Now, I’m sure there are a wide range of Thanksgiving traditions out there that people have been doing with their families or their friends or their cats (if they don’t have family or friends).  I am also pretty sure that approximately 99% of those lovely traditions involve in some way stuffing yourself with various foodstuffs until you absolutely can’t stuff any more.  This is why I was a bit surprised to find when perusing the Seattle Times weekend event calendar there were eight Thanksgiving themed running events listed for both this weekend and next.  And those are just the ones the Seattle Times published so I’m sure there are even more.

This means that from Lakewood to Green Lake and beyond people run as part of their Thanksgiving celebration.  Now, I should mention that I do NOT run…unless I’m being chased by a bear, or a mountain lion, or a mugger, or, well, I think you get the picture.  I do not enjoy running.  I am sure that is partly because of my lack of inshapeness and aversion to most forms of excercise.  More than anything I think it may have been the public humiliation of having to run in class in grade school and coming in second to last (there was usually at least one kid who was walking just to be difficult, or because they had asthma).  The point is, trauma or not, I do not like to run.

I still find it somewhat odd that a holiday generally dedicated to gluttony has so many athletic events.  Of course most of them are for a good cause.  The Seattle Turkey Trot benefits the Ballard Food Bank and the Wobble to Gobble 5K Fun Run/Walk benefits the Auburn Riverside Mentorship Program.    I suppose if you’re using running as a way to give a little on Thanksgiving, then that makes sense.

Also, since running isn’t inherently Thanksgivingy some of the events have added elements to make them a little more festive.  The Norpoint Turkey Trot (for some reason half of them are “Turkey Trot”) is having a contest for best Turkey costumes.  Because really the only ting better that running, is running while looking like an ass in a bulky turkey costume.  By far the most confusing Thanksgiving/running event is the Green Lake Gobble & Mashed Potato Munch Off which combines running and competitive eating.  (Thankfully the mashed potato eating contest is AFTER the running otherwise I imagine there would have also been a spirited vomiting contest.)

So if for some reason you like to run and want to support some nice charities along the way sign up for one of this or next weekends events.  Or perhaps if you hate running but feel the need to punish yourself because you ate too much turkey you can also sign up.  Either way I’m sure they will be thankful for your support.

A segway from Shannon’s post yesterday leads me to the Woodland Park Zoo’s Turkey Toss, where I’m not sure the carnivorous creatures gobbling up these innocent birds are so concerned with the herbal ecstasy of lemon and oregano.

On Saturday, November 20 from 10am to 2pm zoo staff will chuck raw turkeys at animals that I’d rather not get involved with. According to the zoo, they call this an “animal enrichment” activity for prey such as jaguars, snow leopards, lions grizzly bears and komodo dragons. The zoo also claims that the turkey treats are a part of the zookeepers’ ongoing efforts to help improve the lives of the zoo’s animals, promote natural animal behavior, keep animals mentally and physically stimulated and engage zoo visitors. They do it all for us!

Photo courtesy of: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

Here’s a list of lucky participants and feeding times

• Jaguar, 10:00 a.m.
• Snow leopards, 10:00 a.m.
• Lions, 10:30 a.m.
• Golden lion tamarin monkeys, 11:00 a.m.
• Ocelots, 11:30 a.m.
• Grizzly bears, Noon
• Willawong Station, 1:30 p.m.
• Pigs, 1:30 p.m.
• Komodo dragons, 2:00 p.m.
• Lemurs, 2:00 p.m.
• Tiger, 2:00 p.m.

I have a hunch this feeding session will be slightly more aggressive than the annual Pumpkin Bash that zoo residents take part in after Halloween has come and gone.

The Turkey Toss is free with zoo admission.

Get ready to drool. It’s turkey time!

Every Fall, I eagerly await the arrival of the Thanksgiving magazine issues. Bon Appetit, Real Simple, Fine Cooking, heck, even Every Day with Rachael Ray — I could go on and on. Some appear on my doorstep, others are purchased at the nearest grocery store, and still more are pilfered from my mother’s coffee table. What can I say? I need them all.

This year, thanks to this blog, I have the opportunity to share my Thanksgiving food obsession with the world. But don’t worry, dear readers, I won’t blog-vomit recipes on you. I can contain myself. I’ve decided to share my three favorite turkey/main dish recipes from this year’s Thanksgiving issues. I say “turkey/main dish” because one of the recipes is vegetarian. Just looking out for my veg-only friends. And to answer the question of those who know about my part-time vegetarian-ness, yes, I will be eating turkey on Thanksgiving. In fact, I’m counting down the days. Bring on the tryptophan-induced coma.

Salt-Roasted Turkey with Lemon and Oregano

Bon Appetit, November 2011

Photo by Hans Gissinger

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Food Network courtesy of Alton Brown

Cinnamon, rosemary, sage, ginger, YUM! This recipe is relatively basic, but packed with flavor. Scrumdiddilyuptious.

Photo via The Food Network, Good Eats

Butternut Sqaush and Cheddar Bread Pudding

Bon Appetit courtesy of Molly Wizenberg

A delicious savory bread pudding that rivals the big roasted bird.

Photo by Elinor Carucci