Step Out with Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot Events

Get the jump on burning those holiday calories.

JIM POWERS Sports

Start Thanksgiving Day with a 5k walk/run in either Palm Springs or Palm Desert.
Palm Springs LIfe

Before you sit down to the table to chow down on some Thanksgiving turkey and fixings, how about a brisk walk?

Or an early morning jog?

With about 1,000 of your best friends.

Palm Springs and Palm Desert are both offering Turkey Trot events on Thursday morning, so take your pick and burn some of those calories before they begin to pile up.

Palm Springs
The 14th annual Turkey Trot 5k (3.1 miles) is no longer in Palm Desert, and has switched locations to Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. The flat-course race starts and finishes at the "Forever Marilyn" statue at the intersection of Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon.

Race-day registration starts at 6 a.m. and the race at 7:30 a.m.

In addition to a new location, prize money will also be awarded for the first time. The fastest male and female finishers will each receive $250. The second place male and female win $150 each, while the third place male and female finisher take home $75 each.

Road closures starting at 5 a.m. include:

  • Palm Canyon Drive from Alejo Road to Camino Parocela.
  • Two westerly lanes of Indian Canyon Drive between Alejo and Sunny Dunes
  • Alejo Road from Palm Canyon to Avenida Cabelleros
  • The cross streets of Tahquitz Canyon, Arenas, Baristo, Ramon and Amado roads between Indian Canyon and Palm Canyon will also be closed during the race.
  • Streets are expected to reopen at 9 a.m.

To register, visit www.active.com, or stop at Running Wild in the Sunrise Shopping Center, 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, or call (760) 322-9453.

Discounts are available for seniors, high school cross country runners and kids.

Palm Desert
More than 1,600 people participated in last year's Thanksgiving Day 5K Run/Walk along El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert, benefiting Martha's Village & Kitchen which provides homeless services in Riverside County.

This year's goal is to raise $300,000 to serve more than 3,000 children, families and adults over the next year. Martha's Village & Kitchen provides three meals a day for the transitional housing residents, and a lunch meal is served to community neighbors in need.

Pre-race registration is available online at marthasvillage.org. Race-day registration starts at 6:30 a.m. for one hour with the race starting at 8 a.m. Participants receive a T-shirt, and awarded are presented to the top finishers in 15 age groups. Free parking is available at The Gardens on El Paseo and Shadow Mountain Drive.

Former NFL football player and actor Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, a Palm Springs resident, will co-host the race.

For information, call (760) 347-4741.