Local runners hit the ground running with these holiday road races
When will these leaves stop falling?
The lawn will appear green after a raking/blowing/mowing routine, only to be covered by leaves of maple and oak within a couple of hours.
In less than two weeks, all the foliage hopefully will be cleared for winter as our Thanksgiving traditions are renewed. Preparing turkey dinners, strategizing Black Friday shopping dashes, and yes, many still venture to gridirons for 10 a.m. kickoffs.
Yet more and more runners in Central Mass., and indeed all over the Commonwealth, strive to make room for the meal by toeing the line long before coin tosses. Thanksgiving road races, turkey trots — whatever they may be called — continue to surge in popularity.
COVID delivered its hit on road races some 3½ years ago, and effects lingered into 2021 Turkey Day events. Fields were more full in 2022, and race directors are excited about what this November has in store.
"People want to be around other people; people are craving it," said Cherylann Gengel, the co-founder of the Be Like Brit Foundation who is in her third year as director/coordinator of the popular Holden Turkey Trot, formerly known as the Holden Road Race.
Terri Powell of Whitinsville is in her first year flying solo as race director of the Whitin 5-Mile Road Race, having been brought up to pace by longtime director Linda Usher. "She had it running like a fine-oiled machine," Powell said.
The Holden Turkey Trot and Whitin 5 are just two events running on Thanksgiving morning in Central Mass., with plenty of other opportunities near you.
Holden Turkey Trot on move
This year, the 5K Holden event is moving to Seven Saws Brewery (112 Industrial Drive) from the Big Y Plaza. The Holden Police K9-5K moved to Seven Saws last year, the Fred Warren Road Race did the same this July, and the reviews were favorable.
"In September of '22, one of the owners reached out to us about getting involved in the race," Gengel said. "Last year we were pretty much all set with our arrangments. We're really excited about our new venue."
Several years ago, the Holden event expressed an interest in donating part of the proceeds from the race to Be Like Brit, the nonprofit organization founded by Cherylann and Len Gengel, in memory of their daughter Britney, who died in an earthquake in January 2010 while serving the people in Haiti. Be Like Brit built and hosts an orphanage in Haiti.
"The people were so kind who were running the race and donating to Be Like Brit, so I went to watch and see what was going on," Cherylann Gengel recalled. "I'm not a runner, but I remember that first year. I just wanted to say thank you, and there was a great camaraderie, and I got to meet people."
Gengel became more involved over the years, and more and more enjoyed working with all involved. So in 2021, she was approached by Angela Rogers about taking over the operations of the race. Gengel and her family know quite a bit about organizing though a labor of love, and this event fell into that category.
"I feel lucky, very, very fortunate," she said. "I still haven't caught the running bug, but these are very nice people, the running community. For me, this was another amazing opportunity, and I feel strongly about helping the everyone have a positive experience."
As of midway through last week, according to Gengel, close to 600 were registered, with entries flowing at an accelerated pace. "Hopefully, we'll get to 1,000 runners," she said about an event that draws in that vicinity.
The racing will be competitive, but "this is indeed a family-friendly event," she added, noting carriages and those with dogs on leashes are welcome. "You can run, walk or wobble."
While the Holden Turkey Trot is primarily a fundraiser for Be Like Brit, proceeds also will be donated to the Wachusett Food Pantry, Rutland Food Pantry and St. John's Food for the Poor, reinforcing the mission to help those who are less fortunate as much as possible.
Race begins at 8 a.m. on the 23rd, with bib pickup and race registration taking place at the Be Like Brit Foundation at 66 Pullman St., Worcester. Visit raceroster.com/events/2023/78380/2023-holden-turkey-trot for more details.
35th running for Whitin 5K
The Whitin 5 again starts and finishes at the Whitin Community Center in Whitinsville, where its facilities are made accessible to all before, during and after the race. While the event raises money for the Whitin Community Center, Girls on the Run and the Massachusetts Aububon Society also benefit from the proceeds.
The Whitin 5 now is a prominent event, with a USATF certified course, on the calendar of the Tri-Valley FrontRunners, of which Powell served as president. She also is race director of two other TVFR races, the Upton Trail Race earlier in November and the 1st Day 5K on Jan. 1 in Whitinsville.
