1st Place
David Rule of Pinedale finished 1st Place in the running division of the 2017 Pinedale Turkey Trot 5000 Thanksgiving morning. Photo courtesy Bob Rule.
|
|
2017 Pinedale Turkey Trot News
by R. Craig Sheppard
November 24, 2017
235 registered turkey trotters toed the line for the 27th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot.
The temperature was 28 degrees at the start of the race with no wind which aided the walkers and runners. The balmy temperature made it one of the warmest Pinedale Turkey Trots in history for the trotters yearly 3 mile adventure over the true "over the river and through the woods" course. However, the route was pretty icy all over again this year.
Ellen Sheppard was in charge of the hospitality garage, photography and making sure all finishers went to have their times recorded. She also had plenty of warm coffee and cold water ready for the early birds.
Wyatt Sheppard was back to help get everything ready (including making sure bonfires were started and kept going) before the race and he and his dogs (Ruger and Hazel) followed the entire group of trotters making sure everyone got in OK.
As usual there were all types of exercisers participating. We had participants from 7-month McKenzie Pearce to a 75-year young couple. We had walkers, runners, run/walkers, trotters, and baby strollers. Aaron Stewart even rode his unicycle around the course in a remarkable time of 25:56. There were people from eight different states, four towns or cities in Wyoming, and even a person from Spain. There were also plenty of dogs around to help pull their owners through the course. If we added the canines to our list of participants we would have been close to 275 involved.
Even though this is a fun run/walk, we would like to recognize a few individuals. David Rule of Pinedale made it back into the winner’s circle with a time of 18:19 followed by Kris Holmes (another former Turkey Trot Winner) in 21:58 and Joziah Billings (22:58) of West Haven, Utah. Senior Division runner Kirk Thomas of Salt Lake ran the course in 25:30 and was followed by Pinedale local Martin Hudson (26:37). As far as head turkey Sheppard, he did not fare so well. He is getting farther back in the pack, but is still having fun visiting with everyone before, during and after the race.
Haley Brogan of St. Louis, Missouri won the women’s division with a time of 23:04, followed by Kristi White (23:34) and Christen Thonhoff in 24:24.
All of our hardy participants are winners for getting out and getting some exercise on such a beautiful Pinedale morning.
The walking division is the hardest one to judge on whether they walked the entire course or ran and walked it and it is definitely the largest division. This year the first true walkers were Dan and Karen Stewart in a tremendous time of 38:14 followed by Valerie Jackson in 39:20.
This year’s high school division winner was Riley Wilson (23:37) and Mitchell Pape (26:09). Both of these young men have been in the yearly Turkey Trot for many years.
This year there was a lot of young school age participants. It is so good to see so many out doing physical activity. Maybe someday they will be named as the winner of the Pinedale Turkey Trot. If not, just being out and pushing their limits on a beautiful Pinedale morning will be a great Thanksgiving memory.
I know there are many names not mentioned in this article, but it is fun to see so many friends, families, school alumni, former band students and visitors gathering to take in the beautiful scenery and fresh air of Pinedale. Thanks go out to the Pinedale schools for use of their tables, bull horn and cones, Pinedale Half Marathon for use of their timer, and also to the Pinedale newspapers, banks and Pinedale Online for advertising. I especially need to thank my wife Ellen for putting up with my many passions of which one is running the Pinedale Turkey Trot.
This was the 27th running of the Pinedale Turkey Trot and with all the favorable comments it seems to have developed into a great annual tradition for the Pinedale community and their Thanksgiving guests. Don’t forget it is never too late to get in shape for the 28th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot which will be held Thanksgiving morning 2018 at the Sheppard’s house at 9AM. See you then!
|
