All eyes are on the Thanksgiving dinner prize (the potatoes! The cranberry sauce! The slice after slice of pie!) It is your abdomen’s most favorite and least favorite holiday! But before you dive into a bottomless pile of stuffing that you might decide to live in, do some good for yourself AND for other people with these Thanksgiving Day events. You’ll get a workout and help raise funds for good causes.
Note: Many of the Thanksgiving-inspired events below are on Thanksgiving Day, but not all of them! Dates are listed with the event info, so heads up!
Cranksgiving
11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17. Portland Gear Hub, Portland. $15-20 to buy food. www.facebook.com/events/465668257610434/
Cranksgiving is a bicycle-based food drive/scavenger hunt through Portland that’s part of a national effort to have fun on bikes and provide for the less fortunate. This ride will start at Portland Gear Hub and you’ll get a shopping list and a list of stores to visit. This is a race to see who can hit all the stores and buy all the food on the list the fastest. But you can also totally do it at your own easy-going pace. There will be prizes! Ends at Rising Tide for beers.
See photos from 2017 on Fit Maine’s Facebook page.
Maine Track Club Turkey Trot
9 a.m. Nov. 24. Cape Elizabeth High School, Cape Elizabeth. $30. runsignup.com
The Maine Track Club Turkey Trot has been running (pun intended) for over 50 years. The 5k run or walk starts at 9 a.m. This race has raised tens of thousands of dollars – and thousands of pounds of food – to Wayside Food Programs.
++ Thanksgiving Day! ++
The Savage Family Turkey Trot 5k
9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Bug Light, South Portland. $25. www.facebook.com and runsignup.com
“You can run it, walk it, bike it, push the kids in strollers, bring your leashed furry friend or you can do it dressed like a turkey!” The run is in honor of Nathan Savage, who died in 2016 while training for his first Ironman. The proceeds will stay local and be given to the Nathan Savage Memorial Fund, a fund created by the Savage Family with the South Portland Community Center that gives financial assistance to any child wanting to participate in one of their youth development programs.
Check out photos from 2016.
Portland Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler
9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Starts on Congress Street, Portland. $25 in advance, $30 race day. runsignup.com
We all have our Thanksgiving traditions (dinner at aunt Betsy’s, binge-eating mashed potatoes and helping dad untangle the Christmas lights, for example). The Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler through downtown Portland is another of those traditions. Bring non-perishable food to benefit Project FEED. Proceeds to benefit Partners for World Health, Portland Trails, the St. Patrick’s Secondary School in Iten, Kenya and other area nonprofits.
5K Turkey Trot
8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Greely High School, Cumberland. $25 day of, $15-$20 in advance. www.greelyhockey.com/turkey
The Thanksgiving Day 5K Turkey Trot has been hosted by Greely Hockey since 2008 and has become an annual tradition. And since it’s early in the morning, you can run or walk the 5K and still have plenty of time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner, hang with the fam and stuff your face with pie.
Champions 5/10K Turkey Run
8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Champions Fitness Club, Waterville. $18 in advance, $20 day of.
www.active.com
It’s the 17th Annual Champions Fitness Club Turkey Run. Take a relaxed, yet active approach to your Thanksgiving this year with a fun group that gets together on Thanksgiving morning to do a 5K or 10K walk/run. Sign up online by noon Wednesday November 14 and get a t-shirt.
Noyes Family and Friends 5K
8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Westbrook High School, 125 Stroudwater St., Westbrook. $20-$30. www.eventbrite.com
This race around Westbrook started as a family affair, but it’s grown over the last several years and all are welcome to walk, run or even volunteer. Money raised goes to a scholarship fund for graduating students at Westbrook High School and students at Westbrook Regional Vocational Center who are going on to secondary education.
Turkey Trot 4 Hope
9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Guy E Rowe School, Norway. $25 for Gobble Wobble stroll or 4-miler. www.facebook.com and runsignup.com/Race/ME/Norway/TurkeyTrot4Hope
It’s the third year for the Turkey Trot 4 Hope, taking place on Thanksgiving Day in downtown Norway. It’s a scenic, flat course through downtown Norway and out to Norway Lake. Choose between a Gobble Wobble stroll through town and a 4-mile run/walk. All proceeds benefit the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine, which provides free supportive services to people affected by cancer.
