PORT ANGELES — Registration is under way for the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, a 5- and 10-kilometer race over the river and through the woods early Thursday morning.
The runs, on the Olympic Discovery Trail across Morse Creek to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and back, will start promptly at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving.
Late registration will start at 8 a.m. at the parking lot on Strait View Drive, off U.S. Highway 101 east of Port Angeles.
The lot is beside the Olympic Discovery Trail entrance at the Morse Creek bridge.
Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
Walkers are welcome in the 5K, which follows the same course but turns around earlier.
Runners and walkers are urged to save time before the race by signing up early this week.
Advance registration will be accepted through Wednesday for families and individual runners at http://www.sequimgym.com.
No pre-payment will be taken; instead Sequim Gym, cosponsor of the Turkey Trot, asks participants to bring a check made out to Food Bank.
The suggested donation is $10 per runner, or $25 per family, with proceeds to go to the Sequim and Port Angeles food banks.
Alternatively, racers can bring nonperishable food donations. Canned tuna and other meats are especially needed.
Race awards will be medals for first, second and third places for males and females in the 10K and 5K runs.
Additional recognition will go to first place runners in these categories: 18 and younger; age 19-29; 30-39; 40-49 and 50 and older.
Helping direct the run this year is Jackson Oliver, whois working on his Eagle Scout project. Sequim Gym and the Grocery Outlet are sponsoring the event and providing awards, setup, snacks and drinks.
“Yes, we will have cider at the end,” said Sequim Gym owner Kristin LaMoure.
“Folks seemed to like that last time.”
For more information, see Sequim Gym’s Turkey Trot page on Facebook.