There are tons of races and fun runs happening in Houston's cooler months, but the annual TXU Energy Houston Turkey Trot is the one we look forward to every year. It's held on Thanksgiving morning near The Galleria, and participants can choose to trot in the Phillips 66 10k or the Humana 5k, and there's a Kids Run, too. Every year the event draws about 20,000 people — it's the second-largest run in Houston — and the best part is that a lot of people show up in costumes, so we end up running alongside people dressed as turkeys, Pilgrims and Native Americans along with elves and all kinds of variations on Santa Claus for the seasonally forward thinking, with a sprinkling of superheroes thrown in. The race is always extremely well-coordinated, from the packet pickups held days before the race to the parking options. In a move that really shows organizers know what they're doing, there are always a plethora of portable toilets strategically placed throughout the race routes and near the finish line. As if all of this weren't enough, the Turkey Trot is a benefit for Neighborhood Centers, a nonprofit that helps seniors and kids, so at the end of the race we're full of endorphins, ready to eat a whole lot of pie, and it's all for a good cause.
READERS' CHOICE: Susan G. Komen Houston Race for the Cure