Catch That Turkey 5K
8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. MDI YMCA, Bar Harbor. $20 in advance, $30 day of. www.mdiymca.org/catch-that-turkey-5k and runsignup.com
Join the MDI YMCA on Thanksgiving Day for it’s annual Turkey Trot lovingly dubbed: Catch That Turkey. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to catch the turkey. What…or who is the turkey? One brave Y staff member is the turkey. If you, as a runner, can finish the race before the turkey, your name will be placed in our raffle drawing. All proceeds go to the MDI YMCA to help provide scholarships for programs and memberships to those in the community who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the benefits of the YMCA.
Food Drive Thanksgiving Classes | Barre, Cycle, and Aerial
8:30 a.m. yoga, 9:30 a.m. Barre, 10:30 a.m. spin, 11:30 a.m. yoga. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. TULA, South Portland. Bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation. www.facebook.com and www.tulamaine.com/workshops
TULA in South Portland will have four body-moving options for Thanksgiving morning. Take a Barre class, a cycle class, or a yoga class. Classes are free, but please bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation for the South Portland Food Cupboard.
Thanksgiving Donation Yoga Practice
8:30-10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Cider Hill Yoga, York. www.facebook.com and yogaonyork.com
An all-levels vinyasa flow to show our gratitude to our bodies, our breath, and all we have to be thankful for. There is no charge for practice, all the instructors ask is that you bring a bag of non-perishable food or a cash donation which will go directly to the York Food Bank.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Flow
8:30-9:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Big White Barn Yoga, Readfield. www.facebook.com and www.bigwhitebarnyoga.com
“Grateful hearts gather here”…invigorate your Thanksgiving morning with a gratitude all-level flow. Begin Thanksgiving morning with a heart opening sequence. Creating space in the mind and body for your holiday. Pre-registration is not required, but appreciated.
Thanksgiving Yoga at Yogave
9-10:15 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Yogave, Falmouth. Donation. www.facebook.com
Join Susannah Sanfilippo at Yogave on Thanksgiving morning for a donation yoga class to benefit Sea Change Yoga. No need to sign up ahead of time – just show up! The suggested donation is $10-15 (cash or check) and 100 percent of proceeds will be donated to Sea Change Yoga. Sea Change Yoga brings the evidence-based practices of trauma-informed yoga and meditation to underserved communities. They teach in correctional facilities, substance use recovery centers, transitional group homes, and more.
Yoga Flow at Honor Movement Studio – Donation Class
9-10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Honor Movement Studio, Portland. Donation. www.facebook.com
A yoga flow class at Honor Movement Studio to benefit Sea Change Yoga. No need to sign up ahead of time – just show up! The suggested donation is $10-15 (cash or check, please) and 100 percent of proceeds will be donated to Sea Change Yoga. Sea Change Yoga brings the evidence-based practices of trauma-informed yoga and meditation to underserved communities. They teach in correctional facilities, substance use recovery centers, transitional group homes, and more.
Thanksgiving flow
9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Gorham Yoga Company, Gorham. Donation. www.gorhamyogacompany.com/events-workshops
Come in and set your intention on gratitude before you spend the day in the kitchen, eating, and/or with family! Bring a cash or a non=perishable food donation. Proceeds benefit the Gorham Food Pantry.
Thanksgiving yoga
7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Greener Postures Yoga, South Portland and West Falmouth locations. By donation. www.greenerposturesyoga.com
I’ve worn comfy, elastic-waist stretchy pants on many Thanksgivings. But usually it’s just to give room to my ever-expanding abdomen as it fills with turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce that comes out of a can. But you can also wear yoga pants on Thanksgiving morning to do actual yoga (and stretch out other parts of your body, besides just your belly). At Greener Postures in South Portland, the donations will support the South Portland Food Cupboard. In West Falmouth, donations support the Falmouth Food Pantry.
Thanksgiving Day Donation Class
9:30-11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, Lila East End Yoga, Portland. Donation. livelila.com
Kick off your Thanksgiving by coming to your mat and creating space for gratitude and compassion in your own body, mind, and heart. All levels welcome. Proceeds will go to Full Plates Full Potential, a non-profit organization whose work has brought together child food insecurity stakeholders from across the state. This is a donation class, please bring cash or check made out to Lila or Full Plates Full Potential. Suggested donation is $15.
