Turkey Trot set for Thanksgiving morning at City Park
Devola also has Thursday run
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PARKERSBURG -- For hundreds of area runners, a long-time tradition continues on Thanksgiving Day with the 41st annual Turkey Trot at City Park in Parkersburg.
In addition, the Devola Turkey Trot will be building on its own tradition as it enters its fourth year.
In Parkersburg, the race starts at 9 a.m. Thursday and follows the same course as previous years through City Park, up Washington Avenue and back to City Park.
The registration fee is $15.
The first 3,000 registered participants will receive a long sleeve Turkey Trot T-shirt. The T-shirt pick up and registration will be Wednesday at the City Park Pavilion from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Registrations will also be taken from 7:30-8:45 a.m. Thanksgiving.
Race director Sharon Marks said for the third year, the trot will feature door prizes, including canvas bags, blankets, head wraps and other items. Previously, the door prize had been turkeys but a variety of items have been featured the last three years, she said. Commonwealth Financial and On the Run and Walk have sponsored the door prizes, she said.
During the trot, organizers will be drawing about 60 door prizes. The names will be listed on a board at the finish line. Marks said previous drawings were held after the race which slowed people who wanted to go home after the race to continue their holiday preparations. Under the current system, they can get their name, get their prize and leave, she said.
As is traditional, the first male and female runner will receive a fresh turkey and a special gift.
The Shirt Factory and Sporting Goods is returning as this year's major sponsor, Marks said. Other sponsors and supporters include On the Run and Walk, Couch Rental, First Neighborhood Bank and Camden Clark Medical Center.
Paper applications can be found at On the Run, the YMCA of Parkersburg and online at the rivercityrunnersandwalkers.com website and the Parkersburg Turkey Trot Facebook page. Marks said the online application process concluded midnight on Monday.
In Devola, just north of Marietta on Ohio 60, the fourth annual Devola Turkey Trot will take place at 9 a.m. Thursday at the Devola Pool Park.
The 5K walk-and-run event is organized by the East Muskingum Civic Association as a fundraiser to help support its activities, which include operation of the community swimming pool and the playing fields complex on River Road in Devola, where the race will be held.
Registration for the Devola event starts at 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Entrants can register in advance online at the EMCA Facebook page. T-shirts will be available on the morning of the race at $20 each.
Advance registration is available on the EMCA website at devolarec.com at $5 per individual, $10 per family. The registration charge on the day of the race is $10 per individual and $15 per family.
The course of the race follows River Road to Devol's Dam, up Devol's Dam to Lawton Road and continues to Maple Shade Drive before turning back onto River Road and ends where it started, at the pool.