2024 Pinedale Turkey Trot has 149 participants
by R. Craig Sheppard
November 30, 2024
149 registered turkey trotters toed the line for the 33rd annual Pinedale Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, November 28th. The temperature was 5F degrees at the start of the race with a little breeze. It was a beautiful "bluebird" day, but a little chilly, which brought a sense of urgency to getting through our original 3-mile over the river and through the woods course. Thus, the warming fires again were a big hit! Ellen Sheppard oversaw the hospitality garage where she had plenty of warm coffee and cold water ready for the early birds.
As usual there were all types of exercisers participating. We had participants from a 5-month-old Otto Lovejoy to 7 trotters in their 70’s. If they come back next year we will have some in the 80’s. Won’t that be great! We had no bikers (I wonder why), but we had walkers, runners, run/walkers, trotters, and baby strollers. There were people from 7 different states (Texas, Utah, Montana, North Carolina, Florida, North Dakota and Wyoming) and 10 towns or cities in Wyoming. There were also plenty of dogs around to help pull their owners through the course. Cody Wright and his dog Hazel were the first dog and owner team to come in at a time of 25:24.
Even though this is a fun run/walk, we would like to recognize a few individuals. Mike Lutz of Pinedale once again came in first in the running division with a fantastic time of 19:31 followed by Kris Holmes (22:01) . High-schooler Alex Gosar came in 3rd with a fantastic time of 22:14. Alex is a member of Pinedale’s high school basketball team. Their coach Bizzy Gosar encouraged the team to participate in this year’s Turkey Trot. I bet they will be glad to be back in the nice warm gym. The female runners were led by Hayley Ruland in a time of 24:10. She was followed by Judy Vitolo (24:44). 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 the largest division. Again, this year the first true walkers were Karen and Dan Stewart in 40:53.
This year there were 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, Race to Raise (formerly the Pinedale Half Marathon) for use of their timer and to the Pinedale Roundup and Pinedale Online for advertising. A special thanks to the Bank of Jackson Hole for posting our event on their marquee. 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 33rd 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 34th annual Pinedale Turkey Trot which will be held Thanksgiving morning 2025 at the Sheppard’s house at 9AM. See you then!
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