Middle Tennessee runners will have their choice of at least six races before settling down to their annual feast. They include:
The 19th Annual Boulevard Bolt
When: 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 22
Where: Start and finish at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Road, Belle Meade
Race format: USATF-certified, 5-mile run/walk along Belle Meade Boulevard
Cost: $40 until Nov. 21; $60 day of the race (if available)
Signing up: Online registration available until Friday, Nov. 16 (active.com); in-person registration and T-shirt and race number pick-up from noon-7 p.m. Nov. 19 and 20; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Nov. 21, at The Temple, 5015 Harding Road. Parking and shuttle service is available there on race day. Additional parking is available at Immanuel Baptist Church, 222 Belle Meade Blvd., and in the office park on Harding Road across from the Belle Meade Kroger.
Free stuff: T-shirts, race chips (runners competing for awards must have a chip to get an official time)
Hosts: 2012 Boulevard Bolt Steering Committee, made up of members from The Temple, Immanuel Baptist, and St. George’s
Beneficiaries: Nearly two dozen agencies that serve the homeless, including St. Luke’s Community House, Siloam Family Health Center, Second Harvest Food Bank, The Contributor, and Renewal House, Inc.
Details: boulevardbolt.org
Inaugural Music City Thanksgiving Day Run/Walk
When: 8 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 22
Where: Start and finish at LP Field, 1 Titans Way, Nashville
Race format: Both 4- and 8-mile walk/run events through downtown Nashville
Cost: $35 until Nov. 21; $40 day of the race
Signing up: Packet pick-up and registration at Nashville Rescue Mission, 639 Lafayette St., on Nov. 20 and Nashville Running Company, 1105 Woodland St., on Nov. 21. Race day packet pick-up and walk-up registration begins at 7 a.m. at LP Field.
Free stuff: T-shirts, refuel food, prizes awarded to top finishers in several categories, and to runners dressed in the best costumes
Host: I Run For The Party, established in 2005, which hosts a variety of local events including the July 4th Music City 10K/5K Run/Walk, the Hard Rock Cafe Nashville 1/2 Marathon, and the New Year’s Resolution Run (5K).
Beneficiary: The Nashville Rescue Mission. Runners are urged to donate a frozen turkey when picking up race packets or on race day.
Details: irunfortheparty.com
More Thanksgiving Day races in Middle Tennessee
Franklin: Turkey Trot 5K Benefitting Graceworks Ministries (graceworksministries.net)
Hendersonville: Indian Lake Loop 5-mile run (indianlakeloop.com)
Mt. Juliet: Two Rivers Ford Turkey Trot 5K & Family Fun Run (turkeytrot5k.org)
Murfreesboro: Borodash 4-mile run/walk (borodash.org)