Franklin Park 5k Turkey Trot

COVID-19, “The Rona Era”

It’s Thanksgiving!!! One tradition that I have always done for the last seven years is the Franklin Park 5k Turkey Trot. That is how I start Thanksgiving. In the past three years, I’ve run with my Black Girls Run #girlgang and we get dressed up to run. Last year our theme was “Where’s Waldo”, the year before we were Superwoman, and another year we were emojis. This year’s theme was social justice, black power, black girl magic.

This year the 5k is virtual and it extends to November 30th. A month ago, we decided to run our annual 5k Turkey Trot Covid- social distance style. The leadership team of BGR Boston planned to make this a fun and safe event. We received donations of food, water, etc., for the runners to have. We planned on a pre-warm up with a local fitness instructor, mapped out a socially distance running/walking route, and had the support of other running organizations such as Fearless 261 and Black Men Run.

In the time of the Rona, we wanted to reach out to our community and make sure they are physically , emotionally, and mentally healthy.

I was beyond the moon happy to see my running and non running friends come out to run on Thanksgiving with me. This was first. An added surprise was seeing Turkey’s in the Park and on our route. I had the feeling, they were giving us the middle finger

Despite the rain, this was so much fun. The Turkey Trot was the only Thanksgiving tradition that I was able to hold onto for turkey day that stayed the same.

Afterward, I had a bottle of Prosecco to celebrate with my friends, survival, running, thanksgiving, and being so thankful