Organizers of the region’s largest turkey trot are launching a "Trot Training Challenge" to prepare novice and experienced runners for any of the six upstate New York turkey trots held Thanksgiving morning.
Every November local news reports feature one "turkey trot" or another, most of us watching video of the runners streaming by as we settle back on couches and easy chairs, bellies full of Thanksgiving bounty. We think to ourselves or chat with one another about how "next year we're gonna run in that race." The days go by, and we forget.
Troy Turkey Trot Event Director George Regan says now is the time for all, from couch potatoes to neighborhood joggers and runners to serious road-racers to prepare for this year's trots. "It's a great opportunity for those individuals who have thought about running, not quite in shape for a strenuous cardio exercise like doing the 5K or 10K but don't know where to turn. This is a great opportunity. It's a way for you to get professional certified trainers working with you to help you get on that path to fitness and health and longevity, and at the same time you can have a lot of fun doing it."
The 10-week, co-ed program follows an enhanced version of the well-known Couch to 5K Running Plan and is designed to train participants to complete a 5K or 10K. It is comprehensive, including both injury-prevention and nutritional elements.
Kristen Hislop is a USAT certified triathlon coach and AFAA certified personal trainer: "Our goal is to get them involved, get them running on a weekly basis, they run one day a week on Mondays with us in the evening and then we run on Saturday mornings, and the race of course is in the morning, so its really good to be practicing at the time you'll actually be racing at."
Runners are expected to complete a third workout on their own at a time during the week that is most convenient for them. "We do the nutrition, we do injury prevention, we start all our workouts with dynamic warm-ups and we talk about why we do those things, then we do our workouts and we stretch every time afterwards. A lot of opportunity for people to learn more about running."
Although the program, now in its second year, begins Monday, you can sign up through October 4th. There's been some talk of expanding the preparations to satellite locations, perhaps next year. And if you can't make it to Troy, the training course is online.
For more information or to register, visit www.TTTrainingChallenge.com
All participants will receive a free high performance Trot Training Challenge t-shirt.
Tonight there's a kickoff presentation featuring Troy Turkey Trot organizers, trainers, an injury-prevention specialist and nutritionist. It's at The Record’s Community Media Lab (510 Broadway, Troy) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18. Free parking will be available in The Record's parking lot and the parking garage across the street.
