Turkey trots take center stage

OK, let's get a couple things straight.

First, wild turkeys can fly.

Second, they're also pretty speedy runners.

So it's not really all that weird that hundreds of humans would gather on Thanksgiving morning to participate in something called a Turkey Trot, because despite what dolts most barnyard turkeys are, the wild ones are pretty athletic.

Indeed, turkey trots in DuPage County have become almost as popular on Thanksgiving as football, cranberry sauce and Uncle Fred's bad jokes.

The biggest race on Thursday was the Naperville 5K Turkey Trot, which stepped off from Naperville Central High School. Sponsored by the Naperville Noon Lions Club, proceeds from the race benefit those with vision and hearing impairments and diabetes in the Naperville area.

There were other races, too. The Roselle Turkey Trot 5K started at Lake Park High School, for example.

In Glen Ellyn, meanwhile, organizers put a different spin on their trot.

Instead of a 5K, it was a five-mile run, jog and walk event in which participants tried to predict their final times and those that finished closest to their mark won prizes. Participants also were asked to bring items to donate to the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry.