OCEANSIDE - Organizers of the "O'side Turkey Trot" say a brisk 5K walk or run on Thanksgiving morning will promote a more fit lifestyle, help connect families and allow folks to burn calories before that traditional turkey dinner and a day of football-watching.

"Move your feet before you eat" is the theme for the second annual Turkey Trot, said Lisa Scolman, a spokeswoman for race organizer Kinane Events.

"We want to start a tradition of the whole community exercising before they eat and sit watching football," Scolman said.

The Turkey Trot offers three events for all ages: an open 5K run/walk, a 5K run/walk for Oceanside residents, and 1-mile races in three age brackets for kids 12 and under.

"We want to get grandma, mom and children running at the same time," Scolman said. The race also gives college students home for the holiday a chance to reunite and share stories in a healthy activity, she said.

So far, about 2,300 people have registered for the races. Scolman said she expects about 3,500 to 4,000 runners by Thursday's start time, based on last year's numbers.

In its first year, 2,275 runners participated, Scolman said.

Runners may register today for $28 and on race day for $30 at the race expo at the Oceanside Civic Center (330 N. Coast Highway). Those who are already registered can pick up race bibs and T-shirts at the expo, Scolman said.

Runners are encouraged to dress up and participate in a costume contest after the races. Last year saw runners dressed as turkeys. Indian princesses, pilgrims, and even a beer can, Scolman said. The contest winner gets a free turkey.

The races begin with the open race at 7:15 a.m. on Thanksgiving, followed at 8 a.m with the locals race. The kids' races begin at 9 a.m.

Organizers started the race last year after the results of a 2006 study by the California Department of Education found that Oceanside Unified students had much lower fitness scores than students in surrounding districts, with about 37 percent of ninth-graders meeting the aerobic capacity requirement and about 16 percent of those students meeting all six state fitness standards.

In addition, only 19 percent of the district's fifth-graders and 25 percent of seventh-graders met all of the fitness standards.

- Contact staff writer Philip K. Ireland at (760) 901-4043 or pireland@nctimes.com.

ROAD CLOSURES ON THANKSGIVING MORNING

• 5 to 9 a.m. - South Coast Highway between Mission and Sportfisher: Please detour northbound and southbound using South Ditmar.

• 7 to 9 a.m. - South Coast Highway between Oceanside Boulevard and Sportfisher: Please detour northbound and southbound using South Ditmar.

• 7 to 9 a.m. - Mission from Horne to Pacific Street: Eastbound and westbound drivers use Surfrider or Oceanside Boulevard.

• 7 to 11 a.m. - Pacific Street from Civic Center Drive to Wisconsin:

Traffic north of Civic Center Drive use Surfrider Way.

Traffic south of Mission and north of Wisconsin, take north/eastbound Mission to South Cleveland from 4 to 11 a.m.

• 7 to 11 a.m. - Wisconsin westbound from Myers to The Strand will be closed. Eastbound Wisconsin will be open for residents

• 7 to 11 a.m. - Southbound Strand will remain open but will be monitored at Wisconsin to exit.

PARKING AND DIRECTIONS

• Participants coming from the north (Orange County) or northeast (Highway 76), please arrive via Coast Highway and turn right at Surfrider Way. Follow signs to parking.

• From Interstate 5 northbound, exit Mission and head west. Park in lots east of Coast Highway and north and south of Mission.

• From South Oceanside/Coast Highway, continue past Oceanside Boulevard, and turn right at Tremont Street. Take Tremont north to Topeka Street, make a left to parking structure at corner of Topeka and Cleveland.

- Source: http://www.osideturkeytrot.com/