The best thing you can do on Thanksgiving, of course, is stuff your face. If ever there was a day for sweet, sweet gluttony, the last Thursday in November is it.
And that means that the second best thing you can do on Thanksgiving is get some exercise.
Fortunately, there are at least two options for getting sweaty on the morning of the feast: the Turkey Trot 5K in Grant Park and the Turkey Day Run 5K (or 8K if you’re feeling ambitious) in Lincoln Park along the lakeshore. Here are three tips for surviving a Thanksgiving race:
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Kick off the covers: When your alarm buzzes at 7 a.m., you will regret signing up for the race. It’s a holiday. Why aren’t you sleeping in? It’s cold. Your bed is so warm! Good news: That feeling goes away after about a mile of running. And then you feel great for the rest of the day.
Roast the bird, not the runner: The weather is the ultimate wild card. It can be sleeting in late November, or it can be 65 degrees. Odds are that it will be closer to sleeting, but resist the temptation to run with too many layers because then you’ll be roasting and miserable. Wear two or three thin and breathable layers that you can shed as needed.
Clean up nice: Take a long, cozy shower before the big meal. Since Aunt Gladys only sees you once a year, you’ll want to smell nice when she goes in for the hug. Be sure to gloat to anyone who will listen about how you ran a few miles in the elements that morning.
Thanksgiving Day races
Turkey Trot 5K ($34.99 until race day; $45 on race day), www.allcommunityevents.com.
Turkey Day Run 5/8K ($40 until Nov. 10; then $45 until race day), www.turkeyday-5k.com
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