Dedicated Turkey Trotters gobble the miles
Nov. 25—LIMA — It was a dreary Thursday morning. Rain was falling steadily and the mercury hovered right around 40 degrees.
Yet there were dozens of so-called Turkey Trotters dotting the landscape at Lima's Faurot Park.
Turkey Trots, typically held on Thanksgiving Day, are niche events for hard-core runners. And you've gotta be pretty hardcore to turn out on a day like this one.
The fifth annual Turkey Trot Challenge 5K race was slated for 10 a.m., but an hour earlier another group gathered for a less formal but even more vigorous outing. Dubbing their event the Friends and Family Turkey Trot, which incidentally was open to anyone who wanted to tag along, the group of 17 or so runners of all ages seemed undaunted by the weather.
Lyn Mulcahy of Lima said she and some of the other runners had taken part in various Turkey Trot events over the years "but we decided to start our own run a few years ago." Their event started in Faurot Park but the group also jogged through Woodlawn Cemetery, where some family members are laid to rest.
"This isn't a fundraiser or anything like that, it's just a get-together," said Mulcahy. "A memorial to loved ones."
"It's a great way to start your day," said runner Stacey Cleaves, who said she intended to complete a 10K run of 6.2 miles.
"The feeling you get at the end of the run is just great," she said.
