WORTHINGTON - The 36th annual King Turkey Day 10K race is under new ownership, but the things that matter remain the same.
As always, the Worthington community lines up in support of the race, which over the years has emerged as one of Minnesota’s premier late-summer distance running events. The Okabena Bay Area Striders were instrumental in building the tradition, but this year marks the first race under the leadership of the Worthington Area YMCA.
Despite the change, the same level of proud local support continues, says event coordinator Jenna Bents.
“The community is very supportive, and we have a lot of volunteers lined up. Businesses have been very supportive, too,” she said.
The 10K race will start again today (Saturday, Sept. 19) at 10th Street in downtown Worthington and take a scenic route around Lake Okabena, but the start time has been moved up from 10:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. in part to ensure that finishing runners have enough time to attend other King Turkey Day venues. The 5K walk will begin earlier, at 8:30 a.m.
The post-race picnic and awards program will take place near the finish line in the parking lot next to the fire station. There will be music. The Trojan Booster Club will have hot dogs on hand, and massages will be made available to runners.
In the past, cash prizes were given to 10K winners. Now, winners will receive Worthington Area Chamber Bucks.
By midweek, close to 300 runners were pre-registered for the 2015 race, but entrants can still sign up this morning before the starting gun sounds. Two years ago, 499 runners finished the race - 254 women and 245 men. Last year, 482 individuals crossed the finish line - 246 women and 236 men - and a new women’s record was set by 19-year-old Cynthia Jerop of Coon Rapids.
Jerop ran the race in 34 minutes, 56 seconds and finished fifth overall.
The men’s record is still held by a local favorite, Jerrold Wynia, who ran the course in 29:37 in 1983 - the fourth year of the race.
