Thanksgiving morning is commonly known for helping mom wrangle stuffing into an oversized turkey and keeping Uncle Jim away from the bourbon cabinet; but many people have also taken it upon themselves to make Thanksgiving morning a time to earn that extra slice of pecan pie by running a few miles.

Rain or shine, the Folsom Turkey Trot and the Davis Turkey Trot are here to prevent a few extra pounds around the holiday, and Sacramento’s Run to Feed the Hungry is a chance to both get in some pre-turkey exercise and help a local cause.

The 8th annual Folsom Turkey Trot is on Thanksgiving morning and starts on North Parkway Drive. The race is limited to 4,000 runners and participants can choose from a 5k or 10k race.

Capitol Adventure organizes the race and said it fills up fast, so getting registration in early is important. Online registration is open until Tuesday, Nov. 25 and costs $35.

Organizers also stress this is not a particularly fast course because the path tends to pile up when the 5k and 10k runs merge, but awards will be given for timed racers.

Participants are encouraged to dress up for the run in turkey apparel, feather boas — anything fun.

Part of the proceeds go to the Twin Lakes Food Bank and the Folsom Athletic Associations Youth Assistance Scholarship; last year the race raised $42,000.

Unlike Folsom Turkey Trot, the Davis Turkey Trot is not on Thanksgiving morning, but may be a better option for those who are traveling out of town for the holiday.

The Davis Turkey Trot is celebrating its 27th anniversary on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 22, and will start at Civic Center Park.

Runners can choose from 5k or 10k courses and there is even the option of running a half-marathon either solo or in teams of two.

Participants can register online through Nov. 20 with $30 for 5k/10k, $55 for half-marathon or $86 per team for the two-person marathon.

Sacramento’s Run to the Feed the Hungry is celebrating its 21st year. The starting line for both the 5k and 10k courses are right outside Sacramento State’s main entrance on J Street Thanksgiving morning.

Those who register by Friday, Nov. 21 will pay $35, but those who wait until Nov. 22 will be charged $40 and on race day will be charged $45.

Only 7,000 timed tags will be provided for the race, so it’s important to register early.

The run will help support Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, which is a local organization that helps families with clothes and food as well as parent, adult and youth education services.

Take a break from Thanksgiving chaos this year, or grab some family members and make a new tradition by running a few miles and helping out a local cause this holiday season.