There was even a turkey: Ben Gaddis, whose mom, Stephanie Porter, fitted him out in a costume, replete with yellow feathers. (She promised him $10 for wearing it, she said).
Some participants came with their eye on the prize — a turkey for the first man and first woman to cross the finish line in the 4-mile run. Others came with an eye on Thanksgiving pies needing burned off in advance.
 Runners take off from the starting line during the San Juan Mountain Runners' annual Turkey Trot fun run held at Oak Grove Elementary School Thursday morning. The male winner in the Turkey Trot's 2-mile race was Fabian Hightower and Alicia Martin was the female winner. Michael Wallendorff and Lisa Thomas both won the 4-mile race. (Joel Blocker / Daily Press) Advertisement |
Hightower finished with a time of 13 minutes, 21 seconds. According to timekeeper records, Alicia Martin was the winning female with a time of 14 minutes, 10 seconds. They were given pies for their accomplishment.
The Turkey Trot also featured a 4-mile course for runners. In that race, Western State runner Lisa Thomas blew the competition away with a time of 26 minutes, 47 seconds. Michael Wallendorff was the first man to cross the finish line in that race, finishing a few minutes behind Thomas’ time.
“We try to make it a really family-oriented event,” said Kjersten Davis, a local veterinarian. Davis organized the Turkey Trot this year with fellow San Juan Mountain Runners member, Kylee Smith, a retired PE teacher. “It’s not geared as a race. For the vast majority of participants, it’s just a fun family event before they eat turkey.”
Davis spoke to the Daily Press Wednesday, in advance of the race.
“We wanted to have a great start for half the family, so we would be hungry later,” Porter, a member of the runners’ club, said Thursday. She wasn’t interested in the prize. “I’ve already won the turkey,” she said, hugging her son.
Frank and Tiff Maple said the Turkey Trot was something of a tradition in their family. The Durango couple comes to Montrose most Thanksgivings to visit their grandmother and makes a point of running in the race. This year was also their young daughter Teagan’s third time for the Turkey Trot.
“I guess it’s earning our meal,” said Frank, who eventually finished 10th in the 4-mile run with the family dog, Cinder.
Not everyone participating in the Turkey Trot ran or walked. Scout, a sweater-sporting Shih-tzu, sat huddled in the basket of his owner’s lime green classic bike.
“I tried to tell my mom it was a trot, not a bike race,” Sloan Tucker, a sixth-grader at Centennial Middle School, joked. She’d hoped to see other people on bikes, but no luck. “I think I’m a loner.”
Davis said it takes coordination and effort by many to pull off the Turkey Trot. She thanked the race sponsors, including Loony Bean Coffee and Anytime Fitness, which donated door prizes.
“We’re lucky in that San Juan Mountain Runners is a great group of volunteers. Everyone kind of steps up for this event,” Davis said.
• Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
• Be relevant. Keep your comments on point.
• See the guidelines for TalkAbout. Perhaps your comment is best for that community forum, available from the home page, instead of commenting on a particular story.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. Montrose Press is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in montrosepress.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Montrose Press. Montrose Press does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Montrose Press spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!