In a matter of mere hours, you are likely to ingest a heaping plate of food: turkey, gravy and stuffing — need we go on?

Then, a bit later, you may well return for seconds.

You know this. And so you set your alarm a few hours early, lace up your running shoes and pile into the family van for a brisk Thanksgiving Day 5K.

With each step, you feel a bit more guilt melt away. And by the time you return home, shower and change into sweatpants, you feel almost entitled to nibble on your mother’s special snacks while parked on the couch for the Lions game before the big feast.

A happy Thanksgiving, indeed.

Yes, for many of us, taking part in a turkey trot has become as much a part of Thanksgiving as the hour of awkward conversation with our Angry Uncle. More than one million people are expected to finish a race related to the holiday this year, according to Running USA, the national trade association for the sport. And there are about 1,000 races to choose from across the country, making Thanksgiving the most popular day of the year to run. (Sorry, Halloween.)