Get ready to burn some calories at a Thanksgiving Day race
Three local races can help you burn off some calories before you start devouring your Thanksgiving feast, and also let you help others while you are doing it.
On Thanksgiving morning, there are runs in both Batavia and Algonquin that will both benefit local pantries. One race is celebrating its 20th year of Thanksgiving runs, while the other is the inaugural race. A third race, in Lake in the Hills, will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The Fox and the Turkey Race
The Fox River Trail Runners are hosting the 20th annual Fox and the Turkey race at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, where they are inviting people to come and run like either a fox or a turkey.
The race, which benefits the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, will feature a four-mile race and a 1-mile youth race along the Fox River.
It will start at the Peg Bond Center, 151 Island Avenue in Batavia.
Online registration for the race runs through Nov. 21 at foxrivertrailrunners.org.
The cost of the race is $35 for the four-mile trek, and $15 for the youth mile.
Organizers are asking attendees to also bring nonperishable food items to packet pickup or to the race, or to make an additional donation, to help local residents in need.
The Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry will distribute all of the money and food locally.
On Thanksgiving, the youth mile race begins at 7:30 a.m. It is open to anyone aged 12 and younger.
The four-mile race begins at 8:15 a.m. and will be chip timed.
Awards will be given to the top three racers in several different age groups in that race.
Running With the Lions
Another race that morning just to the north in Algonquin will benefit the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry and local residents in need.
The Algonquin Lions Club is hosting the inaugural Running with the Lions 5K Run and Walk.
It begins at 8 a.m. at Life Time Fitness, 451 Rolls Road in Algonquin.
You can register for the race at www.lionsclubofalgonquin.org. Preregistration is $25, or registration on race day is $35.
Registration includes the race, and a long-sleeve performance T-shirt. There will be 16 medal categories, with eight each for men and women. Awards will be given for first through third places in each age group.
In addition to the 5K, there will be three kids' races that morning.
There will be a 100-meter race for kids ages 0 to 3, a 200-meter race for kids ages 4 and 5, and a 200-meter race for kids aged 6 to 8.
There will be medals in the kids' races.
Sponsors say every $20 raised as part of the race will help feed a local family for a week.
Organizers kept that goal in mind as they organized this inaugural race, director Kevin Gardeck said.
"With a goal in mind of trying to create an annual local community event that everyone in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills is aware of and participates in some way, we set out to re-create a 5K Race that once existed but do it in a new way," he said. "With the race being on Thanksgiving, we thought it made sense to target the food challenged in our communities, so we targeted our local Lake in the Hills-Algonquin Food pantry."
While this is the first year of this race, he said the community has come together already to make it work. The Lions members worked with Lifetime, and then approached people at Jacobs High School and Westfield School in Algonquin, which helped supply volunteers to pull it off.
There is a new food pantry program at Jacobs High School called Eagles Wings, and part of what is raised through the race will go to that program, Gardeck said.
He said he is hoping the race will become a tradition for families on Thanksgiving morning.
Henry's Hustle
In Lake in the Hills, organizers are getting ready for the fourth annual Henry's Thanksgiving Day Hustle 5K and Kids Dash on Thanksgiving Day, which also takes place on Thursday, Nov. 24.
This event is family-friendly, offering a timed run, walk and kids dash.
All proceeds go to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association in honor of 4-year-old Henry Betts.
They also are collecting nonperishable food items for the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Interfaith Food Pantry.
The 5K Fun Run/Walk will begin at 8 a.m., followed by the Kids Dash at 8:45 a.m. at Marlowe Middle School, 9625 Haligus Road in Lake in the Hills. Cost is $30 for the 5K run with timing or $20 for the 5K Walk. The Kids Dish is free.
Run/Walk participants must be 5 years or older, and Kids Dash participants must be 12 months or older. All participants under the age of 18 must have a parent register them via online or in person registration.
For details, visit www.kopfrunning.com/henryshustle.
If you go
The Fox and the Turkey Races
When: 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24
Where: Peg Bond Center, 151 Island Ave., Batavia
Registration: Online through Nov. 21. $35, $15 for youth mile. <a href="http://foxrivertrailrunners.org">foxrivertrailrunners.org</a>.
Running With the Lions 5K Run/Walk
When: 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24
Where: Life Time Fitness, 451 Rolls Road, Algonquin Registration: $25 or $35 on race day. <a href="http://www.lionsclubofalgonquin.org">www.lionsclubofalgonquin.org</a>.
Henry's Hustle 5K
When: 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24
Where: Marlowe Middle School, 9625 Haligus Road, Lake in the Hills
Registration: $20-$30; <a href="http://www.kopfrunning.com/henryshustle">kopfrunning.com/henryshustle</a>