Thanksgiving Day Yoga
8-10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Ebb and Flow Yoga, Bath. $20. www.facebook.com and clients.mindbodyonline.com
Join Mia on Thanksgiving morning for this upbeat flow and gratitude-inspired meditation. The perfect kickoff to the stressful holiday season, and a great event to share with your friends and family.
Thanksgiving yoga
9-10:15 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Portland Power Yoga, Portland. $14 suggested donation. portlandpoweryoga.com
Thanksgiving yoga at Portland Power Yoga benefits Wayside Food Programs, so bring cash or check donations.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Class
9:15-10:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Yoga In ME, Eliot. Donation. www.facebook.com and yogainme.com
Take some time to care for yourself and cultivate gratitude before the distractions take over the mind. You may notice the rest of the day is truly something you can feel grateful for. No pre-registration required. Any donation appreciated. Suggested amount, $15. Please bring cash or checks written out to Yoga in ME.
9th Annual Turkey Burn: Burn Baby Burn
7:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Train Maine Fitness & Athletic Performance, Westbrook. $10. www.facebook.com
It’s fitness before the feast during the annual Turkey Burn at Train Maine in Westbrook. The workout is open to all levels and abilities. The first 50 attendees receive a free Train Maine t-shirt.
Thanksgiving Charity Workout to Benefit Team Cam
8:30-9:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Spurling Fitness, Kennebunk. Donation. www.facebook.com
A Thanksgiving Day charity workout, this time to benefit local Wells High School three-sport athlete Cameren Cousins. Cam was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. All donations will help Cam and his family with the financial stressors as he undergoes treatment that just began in August. Bring your family, bring a friend, and have fun for a great local cause.
Burn the Bird 2018!
7-8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. OA Parisi Speed School, Saco. Donation. www.facebook.com
Start burning calories on Thanksgiving morning with this free workout at the OA Performance Center. In lieu of cost, they are collecting donations of non-perishable goods for the Saco Food Pantry on the day of the event.
Thanksgiving Day Turkey Burn
7-8:45 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov 22. Believe Fitness Center, Brunswick. $11. www.facebook.com and www.believefitnesscenter.com
How about 90 minutes of cardio and strength on Thanksgiving morning, before all the potatoes jump into your mouth? Start at 7 a.m. with a 45-minute SPIN class, then move right into a 45-minute bootcamp class. Cost is $11, you can purchase a drop in rate when you sign up if you aren’t a current member. Pre-registration is required (space limited to 21 people).
++ After Thanksgiving! ++
“Leftovers with Langlais” trail race
10 a.m. FRIDAY, Nov. 23. Shepards Farm Preserve, Noway. $10. runsignup.com/Race/ME/Norway/LeftoverswithLanglaisTrailRace
On Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – burn off the turkey with a 5-mile race, 2-mile race, or 1/4 mile fun trail run/walk on our new art trail and the surrounding fields and rolling woodlands. Runners, run/walkers, and walkers are invited to participate. Pre-register now and pay $10 for adults and $5 for youths (under 18) per race. Race day registration costs $15/$10.
Penobscot Bay YMCA Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk
8:30 a.m. FRIDAY, Nov 23. Penobscot Bay YMCA, Rockport. $25 through Nov. 21, $30 after that. www.facebook.com and runsignup.com/Race/ME/Rockport/PenobscotBayTurkeyTrot2018
Walk or run this 5K the day AFTER Thanksgiving. And in case you didn’t already eat enough on Thanksgiving, there will be a pancake breakfast after the race. Breakfast proceeds benefit the Sailfish Swim Team. Come in a Thanksgiving-themed costume and be entered to win a $50 YMCA gift certificate.
Turkey Trot 5K
11 a.m., SATURDAY, Nov. 24. Village Elementary School, York. $20 in advance, $25 day of. www.facebook.com and www.lightboxreg.com/york-turkey-trot-5k-2018
The York Parks and Recreation Department collaborates with the York Rotary Club to host this year’s annual Turkey Trot 5K Road Race. The Trot is a scenic 5K road race through York Village and York Harbor. The race offers mile markers, water, police traffic control, on course ambulance and professional timing. T-shirts will be given to the first 200 registrants. The race will benefit the York Food Pantry, non-perishable donations accepted.
