Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald: Children race Tom the Turkey to the finish line. The 18th annual Pima Turkey Trot is Thursday, Nov. 23.
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – No matter the rain, hail, snow, or worldwide pandemic, the annual Pima Turkey Trot has rambled through and will have its 18th annual running on Thursday, Nov. 23, Thanksgiving Day, at the Vard Lines Roping Arena.
Ok, ok, so the weather is usually a lot nicer than not. So, if you haven’t registered for the trot yet, you can still do so by clicking here or by clicking the Turkey Trot add to its website.
The race begins with a 1-mile Fun Run at 8 a.m., with the 5K Pima Turkey Trot starting following at 8:45 a.m. A $50 cash prize will be awarded to the overall male and female winners, and awards will be given to the top three male and female race finishers in their age category. Also, there will be a raffle for plenty of goodies and see which family takes home the turkey for most participants.
The Turkey Trot is always a family affair, but last year a Scottsdale family took that to the extreme by sweeping the male and female overall first-place finishers. Three-time Turkey Trot Champion Jonathan Barney, 19, of Scottsdale was the overall champion in a time of 16:11.46, and his sister, Meghan Barney, 22, was the first female finisher with a time of 20:19.18.
“It’s so fun,” Meghan said after the race. “It’s like relaxed; everyone’s happy and excited to be here.”
Jonathan has taken the top spot three times and set the course record in 2021 with a time of 15:55.44.
“It’s a great way to start the Thanksgiving day,” Jonathan said.
The Pima Turkey Trot was started in 2006 on a whim by Melinda Nelson and Cody Marshall and 50 others showed up as well. Beginning in 2007, the pair began to solicit sponsors and have since raised more than $100,000 for Pima Schools. The funds have been used for various athletic items as well, including new soccer goals for the improved soccer fields. Nelson and Marshall continue to run the event as co-race directors to this day. The trot had 923 participants last year, and this year they want to break the record of 1,001 from 2021, so sign up today.
While there are competitive runners, the trot also brings groups of families together to enjoy a casual stroll. For young children and those less enthused or abled, the morning will begin with a 1-mile Fun Run at 8 a.m. The 5K Pima Turkey Trot will follow at 8:45 a.m., both beginning at the Vard Lines Roping Arena at 1200 South and W. 800 South (which is 800 West basically.)
“My favorite part is seeing the families,” Nelson said. “Seeing the little kids – the grandmas and grandpas – it’s just a really fun morning.”
Click here to see the results from last year’s trot and visit pimaturkeytrot.com to view the race photos.
