A healthy tradition

The first thing to come to most people's minds upon hearing the word "Thanksgiving" is the meal that goes along with it. Thanksgiving is a holiday of togetherness and gratitude, but somehow that has been equated to family getting together to eat a huge meal, after which they often sit in front of the TV and watch football.

But in many towns across America, Thanksgiving brings another tradition: the turkey trot, a "fun run" held or close to Thanksgiving Day. Turkey trots are often held on Thanksgiving morning, to give runners a chance to burn some calories before the big meal (it's highly unlikely that anyone would want to run a race after the meal!). I love the idea because anyone and everyone can get in on the action, unlike Thanksgiving-morning high school football games that only get a few players moving while everyone else just watches.

I was surprised to learn that the Atlanta Marathon is actually held on Thanksgiving Day. Now that's the ultimate turkey trot!

Not everyone can run a full marathon, but even if it's just a few times around the block, I think it would be a great addition to any family's tradition to make shared physical activity a part of the holidays.