Running Group, Rotary Merge Nov. Races into ‘Pie’ Race

Ordinarily, many charity races are 5Ks—five kilometers. But when TRS Racing and the Rotary Club of La Grange hold their Thanksgiving run this year, they’ll run about 5.05 kilometers instead.

Why? Well, 5.05 kilometers is 3.14 miles… and Thanksgiving is certainly a day for all things pi(e).

Runners in the race can grab some non-mathematical pie as well, as the first 1,000 registrants in the Rotary Run 3.14 Pie run/walk are entitled to a free pumpkin pie courtesy of sponsor Sara Lee.

TRS Racing, an affiliate of La Grange’s Runner’s Soul, has partnered this year with the La Grange Rotary Club to merge their Pie Race with the Rotary Club’s Pilgrim Pacer into a single super-race.

Jayne Aspan, owner of the Runner’s Soul, said that La Grange has been lacking in a large community unifying run, like Western Springs’ Tower Trot, or a Thanksgiving one in particular, like Elmhurst’s Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot.

“Because our courses were very similar, the city encouraged us to try to merge as one so we wouldn’t disrupt the neighborhood as much,” Aspan said. “We could work together to grow it to maybe become this great tradition in the town of La Grange that has been missing for many years.”

Another benefit to the race merger: Rotary can provide volunteers, while Runner’s Soul has a strong customer base and marketing ability.

The 3.14(1596…?)-mile loop will start and end at Lyons Township High School South Campus and go through both La Grange and Western Springs. Proceeds from the race will support the charitable work of the Rotary Club of La Grange; sponsor Prairie Path Foot and Ankle will also be collecting shoes for donations. (Other race sponsors are Hinsdale Whole Foods, Community Bank of Western Springs and First National Bank of La Grange.)

Race sign up is now being held online here or at The Runner’s Soul at 5 S. La Grange Road in La Grange. Residents are encouraged to sign up quickly, as last year's Pie race, albeit of smaller capacity, sold out three weeks before Thanksgiving.