Around the Miami Valley, a notable precursor to Thanksgiving is the turkey trot. The annual running events have become a signifier for the holiday, with many across the Miami Valley partaking as a warmup ahead of good eats.

A record number of runners (and walkers) were expected to hit the street this morning, burning off a few calories before tearing into their turkey. The annual ‘turkey trot’ tradition goes back longer than you might think.

The Turkey Trot is hosted by Bloomsday Race Runners Club, and any donations are given to Second Harvest, which distributes free Thanksgiving meals to Spokane families. Race director Jackie Van Allen said more than 8,000 pounds of food have been donated through the race and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.

Turkey Trots have become an enduring tradition for many people on and around Thanksgiving. There are thousands of races, ranging from about 1 mile to a full marathon.

As of Wednesday afternoon, nearly 6,000 neighbors were signed up for the Turkey Trot, one of Tallahassee's biggest Thanksgiving traditions.