Ready, set, GO-bble!
Jocks earned the right to feast like beasts by kicking off Thanksgiving morning with a brisk Turkey Trot through Prospect Park.
Runners of all ages and levels cruised the glorious, fall-tinged landscape, a crisp chill in the air creating the perfect ambience for the ninth annual 5K trek, run by the Prospect Park Track Club with a portion of the proceeds going to Bishop Ford HS’s track teams.
The soul-satisfying slog has soared in popularity from 350 participants in its first year to the thousands who hoofed the tree-lined walkways for belly-filling bragging rights, beginning and finishing at Oriental Pavilion near the Lincoln Road entrance.
Club President Tom Meany said the jaunt was nearly fowled by the sheer numbers of people wanting to put their best foot forward.
“We capped the race this year at 2,500 runners in order to keep it a high quality event for all participants,” he said.
Fancy marketing and more runners might expand the trot’s waistline, but it wasn’t necessarily a recipe for success, contended boardmember Michael Ring, and it might even take the fun out of it.
“We don’t want to push the envelope and find out what we can’t do well,” he stated.
Those who did make the cut on turkey day came away with a banquet of memories along with souvenirs, medals and buffs that can be used in 12 different ways!
Angel Confesor picked up the men’s title in 26:33, while Christina Argueta aced for the ladies in 29:30. They also won holiday pies along with the first three runners-up in their divisions.
Ultimately, the day was about birds of the same feather flocking together for a grand time, clucked Ring.
“The Turkey Trot was not about the winner, it was about the thousands people who ran the race with their friends and families.”
Gobble-gobble to that!
Reach reporter Shavana Abruzzo at sabruzzo@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2529.
