Grand Junction Turkey Trot Features Brand New Route

Grand Junction Turkey Trot runners and walkers will be enjoying a new route for this year's annual event.

Traditionally, the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot has taken place in downtown Grand Junction, but this year it takes on a different twist.  The race will start on the track at Stocker Stadium, head west on Gunnison to 7th, south to Rood, west on Rood to 3rd, south to Main Street, back to 7th and north back to Gunnison over to 12th and finishing up back at the stadium track.

The Turkey Trot is by far the biggest 5k event in the Grand Valley. Last year more than 1700 people took part in the event. Some are walkers and some are runners. There are even those that walk/run with baby strollers. So far, more than 1700 people have registered for this year's race and the total is still growing.

One of the things that makes the Turkey Trot so popular is that it's very family-friendly. It starts at 9:00am with a free, short 1k loop run for kids 8 and under, and all the kids participating get a prize. After that, the "big kids"  hit the track at 9:30 for the 5k run.

The Turkey Trot is put on by the Grand Junction Firefighters Foundation which offers financial support to firefighters, firefighter families, local residents & organizations supporting local residents who have suffered a significant personal tragedy.

Anyone interested in participating in this year's Turkey Trot can register online. The cost is $25 for adults and $15 for kids 5-15, and each participant gets a long or short-sleeved shirt.

Our Grand Valley weather is changing with much colder temperatures moving in this week along with a good dose of precipitation, so if you are planning to run be sure and come prepared for the elements.The Grand Junction Thanksgiving Day forecast is calling for rain and snow showers and a race-time temperature of about 35 degrees.

I'll be there to support the cause and get a little pre-Thanksgiving meal exercise in to start the day. Maybe I will grab an extra slice of pumpkin pie after the race to celebrate this fun Grand Junction event.