The 77th annual Troy Turkey Trot is expected to have thousands of runners from across the country, but it has also become a yearly family tradition for hundreds of families. One local family who plans on running…. and then running back home to host Thanksgiving dinner.

For the Wells family, this has become an annual tradition for the last 15 years, and they say they are excited to run with their grandchildren and family friends.

Heather Wells says the big difference is that instead of driving to the Adirondacks to celebrate, they are now the hosts!

But they are still continuing the tradition of running the 5k, which starts at 10 a.m., whether rain or shine. Thomas Wells said they have a plan for the day.

“So we got it pretty well mapped out. You know, we’re gonna go, we’ll meet some other folks we’re meeting there to run with us,” he said. Some of our granddaughter’s friends are going to run. And then we got it planned out to get back here, to get showered, get cleaned up, our family starts rolling in, we get cooking, and get the turkey going, all that fun stuff, and have a wonderful dinner.”

The first race will start at 8 a.m., followed by the grade school mile and turkey walk, which will start at 9:30 and 9:35. Free parking will be available at several Front and River Street parking lots. Organizers say everyone who finishes a race will receive a commemorative medal.