Tallahassee and the Capital City Runners Club (CCRC) kicked off their 40th annual Turkey Trot Training.
This eight-week event serves as a dress rehearsal for the one mile to 5K run held on Thanksgiving Day.
Runners, community wide, are encouraged to join men, women and children for the Turkey Trot Run. This event evolved into a function for families.
Roger Schmidt, gate manager for CCRC and event coordinator for the Turkey Trot Run, made sure all runners present where hydrated and prepared for the run. With carefully laid out routes, Schmidt assures a stress free, easy run.
“I have been running for seven years, and will be leading one of the courses for distance runners for the trainees.”Schmidt said . With check points in various places along the routes, and team leaders for the different runs, CCRC insures its runners’ safety.
Felton Wright, President of Gulf Winds Race Track Club, was among the many present tonight, serving as race director.
Wright has worked hard with the coordinator and runners to insure a safe and easy run for women and children.
“The Gulf Winds Race Track Club is a big financial supporter of the run; we encourage all students, if they are here for the Thanksgiving weekend, to come out, making it more of a social event.” Wright saidd.
Mary Jean Yon, co-chair of the Turkey Trot Run, wrote a story of the event last year and its impact on families and communities.
“We started out with the pitch: If you burn your calories, and run this race, you can have [a] guilt free Thanksgiving,” Yon said .
This race has evolved into a community event with prominent beneficiaries like the community shelter and the Boys and Girls Club.
Each year the Turkey Trot Run draws thousands of runners from near, and far to partake in this race.
This community wide event receives donations from the runners, which are then donated to several nonprofit organizations in Tallahassee.
CCRC challenges the community to not only enjoy the holidays, but be healthy in the process.