PORTLAND, Maine — Cranksgiving
11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 17. Starts at Portland Gear Hub, Portland. $15-20 to buy food. https://portlandgearhub.org/
Cranksgiving is part bike ride, part scavenger hunt, part food drive - and events take place around the country. Portland’s version will start at Portland Gear Hub and you’ll get a shopping list of groceries and a list of stores to visit. Those groceries will be donated to the Westbrook Food Bank. You can ride on your own or as a team, you can ride really fast or go at a leisurely place. There are prizes for the fastest and other categories, but it’s really about having some fun and doing some good.
Portland Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler
9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Starts on Congress Street, Portland. $25 in advance, $30 race day. racewire.com
We all have our Thanksgiving traditions (dinner at aunt Betsy’s, binge-eating mashed potatoes and helping dad untangle the Christmas lights, for example). The Thanksgiving Day 4-Miler through downtown Portland is another of those traditions. This is the 38th year! The two-loop, 4-mile course winds through Portland's historic Old Port and Downtown Districts. Proceeds benefit Partners for World Health, Portland Trails, the St. Patrick’s Secondary School in Kenya and other area non-profits. Bring a food item as well to donate to Project Feed, an area emergency food pantry.
++++ There are road races all over the state as well!
Catch That Turkey 5K
8 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. MDI YMCA, Bar Harbor. $20 in advance, $30 day of. www.mdiymca.org
Join the MDI YMCA on Thanksgiving Day for it’s annual Turkey Trot lovingly dubbed: Catch That Turkey. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to catch the turkey. What…or who is the turkey? One brave Y staff member is the turkey. If you, as a runner, can finish the race before the turkey, your name will be placed in our raffle drawing. All proceeds go to the MDI YMCA to help provide scholarships for programs and memberships to those in the community who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the benefits of the YMCA.
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Turkey Day Workout
8-9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Centerpoint Martial Arts, Falmouth. Free, bring non-perishable food items. Centerpointmartialarts.com
Start the day with an upbeat, one-hour workout of bag work and conditioning - you’ll sweat plenty, punch and kick a lot, and work up a serious appetite. Bring non-perishable food items, which will be donated to a local food pantry. This event is free and open to the public. Loaner gloves available. Children ages 4 and up welcomed to play in the activity room during the workout if needed
Thanksgiving Charity Workout
8-9 a.m. Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Spurling Fitness, Kennebunk. Donation. spurlingfitness.com
A Thanksgiving Day charity workout to benefit the Center for Grieving Children. You’ll work your butt off during this workout at Spurling Fitness, and in exchange for this Thanksgiving Day sweat, they just ask that you make a donation. It’s open to the public and all ages are welcome.