"It's the good ol' standby 5-miler," said Powell, a Whitinsville native who ran under Ken Warchol at Northbridge High and has eight marathons to her credit, including two Bostons, having qualified for it three times.
The course remains the same in this 35th running, but one change is in the commemorative shirts for the Whitin 5K. Instead of the standard cotton shirt, Powell ordered a poly blend for the material, which helps pull moisture away from the body while running.
The logo on the shirt for this year was designed by middle school student Emmy Polymeros, and Powell has indicated she's looking into having a scholarship art contest each year for best logo design, possible in conjunction with the Northbridge schools' art department.
Like with all races, TVFR is supplying many volunteers for the race, and Central Mass Striders again will help with registration, another example of area running clubs coming together.
Whitin 5 entries also are picking up, hopefully on pace to near the 550 registered from last year. "Racing indeed is coming back to what it used to be," Powell said.
Race starts at 8:10 a.m. on the 23rd. For more information, visit www.tri-valleyfrontrunners.com/whitinfive/whitinfive.php.
Also on tap for Thanksgiving
Yes, traffic can get trying while scurring home or to relatives after morning activities, but with several other Thanksgiving races out there, Central Mass. runners don't have far to go:
∎ 9 a.m. Nov. 18 — Westborough Turkey Trot, 5K, 90 West Main St., Westborough. Information: racewire.com/register.php?id=13672.
∎ 8 a.m. Nov. 23 — Greater Gardner Turkey Trot, 5 miles, Gardner City Hall, 95 Pleasant St., Gardner (ends at American Legion Hall, 3 Central St., Baldwinville, with shuttle service). Registration: 5-6:30 p.m. Nov. 22, 7 a.m. race day. Information: racewire.com/register.php?id=13605.
∎ 8 a.m. Nov. 23 — Hopedale Fire & Police 5K Gobble Wobble, Hopedale Fire Department, 40 Dutcher St., Hopedale. Registration: 6 a.m.. Information: runsignup.com/Race/MA/Hopedale/6thGobbleWobble.
∎ 8 a.m. Nov. 23 — Northborough Turkey Trot, Marion E. Zeh Elementary School, 33 Howard St., Northborough. Information: northboroughturkeytrot.org.
∎ 8 a.m. Nov. 23 — Stow Gobbler 5K, Stow Community Park, 50 Old Bolton Road, Stow. Registration: 6:30 a.m. Information: stowcommunitychest.org/gobbler.
∎ 8:30 a.m. Nov. 23 — Gobble Wobble 5K Road Race (2-mile family walk), Trotter Middle School, 49 Parkerville Road, Southborough. Bib pickup: 1-6 p.m. Nov. 22. Information: runsignup.com/Race/MA/Southboro/Southboroughs13thAnnualGobbleWobble.
∎ 9:30 a.m. Nov. 23 — Thanksgiving Charity Fun Run, Banner Bar and Grille, 12 Green St., Worcester. Registration: 6 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Banner, 8 a.m. run day. Donations to Friendly House and St. John's Food for the Poor welcome. Information: Thanksgiving Charity Fun Run Facebook page, (508) 755-0019.
∎ 9:30 a.m. Nov. 26 — Trot with Ted, 5K, 10K, kids' run, Tantasqua Regional High School, 319 Brookfield Road, Fiskdale. Information: runsignup.com/Race/MA/Fiskdale/TrotWithTed.
Foot Locker Regionals set for Franklin Park
For our high school runners taking part in the Foot Locker Cross-Country Northeast Regional, they do not have to venture to New York this year.
Foot Locker announced this year's Northeast Regional will run at Boston's Franklin Park, after traditionally being held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The Northeast event is set for Nov. 25, the final Saturday of the month.
The meet director is Jorge Torres, the 1998 Foot Locker national champion who now is cross-country and track coach at Ursuline Academy in Dedham, which is just eight miles from Franklin Park. Among locals entered is Northbridge's Marcus Reilly, who recently signed a letter of intent to attend Michigan.
The South and Midwest regionals also will be run Nov. 25, with the West race on Dec. 2. The Foot Locker National Championship takes place Dec. 9 at Balboa Park in San Diego.
—Contact John Conceison at john.conceison@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ConceisonJohn.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Local runners hit the ground running with these holiday road races
