day. It costs $20 for adults to register, $13 for competitors ages 13 to 20, and $5 for runners 13 and under. For complete registration info, click here.

The Del Ray Business Association and the DC Road Runners Club are sponsors of this year's race, with proceeds benefitting ALIVE! Alexandria—the largest private safety net for the needy in the city, addressing short-term to long-term needs for those less fortunate in the community.  

To help with the charitable effort, participants are asked to bring nonperishable food items to donate on race day.

The Turkey Trot bills itself as the most popular Thanksgiving Day race in the Washington, D.C. region, with more than 4,000 participants forecasted for this year. Lutton expects a competitive race, with several elite runners vying for the top prize money.

But like all neighborhood events in Del Ray, the 5-mile race has something for everyone, including canines and stroller-pushers.

Runners can choose to register as participants in the Doggy Dash—aimed to give those trusty training canines a day in the sun—as well as the new Stroller Dash.

Lutton, the owner of Dogtopia of Alexandria, has competed in previous Trots with his dog Josie. He helped draw up the stroller division after witnessing a runner pushing two of his kids in last year's race.

 "He would stop to feed his kids Cheerios and we would pass him," said Lutton, who admitted he keeps a pretty rigorous pace with Josie. "Then he'd catch us and pass us again. … He was probably running a sub-7-minute mile and he was pushing 50 pounds of kids."

Now all those stroller-sprinters will have a place to show what they're made of.

Turkey Trot organizers are still seeking volunteers to assist with preparation, crowd control, cleanup and other tasks. To fill out a volunteer form, click here.

For more information on the Turkey Trot, visit the race website by clicking here.