Over 1,000 participants kick off their Thanksgiving celebrations by running in the Maple Grove Turkey Trot. Photos: TC Running Company
Before the turkey goes in the oven on Thanksgiving, hundreds of Maple Grove residents are starting their morning with a different type of holiday tradition. The Maple Grove Turkey Trot, produced by TC Running Company in partnership with Experience Maple Grove, returns for its third year at 8 a.m. Thanksgiving morning at the Phenow Pavilion in Central Park.
Organizer and TC Running Company director of events Charlie Wasley says he looks forward to the event’s 1,500 participants enjoying the holiday morning on the move. “Thanksgiving is the largest running day in the United States,” he says. “It’s a way for people to exercise, to come together and be with their families.”
The scenic run was inspired by other Turkey Trot races in the Twin Cities but without parking congestion and traffic obstacles. At the Maple Grove event, Wasley says the route is a closed course on area trails, winding around the Arbor Lakes area. “It’s a beautiful route,” he says. “Just a great way to start the day.”
Participants can expect the run to kick off at 8 a.m., allowing plenty of time to return home to start the day’s food festivities. “People can go home and eat as much as they want after they run,” Wasley says. “They can earn the bird.”
Adam Lindahl, owner of TC Running Company, says when he asked his family if they wanted to participate in the 2025 event, their response was overwhelmingly positive. Now, it’s becoming a tradition. “It sets the tone for the day,” he says. “Anytime you can get up and get a workout in, it just makes the day better.”
TC Running Company owner Adam Lindahl says participating in the Maple Grove Turkey Trot has become a tradition for his family.
Last year, the Turkey Trot was Adam’s 11-year-old daughter Presley’s first 5K. Adam’s wife, Molly, also joined in. After the family runs the 3-mile course, they head home to host Thanksgiving dinner for about 15 family members. “Knowing we have the run forces us to pre-prep for dinner,” Adam says. “We come home, and everything is done.” That includes the family-favorite, Baked Sausage Stuffing. “It’s always a hit for both the kids and adults,” he says.
Also among the runners is KS95 radio personality Adam “Crisco” Zalusky, who has used races to help transform his health journey. After he lost 250 pounds, Zalusky challenged himself to maintain the momentum. “What started as a way to help keep me healthy just kept turning into one more race,” he says. “It has kind of become my identity.”
Since March, Zalusky has done many 5Ks, 10Ks and a half marathon. Maple Grove’s Turkey Trot will be his last organized race of the year, capping off a year of achievements before he works toward running Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth next summer. “It’s a little bittersweet. This will be the final race of this effort,” he says. “But it’s a win-win because I’ll use this run as motivation to be able to eat all the great food on Thanksgiving.”
And while Zalusky has hosted dinner in the past, he says it will be someone else’s turn to host this year. He quips he may get an early start on the holiday festivities by carrying a turkey drumstick with him during the race.
Whether participants are achieving personal goals, running with family members or simply using the race as an excuse to eat more stuffing, the Turkey Trot offers a chance to start the holiday off on the right foot.
Experience Maple Grove
Facebook: Experience Maple Grove
TC Running Company
Facebook: TC Running Company
