The Newtown Turkey Trot 5K, an annual race to benefit C.H. Booth Library, will take place Thanksgiving morning, November 22, starting at 7:45 am.

The race begins at Hawley School, 29 Church Hill Road, and ends at Newtown Middle School, 11 Queen Street. There is ample parking in-between the start and finish.

The course will again take participants out of the parking lot of Hawley School — corrals will again be set up so that runners and walkers can place themselves in an appropriate starting location — before turning left onto Church Hill Road, and then immediately onto The Boulevard, and then takes a left onto Schoolhouse Hill Road.

Runners continue up the steep hill to Main Street, then left on to Main Street, down Main Street to a left onto Glover Avenue, right on Meadow Street, left onto Elizabeth Street, then left onto Queen Street, right onto Grand Place, down and up the hill on Grand Place, back out to Queen Street, turning right onto Queen and finishing in the southern parking lot at Newtown Middle School. 

Walkers will stay on the course to Schoolhouse Hill Road, but will take a left onto Wendover, then left onto Church Hill Road, then right onto Queen, over to the middle school. 

For those looking to really challenge themselves, the race website notes that the course record of 15:34:99 was set in 2012 by Zachary Schwartz. Weather that morning was 38 F and sunny. 

Early bird registration cost (through November 1) is $27.50 (plus fees) to run. The cost to walk is $20 (plus fees). Tech-shirts are guaranteed to runners who sign up by 11:30 pm on November 1.

After November 1, the cost increases to $30 for runners (entry stays stays at $20 for walkers). Race-day registration may be available, pending openings.

Early race package pickup will be available at the library, 25 Main Street, on Tuesday, November 20, from approximately 4 to 8 pm, and Wednesday, November 21, from approximately 10 am to 2 pm.

Visit newtownturkeytrot.com for more information, including sponsorship details, and to register.