The Bucks County Roadrunners and Peruzzi Auto Group will host the 36th annual Thanksgiving Day Races on Thursday, Nov. 26, at Summit Square Shopping Center in Langhorne. More than 1,000 runners are expected to participate in the event, which features a 5-mile race, a 5K and a 1-mile fun run, all beginning at 9 a.m.
The volunteer-run race has become a Thanksgiving tradition for families throughout Bucks County while raising money for local charities. Last year, the event attracted a record 1,250 runners, and the Roadrunners’ cumulative charitable giving reached approximately $350,000. More than $20,000 was donated to three local organizations following last year’s race.
The race’s primary purpose is raising money for local organizations with 100% of the event’s net proceeds going to charitable causes.
Its beneficiaries include Give A Christmas, organized by the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club in partnership with the Bucks County Courier Times; Advocates for Homeless & Those in Need (AHTN) and the Middletown Community Foundation.
Give A Christmas works with schools to identify families in need and provides assistance such as food, gifts, clothing and other necessities during the holiday season. AHTN provides emergency shelter, food and other essential services to people experiencing homelessness and others in need. The Middletown Community Foundation supports local programs, including scholarships and recreation assistance.
“We want to raise money for local charities and donate back to our own community,” said Rich Kanak, a co-race director.
Kanak said Thanksgiving is a particularly meaningful time to contribute to charitable causes.
“We all know people less fortunate than ourselves, so especially at the holidays and Thanksgiving in particular when we are giving thanks for all we have, it’s a really good way for the Bucks County Roadrunners and us as individuals to give back in some way,” he said.
John O’Brien, another co-race director, said the club has supported the three organizations for at least 10 years.
The event also has a strong family focus, with race distances designed to accommodate participants of different ages and abilities.
“We know it’s the time of year when many people have families from out of town visiting for Thanksgiving, so our big focus has been making it a fun family event,” O’Brien said.
The Thanksgiving Day Races began with a 5-mile course. Organizers later added a 1-mile fun run and, in 2019, a 5K, which has since become the event’s most popular distance.
“By adding the 5K and 1-mile distance, we’ve tried to make it as family-friendly as possible, recognizing that across families, there are various distances that family members are interested in,” said Tim Bulat, the race’s course director.
The 5-mile course takes runners into Core Creek Park, where they loop through the park and run alongside the lake. Bulat considers it the most scenic of the three routes.
“I think it’s probably our most scenic course,” he said.
The 5K also heads toward the park but turns around before reaching the full 5-mile route. The 1-mile fun run follows a shorter out-and-back course, offering an option for younger participants and those who prefer a shorter distance.
All three races begin simultaneously, sending runners out from the Summit Square Shopping Center in different directions.
The event attracts participants ranging from young children to runners in their 80s, making it an opportunity for multiple generations to take part.
“We have multigenerational families, children with parents and grandparents,” O’Brien said.
The 5-mile and 5K races feature awards in five-year age groups, as well as overall awards. The 1-mile event recognizes overall winners.
Families can also compete against one another in the 5K and 5-mile races. Prizes are awarded to the fastest families based on the number of participating runners and their finishing times.
“Our family competition is fun for everyone,” Bulat said. “Come out and see if you’re the fastest family because a lot of racers run in family teams.”
Bulat has introduced his own children to running through the event. Both of his sons ran their first races in the 1-mile fun run.
“It was a fun way to introduce them to racing, given it’s so family-friendly,” he said.
There is also a Thanksgiving-themed treat waiting at the finish line: pumpkin pie.
“I think one of the most fun things we do is the pumpkin pies at the finish line,” Bulat said. “A lot of races have snacks at the finish line, but since this race is on Thanksgiving, they look forward to receiving a piece of pumpkin pie at the end of the race.
For families looking for an activity before Thanksgiving dinner, the race offers a chance to get outside and spend time together while supporting a good cause.
“You can do something good for yourself, like getting fit while running, while spending time with your family and giving back to the community,” Bulat said.
O’Brien, who has volunteered with the race for 15 years or longer, said watching the event grow has kept him motivated.
“The first year I volunteered, there were probably about 300 to 400 people, and now to see we’ve grown up to over 1,200 is very exciting to watch,” he said.
He also values seeing the charities’ appreciation when they learn how much money the event has raised for their programs.
Nearly 100 volunteers, many of them Bucks County Roadrunners members, help organize the race. They work with the Middletown Township Police Department to coordinate parking, traffic, course logistics and runner safety.
Kanak said organizers arrive around 5:30 a.m. and typically leave around 1 p.m.
“We show up around 5:30 a.m. and we roll out of the parking lot around 1 p.m., leaving very little trace that we were ever there.”
The event introduces many participants to the Bucks County Roadrunners and the club’s activities throughout the year. The club offers trail runs, group runs, seasonal track workouts, competitive races and social gatherings for runners of different ages and abilities.
Organizers encourage runners to register early because the event has sold out in recent years. Participants can choose the 5-mile race, 5K or 1-mile fun run. Volunteers and sponsors are also welcome.
Registration and volunteer information are available at bcrrthanksgiving5miler.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact Kanak at bcrrvp@gmail.com.
Whether the goal is setting a personal record, winning the family competition, introducing a child to running or enjoying pumpkin pie after a morning outdoors, the Thanksgiving Day Races offer a way to celebrate the holiday while helping others.
For the Roadrunners, the event brings together family, fun and gratitude, with a little exercise before a big Thanksgiving Day meal.
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