Tasha Does Tulsa.

Disturbing fact time! According to the American Council on Exercise, the average adult consumes 3,000 calories and 229 grams of fat in one Thanksgiving meal. A 160-pound person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a meal packing that kind of caloric wallop.

If you thought 3,000 calories was plenty, that figure swells to a sky-high 4,500 calories when the entire day’s feasting is considered.

Four hours is a long time for a run, but there’s nothing saying you have to do it all at once. Here are some races that’ll start you down the path of burning the Thanksgiving fat, right here in Tulsa.

Von Franken Family Food Run and Walk
When: Thursday, Nov. 25, 9am
Where: 31st and Riverside Pedestrian Bridge
Join the Tulsa Running Club for the annual Von Franken Family Food Run and Walk benefiting the Salvation Army. This 4.3-mile fun run starts and finishes at the Pedestrian Bridge and is a family-friendly run and walk for all ages. Strollers and dogs on leashes are welcome. Bring bags of non-perishable foods to help fill a Salvation Army truck. Food and warm beverages will be served, and door prizes will be given away at the end. Don’t forget your cold-weather running gear for this one, folks – it’s gonna be a tad chilly.

Hog Jog 2010
When: Thursday, Nov. 25, 9:15am
Where: Owasso Family YMCA, 8300 N. Owasso Expy.
Cost: $22 per individual, $72 for a family of four (early registration for 5k), and first 400 5k registrations get a Hog Jog long-sleeved t-shirt; free with the donation of two canned goods each for participants in the fun run
Registration: Until Nov. 24 for early registration prices (.doc)
The Owasso Family YMCA will host the ninth-annual Holiday Hog Jog/Walk just in time for you to keep those three extra helpings of grandma’s stuffing from going to your thighs. Whether you choose the 5k or the fun run, you’re guaranteed to have a fun, turkey-burning time at this family-friendly race.

Turkey Trot 2010
When: Friday, Nov. 26, 9am
Where: Winterfest, 3rd and Denver in downtown Tulsa
Course map: Click here (PDF)
Cost: $25 for the 5k, $10 for the fun run, pre-registered
Register: Through Wednesday, Nov. 24
You wouldn’t want to miss the kick-off event of this year’s annual Winterfest event, would you? Lace up your sneaks (that is, if you can bend over that far after what you ate on Thursday – you might have to have a friend or significant other help you out on this front) and run off those Thanksgiving calories in a 5k. There’s a one-mile fun run for those of you who ate salad for dinner but then couldn’t restrain yourselves at the dessert table. Stick around after the races for some ice skating and even more tasty holiday treats.

Turkey Burn
When: Friday, Nov. 26, 1pm (was 9am, so please note the time change!)
Where: Lee’s Bicycles, 402 E. Second Street in downtown Tulsa’s Blue Dome District
It’s not a run, but it’ll still get your legs and hiney a-burnin’. Bike 30 miles up Cincinnati Hill to Lake Skiatook and back through Sperry via the Osage Prairie Trail. This is an unsupported ride and registration is free. As the folks at Lee’s say, no sag, no whining – just come and ride. Because you need to.

Image from Troglopundit.

Be Sociable, Share!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•