One Moment, Please… Another Turkey Day Run

Thanksgiving Day seems to arrive pretty fast, as these years keep flying by.

We are quickly approaching another feast.

And, on this day, our newspaper will be hosting the 15th annual Fillmore County Turkey Day Run.

In today’s issue of the Fillmore County Journal, you’ll find information about the annual tradition.

I’ve always considered this event a perfect way to start the day.  Run 11.3 miles.  Burn about 2,000 calories.  Consume about 2,000 calories.  Take a nap while somebody plays football on TV.  Eat leftovers.  And, then fall into a tryptophan coma for the evening.

We start in Fountain, Minn., and run downhill to finish up in Lanesboro, Minn.  We used to run uphill from Lanesboro to Fountain, but my family kept telling me that was a bad idea.  They were right.

In case you don’t want to run the entire 11.3 miles, you can always walk, run, or bike from the Old Barn Resort to Lanesboro, which is only about 4.7 miles.  Some people will bring their friends, family, or even walk their dog on the trail.  The scenery of the Root River State Bike Trail is amazing any time of the year.  On Thanksgiving Day, with the trees empty of their leaves, it’s not uncommon to see eagles, deer, turkeys, and everything else Mother Nature has to offer in Bluff Country.  It’s a peaceful experience.

Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the trailhead parking lot in Fountain, Minn., for those who want to drop off donations.  There are no trophies at the end of this run, as it is not a sanctioned race.  There are no bathrooms along the route.  And, there’s no shuttle at the end of the run, so you’ll want to make transportation plans.

It costs nothing to participate.  We only ask that participants make a donation to the food shelf either with non-perishable items or a monetary donation.  We can also accept donations at our offices in Preston and Caledonia.

If you want to purchase a shirt to commemorate the event, you can order online at https://fillmorecountyjournal.com/turkey-day-run/.  The shirt order deadline is Friday, November 3, 2023.

What I enjoy about this event is that it brings people together, promotes health and wellness, and encourages all of us to donate to an important organization serving the needs of our community year round.