Turkey Trot 2013: Times, Full Schedule for Thanksgiving Day's Top Races

Thanksgiving means more than dressing, turkey and sweet potato pies to some. For many in city of Troy, N.Y., the holiday means it's time to participate in the annual Turkey Trot. Since 1916, the race has been held with participants of all ages. It seems to draw a crowd for its variety of events and per Albany.com, it is expecting 8,000 runners this year.

Here's a look at the schedule for the races this year, per Albany.com.

Event	Time	Distance
Trot Race: Open 10K	8 a.m.	6.2 miles
Turkey Walk	9:35 a.m.	1.0 miles
Grade School Race: (13 and Under)	9:30 a.m.	1.0 miles
Trot Race: Open 5K	10 a.m.	3.1 miles

The Course

The Turkey Trot is a 10K race that serves as a solid tour of the city of Troy.

This year's event has a slightly different starting point than in years passed. The race will begin at Fourth and Fulton St., but the event will still showcase some of the city's most historic neighborhoods. Here's an overhead look of the course via a YouTube video from the races' official account.

For Additional Fun

Halloween is over, but playing dress up in public is still acceptable in Troy. To add a little spice and entertainment to the event, a costume contest has been added to this year's festivities, per Jennifer Dugan of the Troy Record. Awards will be given for Best Thanksgiving Day Costume and Best Non-Thanksgiving Costume.

Per Dugan, costumes in the Turkey Trot are nothing new, but there's nothing like adding a prize as an incentive to bring out the best in the participants.

For a Good Cause

Like most any community race, the Turkey Trot serves a number of good causes. Besides offering a good opportunity for exercise, it also raises funds for non-profit organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Troy and Lansingburgh.

Per TurkeyTrot.com, a check of $12,177 was accepted by charity representatives from race organizers. Knowing that the funds for such an event go to such worthwhile efforts makes enjoying the fun all the more easy.