What do tutus, pumpkin pies, and the great city of Celina have in common? Run Celina’s very own inaugural Turkey Trot! Turkey Trot is sure to be one of Celina’s beloved Thanksgiving themed events, sponsored by local favorites including Toasted Walnut, Rex Real Estate, your very own Celina Lifestyle Magazine.
The Celina Turkey Trot is a fun, engaging, family-friendly way to celebrate Thanksgiving. Bright and early on Thanksgiving morning, runners, joggers and walkers alike can come together for a morning of fun. Turkey Trot is a celebration of gratitude, community, and friendly competition.
You’re in for a treat this November; each participant who crosses the finish line will receive a mini apple pie or mini pumpkin pie, baked with love from one of Downtown Celina’s newest editions, Granny's Bakery. On top of that, every racer will receive a medal. Of course, there are placement awards for a wide range of age groups and gender-specific ranks as well. There will be booths of all kinds lined up at the starting point; specially-designed Run Celina merch, which includes shirts, hoodies, and more; tables and tents from local vendors and shops. There will even be a hot chocolate stand by Blue Engine Bakeshop. There’s so much fun to be had and the perfect event for the entire family.
And YES, you can walk the Turkey Trot! One of the most common questions is whether or not walking is acceptable. While it is considered a race, it’s also a time to gather with friends, family, and celebrate the holiday, and walking is a perfect way to do that. The course is a clearly marked double-loop around Old Celina Park, with a whopping total of 42 arrows pointing you towards the finish line.
If you’re looking for something for the kids, there’s also a Thanksgiving-themed one-mile fun run. Come dressed in costumes! There’s even a contest for the best costume so dress up as a turkey, your favorite Thanksgiving side dish, or anything festive!
Melissa Gresham is the brains behind Run Celina and the Turkey Trot. A long history with running has served her well; it began in the military when the exercise was not optional. Yet it surely grew to a passion that Melissa can’t get enough of now. She soon found a desire to bring her favorite pastime to her own city. Celina was the best option to bring her love of running and share it with others in the tight-knit community. It started with small fun-runs, then grew to 5Ks and other long-endurance runs. But Melissa wanted running to be fun and she wanted Run Celina to stand out.
And thus, Turkey Trot has come to Celina. Along with other 5ks and 10ks, Run Celina is devoted to making running as fun as possible, and the Celina Turkey Trot is sure to be at the top of the list of most exciting runs Celina has ever seen.
This year, a portion of the proceeds from Turkey Trot will benefit Lovepacs, a nonprofit serving many areas throughout Texas. Serving over 18 communities and 270 schools, Lovepacs is devoted to feeding children facing food insecurity during the holidays. They provide non-perishable and easy to use food items to children in Texas school districts, made possible through donations and support from local families and districts. They want to give every child the opportunity to celebrate the holiday seasons.
We are so excited for the 2023 inaugural Celina Turkey Trot and we can’t wait to see you at the starting line on Thanksgiving morning!
To register for the Celina Turkey Trot: runsignup.com/Race/TX/Celina/CelinaLifestyleTurkeyTrot
To donate to Lovepacs PCG: lovepacs.org/our-communities/prosper/