2021 Pinedale Turkey Trot News
by R. Craig Sheppard
November 26, 2021
144 registered turkey trotters toed the line for the 30th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot. The temperature was 15 degrees at the start of the race with a slight breeze. The warming fires again were a big hit! After last year’s turkey trot being moved to the PAC, it was great to be back on the original three mile "over the river and through the woods" course.
Ellen Sheppard was in charge of the hospitality garage where she had plenty of warm coffee and cold water ready for the early birds. She was relieved of her outside duties of manning the finish line, directing people to registration and final time recording. Much to her delight, husband Craig took over those assignments being he couldn’t run in the race due to injury.
As usual there were all types of exercisers participating. We had participants from a 1.5-year-old to five trotters in their 70’s. We had bikers, walkers, runners, run/walkers, trotters, and baby strollers. There were people from eight different states and nine towns or cities in Wyoming. 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 180 involved.
Even though this is a fun run/walk, we would like to recognize a few individuals. Mike Lutz of Pinedale came in first with a time of 18:13 followed by Kris Holmes in 19:19. Nine-year-old Symon Carpenter, on a bicycle, rode the course in a remarkable time of 18:36. Jordan Quig, from Rawlins, won the women’s division with a time of 21:22. All of our hardy participants are winners for getting out and getting some exercise on such a perfect 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. Again this year the first true walkers were Dan and Karen Stewart in 38:24.
This year there was a lot of school age participants. It is so good to see so many out doing physical activity. Many were in strollers when they first participated in this trot. 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 hosting the Pinedale Turkey Trot.
This was the 30th 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 31st annual Pinedale Turkey Trot which will be held Thanksgiving morning 2022 at the Sheppard’s house at 9AM. See you then!
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