The Turkey Trot is a traditional 5k run that takes place on Thanksgiving morning every year on the streets of Latrobe. The race normally has a very large turnout, with around 1000 who normally come to participate in the run around town. Other communities also host a Turkey Trot like Greensburg, which changed to a virtual events, so runners must record their own 5k times and submit it instead of running as a large group.

The weather at the end of November varies from sunshine, rain, or even snow, so runners have to be ready for any kind of condition and must dress appropriately. Runners should also look out for the turkey, who runs with other competitive runners every year.

This year  people  were excited to be able to run considering the circumstances caused by Covid. There were people of all ages, including much older people and even kids dressed for the occasion. Some wore different unique outfits, and one man even carried a flag the whole way through the run. Every runner was  wearing a mask before the race and while lining up, which was also quite different this year. Instead of a large group running all at once, the runners went in groups of around 40 to accommodate to the Covid-19 guidelines to help keep each other 6 feet apart. 

The run itself goes in a big loop around the city of Latrobe. There are some areas that are up-hill and others that are downhill. While running, residents of the city line up in different spots on the sides of the track to cheer on the runners. There were plenty of people sitting on their porches cheering everyone on. A man dressed as Santa Claus cheered  half way through the race, which got runners into the holiday spirit and put a smile on their faces.

When it comes to the runners themselves, there were cross country stars like Dante Frescura who were far ahead of most of the other runners and placed very high. There were lots of people who were newer to running and took their time in order to enjoy the experience. There were even some stroller runners taking their kids along for the ride.

Over all, the Turkey Trot experience this year was able to be just as fun as the past years. Even with Covid-19 on everyone’s mind, the community was still able to have a fun and exhilarating experience for people to participate in and get in the holiday spirit.