Additional race information can be found at https://www.gigharborturkeytrot.com/.
In 2002, Tim Holmes' son challenged him to run a marathon with him. Holmes, accepted the challenge and started looking for training opportunities. "I looked for an existing Turkey Trot but did not find anything locally. So I invited some of my friends and patients to join me on Thanksgiving morning for a 5k run. I thought it would be a good way to work up an appetite," Holmes said. "I also asked them to bring two cans of food to donate to the local FISH food bank." "That first year, about 15 people showed up", he said, and the Turkey Trot was born.
Now, he says, it has become a community and family tradition. "We had 200 the second year, and it's just kept growing ever since," he said. Last year, (2022) 2,500 runners and walkers showed up, and we discovered at least half of them weren't even from Gig Harbor.
"There were people from Ohio, Virginia and even from India," Holmes said. "I think most of them were here visiting family for the holiday and decided the Turkey Trot would be a great addition to their family tradition."
This year's Turkey Trot takes place on Thanksgiving day, starting at 8 a.m. As usual, the event will be a 5K and people can either run or walk. (Those with strollers will start near the back.)
"We ask all the participants to bring two cans of food to the race," Holmes said. Proceeds will also go towards scholarships to benefit high school seniors preparing for college.
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