November 11, 2007
Thankful Turkey 5K Offers Tasty Awards
By David Alexander
One of our more interesting local races takes place next Saturday, November 17th out at River Ridge. It’s the Thankful Turkey 5K Run & Walk, which is hosted by the San Marcos Bluebonnet Lions Club.
What makes this race interesting is not necessarily the course itself. Flat and fast, it’s a race director’s dream because you can stand in one place and see virtually the entire course, with the start and finish in the same spot.
No, it’s the awards that make the race unique. Overall, Masters and age-group winners receive a turkey; second-place age group winners are awarded a ham; and third-place age-group winners get a pie, usually one homemade by local ladies who know what pie making is all about. Overall and Masters winners also get a little hardware for their trophy shelf.
The whole thing is just a lot of fun; and like most races these days, it’s for a great cause. All proceeds from the race are reinvested in the local community by the Bluebonnet Lions through such means as scholarships, vision-saving programs and other service projects.
For more information about the race or the Bluebonnet Lions, you can visit their web site at home.centurytel.net/bluebonnetlions, where you’ll find an entry form you can download, as well as a link for online registration.
The Thankful Turkey 5K is the last of our San Marcos races for this year; but plans are moving along nicely for another popular local event early next year. The ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon and the CASA “Speak Up For Kids” 5K Fun Run & Walk will be held on Sunday, March 2nd at the Tanger Outlet Center.
The Austin Radiological Association is back in the saddle as the title sponsor for the half marathon, and as usual, they’re doing it up in style, with chip timing by RunFAR Racing Services, course support by RaceWorks and race announcing by Evil’s Good Time Sounds. And in addition to a high-tech shirt, participants will receive the customary coffee mug and pen.
This half marathon is highly regarded by area runners as a well-managed race with a challenging course. Run on the rural roads southeast of the outlet mall, the course is best described as “moderately rolling with a couple of flat stretches” and features a signature gut-busting hill between miles 3 and 4. Wind speed and direction are often factors as well.
The CASA 5K, hosted by CASA of Central Texas, will once again be held jointly with the half marathon for those who aren’t up to a grueling 13 miles on a Sunday morning. The course for this noncompetitive 5K is not exactly a walk in the park, either, being an out-and-back over the first part of the half-marathon course; but all finishers will be rewarded with a handsome medal.
Proceeds from these races will support the great work done by the San Marcos Kiwanis Club and the remarkable mission of CASA of Central Texas, as they advocate for children in the court system and protect them from abuse and neglect. Event and registration information for the 2008 races will be available in a week or so at sanmarcosrunners.org/mbhm/index.html.
What makes this race interesting is not necessarily the course itself. Flat and fast, it’s a race director’s dream because you can stand in one place and see virtually the entire course, with the start and finish in the same spot.
No, it’s the awards that make the race unique. Overall, Masters and age-group winners receive a turkey; second-place age group winners are awarded a ham; and third-place age-group winners get a pie, usually one homemade by local ladies who know what pie making is all about. Overall and Masters winners also get a little hardware for their trophy shelf.
The whole thing is just a lot of fun; and like most races these days, it’s for a great cause. All proceeds from the race are reinvested in the local community by the Bluebonnet Lions through such means as scholarships, vision-saving programs and other service projects.
For more information about the race or the Bluebonnet Lions, you can visit their web site at home.centurytel.net/bluebonnetlions, where you’ll find an entry form you can download, as well as a link for online registration.
The Thankful Turkey 5K is the last of our San Marcos races for this year; but plans are moving along nicely for another popular local event early next year. The ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon and the CASA “Speak Up For Kids” 5K Fun Run & Walk will be held on Sunday, March 2nd at the Tanger Outlet Center.
The Austin Radiological Association is back in the saddle as the title sponsor for the half marathon, and as usual, they’re doing it up in style, with chip timing by RunFAR Racing Services, course support by RaceWorks and race announcing by Evil’s Good Time Sounds. And in addition to a high-tech shirt, participants will receive the customary coffee mug and pen.
This half marathon is highly regarded by area runners as a well-managed race with a challenging course. Run on the rural roads southeast of the outlet mall, the course is best described as “moderately rolling with a couple of flat stretches” and features a signature gut-busting hill between miles 3 and 4. Wind speed and direction are often factors as well.
The CASA 5K, hosted by CASA of Central Texas, will once again be held jointly with the half marathon for those who aren’t up to a grueling 13 miles on a Sunday morning. The course for this noncompetitive 5K is not exactly a walk in the park, either, being an out-and-back over the first part of the half-marathon course; but all finishers will be rewarded with a handsome medal.
Proceeds from these races will support the great work done by the San Marcos Kiwanis Club and the remarkable mission of CASA of Central Texas, as they advocate for children in the court system and protect them from abuse and neglect. Event and registration information for the 2008 races will be available in a week or so at sanmarcosrunners.org/mbhm/index.html.
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David Alexander is a runner, a local race director and a member of the San Marcos Runners Club. He is filling in for Moe until November 18th. |
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