While temperatures hovered in the 20s in Washoe Valley, motorists who had to travel on Thanksgiving Day were forced to scrape ice from their windshields.



But as the sun rose over Sparks Marina on Thanksgiving Day, the area was teeming with people dressed in everything from “hoodies,” scarves and gloves.

More than 1,600 hearty souls of all ages jumped out of their snug in their beds and joined their friends and families in the park to kick up their legs at the ninth annual Turkey Trot. Many race participants smiled and talked while jumping up and down to warm up their limbs for the race.



Eric Gregory of Sacramento, on the other hand, drew attention to himself by being the only runner dressed only in lightweight jogging shorts, a stocking cap and running shoes.

“This is my first Turkey Trot,” Gregory said through chattering teeth as he anxiously bounced up and down and rubbed his hands together to keep warm.

Waiting to hear the word “go,” Gregory said he runs in several 10K events and a member of the American River Community College running team. Meanwhile, Kate, Black and Annie Trent, both of Reno, stretched their hamstrings nearby before the 10K event.

“When we’re standing in the sun, it’s nice,” Trent said as she leaned up against a tree and flexed several times.

Both women are on the track team at the University of Nevada, Reno, where Black is enrolled in a one-credit marathon class. Despite the chilling temperatures, everyone seemed in good spirits. Perhaps they were in better moods because they skipped their morning coffee.

Turkey Trot participant Peter French, wearing a utility belt superhero-style, had his water bottle and gadget pouch within easy access for the 2K trek around Sparks Marina.

“I enjoy it. It feels great,” 67-year-old French said, flexing his muscles like a bodybuilder.

French and many others routinely walk or jog around the marina to stay in shape or just enjoy the abundance of ducks, geese and other wildlife at the park.

“There are always people here that you can talk to,” French said. How does French stay warm on such a chilly morning? “I just run my feet around a little bit and warm right up,” he said demonstrating with a mini-ballet. “But, yes, it is brisk.”

Among the hardcore runners in the 10K event, Dan Geib of Reno won with a time of 34 minutes and 39 seconds.

The first woman across the 10K finish line was Rebecca Eckland of Reno.

“I just started running last year at Turkey Trot,” Eckland said. She also has participated in runs in Reno and Lake Tahoe.

“I hope to run in Boston next year,” she said. “Running in these events keeps me focused. A girl passed me and I ran like crazy to catch up to her, but she was apparently only warming up.”



Michelle Behm, 42, of Reno was the second woman to cross the finish line in the 10K run.

“I felt great and there was a great turnout,” Behm said. “There was a lot of crowd support, so it was fun.”

While Behm didn’t know her time for the run, Stephani Wilch of Reno came prepared to measure her participation to the nth degree. Wilch was busy adjusting the settings on her Garman GPS, which was the size of a small cell phone.

“It measures time, distance, pace and average,” she said with a shy grin. “This is my first year at Turkey Trot, and I plan to run in the marathon in Sacramento next year.”



Other participants were more casual about the event and jogged or walked with their family and friends.

“It’s our tradition. We do the Turkey Trot every Thanksgiving,” said Rebecca McCaskill of Fernley.

She and her husband Ryan took turns pushing 11-month-old Spencer around the course in a stroller designed for parents who run.

“It’s fun and it helps me feel better later,” she added.

The Turkey Trot is also an opportunity for people to learn about healthy drinks and foods.

Jennifer Gongaware of King 888 energy drink was handing out free samples before the race. The drink, which is manufactured in Sparks, is available in regular and sugar free and tastes like a citrus, lemon soda.

“It looks like beer,” someone commented about the silver can with a crown on it.



Eduardo Flores came dressed in bright green and black Herbalife jersey. He and about 20 others said they were there to tell people about the health benefits of the product.

After recovering from the race and talking with friends in the park, the crowd disbursed to Thanksgiving events and big meals. The event is an inspiration to everyone who participates in it. And it’s motivating for bystanders who see everyone having fun doing something that usually is associated with pain and discomfort. Don’t want to gain weight over the holidays? Why not try getting out regularly for a walk or slow jog?

It clears the head. The endorphins help improve your mood and if you go to a public park, you could make a few new friends.

“I do it every morning. It starts my day,” said Patty Cruz of Reno, who was stretching after the 10K race. “It keeps me healthy, and running in the Turkey Trot is a big motivato., It reminds me of why I run,” she said.

Paul G. White is a freelance writer living in Reno. Comments? Send them to freelancer720@charter.net.