It's Time to Trot Off Your Turkey

More than 1,000 runners and walkers from all across southern New England are expected to enter a Barrington race that has become a holiday tradition. 

The 14th annual Trot Off Your Turkey 5K and 1.5 Mile Run/Walk in Barrington, always held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, will be held on Nov. 30 this year. Registration is well underway for the 10 am event sponsored by St. Luke’s School in West Barrington.

The race raises money for school technology, software, field trips and the physical plant, said Denise Languirand, a co-chair along with Anne Lyden.

The race raffle also provides non-perishable food and cash for TAP-IN, celebrating its 30th year of serving people throughout the East Bay as a local member of the RI Community Food Bank.

“The TAP-IN shelves are pretty bare after Thanksgiving,” Languirand said. “This helps to stock them again.”

Race participants and spectators are urged to bring canned goods and other non-perishable food items to the event. Every non-perishable food item donated earns the donor a raffle ticket.

Each year, said Languirand, the 5K race becomes more and more competitive. It’s now chosen as the Thanksgiving Day race by the Rhode Island Roadrunners and Ronald McDonald House charities, she said.

The 5K course starts in front of St. Luke’s Church on Washington Road, heads south to North Lake Drive, turns onto South Lake Drive, and returns to Washington Road to end in front of the school on Waldron Avenue.

The 1.5 mile course also starts in front of St. Luke’s Church on Washington Road, heads south to Bay Spring Avenue, turns west to the East Bay Bike Patch near Narragansett Drive, turns east on Haines Park Road, and then turns south on Washington Road to finish by the school.

The top male and female finishers overall and in seven age groups will take home prizes.

Although a large portion of participants are local, the event has welcomed runners and walkers from more than 25 U.S. states, and as far away as Canada, Germany and Wales.

Primary sponsors include Navigant Credit Union, Fuel Belt, Dunkin’ Donuts in Barrington, Warren and Bristol, Jaffee Orthodontics, McVay Physical Therapy, and Matthew Asaro Dentistry.

There is still plenty of time to register. Click here to get to the website.