Colorado Turkey Trot Is Tradition In Every Town

November 7, 2010 · Filed Under Running Race Reviews · Comment 

Colorado Turkey TrotFor most of us Thanksgiving is about pumpkin pie, turkey, football, and of course, giving thanks. But for active people in Colorado, Thanksgiving morning usually begins with the traditional turkey trot.

Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July are easily the busiest running race days of the year, and in Colorado, a turkey trot is held in nearly every community across the state.  The majority of Colorado turkey trot races are relatively short, allowing for plenty of time for regional travel, socializing, and of course, eating.

Turkey trots really vary by race.  Some will be the “stroll along with the kids, dogs, strollers, teddy bear, etc” type, while others such as the race in Fort Collins bring out some pretty stiff competition.  Some Colorado turkey trot races have a strong traditional aspect, such as the Longmont Turkey Trot, now in it’s 36th year.  True to the spirit of the holiday, prizes at any given turkey trot is likely to be something along the lines of a turkey, a turkey-shaped prize, a pie, or in some cases, CASH (see Panicking Poultry and Fort Collins Thanksgiving Run) so you can treat all your friends to dinner.  But regardless of the character or competitive level, nearly all Colorado turkey trots welcome the entire family and likely include special kids events, such as the free kids fun run at Colorado Springs’ Briargate Turkey Trot.

In addition to the fun, competition, and tradition of any Colorado turkey trot, the biggest motivation for most is calorie offset.  When people know they’re planning to put in a really substantial day of eating, there’s a fair amount of incentive to help balance the calories for the day.  Running in a Turkey Trot is also a wonderful way to begin, or hopefully, maintain a healthy lifestyle through the holidays.  If you need help finding a turkey trot in your area, the Racing Colorado Running Calendar lists plenty of Colorado turkey trots.

But through all the running, walking and competing, it’s important to remember the real purpose of Thanksgiving.  Most Colorado turkey trots are fundraisers for worthy causes, such as the Loveland Turkey Trot, supporting Stepping Stones Adult Day Care.  But even if your turkey trot is just a training run or some kind of informal run with friends, remember to take just a moment to reflect on all you have to be grateful for – even if it’s just the simple fact that you can run/walk/trot/move on Thanksgiving.

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Bolder Boulder ’09 – Twitter, Tech, and Bacon

May 29, 2009 · Filed Under Running News, Running Race Reviews · 3 Comments 

Photo by Brian Scaglia, www.scaglia.org

Photo by Brian Scaglia, www.scaglia.org

Beer, bands, belly dancers, bagpipes, and yes, even bacon (at a presumably “unofficial” aid station) were all featured in the 2009 Bolder Boulder. These are among the things we expect in Boulder on Memorial Day. One element that Bolder Boulder is known for is the “unexpected”, generally in the form of costumes and antics of runners and supporters alike. Another element that changes from year to year is the role technology plays in the race.

Of course there’s the component most obvious to the runners, the RFID shoe tag. The race has stumbled in this area in the past, but this technology for timing runners seems to be getting more reliable. Results were available immediately after the race (and as of this posting, still are) here. Runners are provided with several pieces of data, including overall time, mile splits, and average pace, in addition to place in division and overall. Verizon also jumped in the fray, offering race results via text message. Text bib to Verizon at 66196.

Television coverage of a mass amateur running race is what it is. Although I didn’t watch, channel 7 was to have live cut-ins within its newscasts all morning, with cameras at the start and finish lines. Streaming video via Internet is getting easier, and the race featured live feeds from about 3 points on the course. While it was a reasonable attempt, the live Internet coverage was only fair. The cycling world has really taken some good strides in presenting live coverage via Internet, as demonstrated in this year’s Tour of California, and even the recent collegiate nationals in Fort Collins. Certainly Bolder Boulder will catch on.

Twitter users were actually a group that provided some real time feedback. Using the hashtags #bolderboulder and #bb09, runners ‘tweeted’ (I hate that word) their experiences, from the crowd, to rice and adzuki bean chips provided in the lunch. Several runners made use of Twitpic to publish their photos, including the popular bacon station. Curiously, the race’s Twitter account, @BolderBOULDER09, posted only 1 tweet (I still hate that word) after their announcement, “6 days to go”.

With all the tech in the background, my sincere props to those who just laced up their shoes, went out, took in the Boulder air, and raced their hearts out, regardless of technology. No iPhones, iPods, i-anything – just the real run that is the core of Bolder Boulder… plus the bacon!

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