By: Ryan Duey
Photo Courtesy of MHK Turkey Trot
Registration is underway for the Manhattan Running Company’s 10th annual MHK Turkey Trot. Set for Thanksgiving Day beginning at 9:00 a.m. Starting in Aggieville, racers will participate in a 5K around the City Park and through the streets of Manhattan.
This annual event brings out over 1,000 runners for a family fun event, with proceeds going to the Flint Hills Breadbasket local food pantry. Ben Sigle, Race Coordinator, said Thanksgiving Day is the number one day for runners in the U.S. This event continues to grow each year.
“We used to do a little 5K a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, and it never drew more than about 300 people. The first time we did the Turkey Trot, we had 750, which was awesome, and every year, it’s kind of gone up.”
“Last year, we had 1,400 people. Right now, we’re tracking 150 to 200 ahead of that. So, we might have upwards of 1,500 people this year.”
Sigle said that the roads are pretty quiet that morning except for the many runners and people cheering them on, which makes it even more fun. The simple course makes it a great event for runners of any experience.
This annual event has raised approximately $38,000 for the Breadbasket.
“In the nine years so far, we’ve donated approximately $38,000 to the Breadbasket.”
“We also work with some volunteer groups because obviously, we want to keep our runners safe. The Junior League of Manhattan has helped us with volunteers, along with some other groups.”
“We donate to their cause as well. Then the proceeds after all of that go to the Breadbasket.”
Runners can register the day of the race, but early registration is encouraged on the MHK Turkey Trot website. T-shirts are given to those who preregister, with no guarantee of a shirt on the day of the event. Packet pickup times and locations are also available on the website.
Sigle said it’s a truly fun morning with 1,400 of your friends out running a 5K before you head off to watch football and eat some food, all for a great cause.
