Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: There was a total of 976 participants at the 18th annual Pima Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving.
The 18th annual Pima Turkey Trot brings big numbers
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – On a brisk Thanksgiving morning, hundreds of runners from across the state descended upon Pima, Arizona for the Gila Valley’s signature 5K race, the Pima Turkey Trot.
It is, in its essence, small-town Americana at its finest, where the mayor dresses in a turkey suit and runs with the youth and gives out Hi-Fives to participants as they finish the race. It’s a dual event in that while there are many racing for their best time and perhaps a spot in history, the other half is all about getting together as family members and neighbors and enjoying the holiday together – while making some room for turkey!
Born in 2006 out of a desire to bring a fun race to the area on Thanksgiving as many cities offer, Co-Race Directors Melinda Nelson and Cody Marshal started soliciting sponsors in 2007 and still run the event.
The Pima Turkey Trot has now completed its 18th year and has raised and donated more than $120,000 to Pima Schools.
“All proceeds go to Pima schools,” Marshall said. “We try to help them out with whatever they are in need of and that our funds will help provide for.”
With various extended family members visiting the Gila Valley for Thanksgiving, the Pima Turkey Trot has turned into the marquee 5K for the area with bragging rights on the line not only for the fastest racers but also for the family with the most participants and who wore the best outfit.
“There’s the really crazy-fast cross-country runners and then there’s the grandpas, the grandmas, and then the little tiny kids, it’s just so fun to see families out here having fun, cheering each other on,” Nelson said.
This year the trot’s main sponsor was Velocity Builders and the event had 976 participants (between the 5K and the 1-Mile Fun Run), which is only 25 short of the record set in 2021 – the year after COVID. While most came from within Arizona, some racers trekked in from New Mexico, and at least one, Jessica Joy, came all the way from Alaska.
“I think with the great weather today, it brought everybody (who) registered here today,” Marshall said. “We have the best crowd ever.”
The three-time overall champion, back-to-back winner, and current course record holder (15:55.44) Jonathan Barney, 19, of Scottsdale was at the race but only as a spectator and to cheer on the likes of his sister, Meghan Barney, 22, of Scottsdale, who took home first overall female for the second year in a row with a time of 19:11.51. Meghan said Jonathan was sidelined this year due to injury.
“It’s fun running with people, everyone is super encouraging, cheering each other on in the race, which is always super nice, so it was good,” Meghan said. “I love coming out here. You never know who is going to be (here). It’s always a good mix . . . I love coming down here and visiting all times of the year but especially, I feel like, during the holidays. Everyone is so nice, so welcoming. So, I love coming down here.”
That opened the door for the first Gila Valley resident to win first place overall in the past six years. Wesley Pena, 21, of Safford/Thatcher took the honors in a time of 17:31.23, just holding off Brayden Crockett, 16, of Gilbert, who finished second at 17:36.61. Kody Gluyas, 17, of Safford finished third overall in a time of 17:55.34.
This is the first overall win for Pena after running in the event at least four or five times. He said it is the joy of running that keeps bringing him back.
“I love running,” Pena said. “I help coach at one of the schools here and I’ve been running since I was in sixth grade and felt it was fun . . . I do half-marathons marathons and this is just a fun little race in between.”
Multiple Boston Marathon finisher Natalie Waite, 45, of Thatcher, is training for the New York City Marathon and said she felt Pena could likely qualify for the Boston Marathon soon. Waite finished fourth overall for the female racers with a time of 22:44.96. She also had high praise for the race and organizers.
“This is the best 5K I’ve done,” she said. “I’ve done races everywhere and it’s so well organized it’s one I’ll do every year.”
The second overall female finisher behind Meghan Barney was no other than her sister, Rachel Barney, 16, of Scottsdale, in a time of 22:02.17. The third-place overall female finisher was Sophie Welker, 17, of Thatcher, in a time of 22:26.77.
Many don’t notice the behind-the-scenes effort and volunteers it takes to run the event or how many hours and days of planning and effort go into getting it ready, but I can report this: just roughly three hours after the start of the event the venue was brushed clean of anything ever happening there with no trace left behind – that itself is truly commendable.
But the directors themselves would like to thank the many local businesses who help fund the race and all who come and participate. They would also like to give a big thanks to emcee Brooks Knight who kept us in stitches while announcing the race.
“We are so thankful for our sponsors – that makes it really possible to have that donation to the schools – and especially thankful to the awesome crowd – the awesome families (who) come out,” Nelson said.
“We couldn’t do it on our own, so we cannot thank the support enough,” Marshall added.
Click here to see the Gila Herald’s photo album from the race and click here to visit the Pima Turkey Trot page with more pics and full race results.
