Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us, and it’s time to warm up, dress appropriately, eat well and cool down. No, we’re not talking about the cooking and feasting.
We’re talking trotting — turkey trotting.
Whether you are an experienced runner or a first-time trotter, getting all the ingredients together will ensure a well-done run.
When cooks need advice, they call Mom or consult a cookbook. For how to trot this Thursday, we turned to the local “Martha Stewart of running,” Sonya Estes of Runners Roost in Lakewood. She discovered a love of running in third grade and has been at it for 30 years.
Estes and husband Chris Alderman are up at 6 a.m. every Thanksgiving, not to brine the turkey or bake the pies, but to set up the tent and prepare goodie bags for the turkey trotters at the annual Washington Park event.
“One of the nice things about running that day is we get to splurge a little bit in the afternoon,” says Estes, whose mom prepares the family dinner. “It’s a good time to spend with the family and not beat yourself up. I love that green-bean casserole. And I don’t normally eat many desserts during the year, but I do take the piece of pumpkin pie. I think you can have it all on that day, if you worked out or did a turkey trot. I just don’t pile up my plate.”
Her tried-and-true turkey trot recipe:
Dress in layers. “Dress like it is going to be 20 degrees warmer than the forecast for that day and dress warm prior to the 4-mile run/walk so you can shed clothes when the event begins,” says Estes. Be prepared with a light hat and gloves. The coolest new trend is to use arm warmers that can be rolled down to the wrists as your body temperature rises.
Use shoes that you know. Race in what you have been working out in; don’t make any big changes or try out brand new shoes that day. Be sure you have had at least a week of running or walking in them.
Be sure you are well hydrated. “Be 110 percent hydrated before the event,” says Estes.
Now is not the time to experiment with unfamiliar ingredients (for Thanksgiving dinner, or your pre-race breakfast). “Be sure you eat something that is tried and true for you. After the event, hydrate again and make sure you get some food into your system within about 30 minutes of the end of your race,” says Estes.
Do a slow, dynamic warm- up. Estes recommends staying in your warm clothes and do a very slow “conversational” jog for about five-10 minutes before the race. Any stretching should be dynamic in nature, not static: knee lifts, easy lunges and squats, twisting crossover toe-touches. Do not perform static quadriceps and hamstring stretches before a race — save them for afterward.
Pace yourself. Do not go all out in the first mile or kilometer — your first mile should not be the fastest. “Increase speed as you go. Push the last mile to finish strong,” says Estes.
Cool down afterward the run. Walk it off for 10 or 15 minutes until you feel your heart rate returning to normal. “Put warm, dry clothes on, hydrate, and after about 15 minutes, perform some static stretching of the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves,” says Estes.
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com. Linda J. Buch is a certified fitness trainer in Denver; linda@ljbalance.com.
