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Turkey Trot gobbles up title of largest Trumbull race
By Ed Runyan
CHAMPION
Every year for about the past seven years, participants in the Warren Kiwanis Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot at Kent State Trumbull could say they were part of the largest run/walk in Trumbull County history.
That’s because the event has grown larger every year. No other run/walk has more than about 1,000 participants, say the organizers.
This year’s Turkey Trot kept the streak alive, as 2,380 people took part — about 200 more than last year, said Ted Rupe, event director.
Much of the attention is focused on the elite runners at the front of the pack, but Rupe says he believes that the event continues to draw record numbers because it gives extra meaning to the holiday, especially when it draws people closer to family and friends.
“It cuts clear across the population,” said Rupe, a recently retired Maplewood school district teacher and running coach who now organizes about 50 run/walks per year.
“So many people walk. So many families participate together,” Rupe said, adding that he’s aware of some family members who tailgate at the event.
“It’s taking a lot of unique twists,” he said. “It’s evolving into a festival, not just a race.”
One festive aspect of the Turkey Trot is the number of people dressing in turkey outfits, carrying stuffed turkeys and other Thanksgiving-related costumes.
For Gerri Steigerwald of Champion, Thursday was the 17th consecutive year her family has participated. The only time Gerri missed was 13 years ago, when her daughter, Alexandra, was born a day before Thanksgiving.
“It’s become a family tradition,” Gerri said Thursday after crossing the finishing line with her sister-in-law, Rhonda Steigerwald of Columbus.
The two women seemed to barely notice that the finish line was approaching as they walked the last few yards. The important thing was the conversation.
“We don’t get to see each other very often, so we catch up,” said Rhonda, who also participates in the event with her husband and two children.
Gerri said she and her husband have run the event in the past, and as their family has grown, they’ve modified their mode of travel.
“We’ve pushed baby strollers; we’ve pulled dogs.”
Kurt Jackson of Arroyo Grande, Calif., who brought his family to Warren for the weekend to attend his Warren Western Reserve High School 25th class reunion, said he and his wife, Melissa, expected the Turkey Trot to contribute some fond memories of this trip home.
Melissa found the Turkey Trot online while trying to decide what else to do while they were at home.
“We thought this would be a good way before we stuff ourselves to do something productive,” Kurt said.
John Luckett of Champion said he brought his wife and daughter, Madison, 11, to the Turkey Trot because Madison is interested in running, and she’d like to see how she can do compared with her 15-year-old cousin, an experienced runner.
“She wants to compete against him — a little family rivalry,” Luckett said.
Dr. Ray Duffett of Canfield ran the 2-mile race with his daughter, Dana, a student at Furman University in South Carolina, and his son, Ross, a freshman at Canfield High School.
All three finished in about 14 to 15 minutes, which made them feel good about their run and good about their time together, Ray said.