The 11th annual Northborough Turkey Trot 5K run/3K walk will kick off from the Marion E. Zeh School at 33 Howard Street on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 22) at 8 am. Proceeds will benefit the Northborough Food Pantry. Last year, the event raised over $18,000 and had over 800 participants.
Registration is $25/adults, $15/ages 20 and under. Costs increase to $35.adults, $20/ages 20 and under if you register the day of the race. Children 5 and under are free, but will not receive t-shirts. Adult sized T-shirts for men and women are available and guaranteed with registrations prior to October 30, 2018.
Prizes for male and female are given in six categories.
Online registration is available.
Original organizer and owner of The Core Connection Rita Matraia is moving on from her fundraising road race this year to spend more time on her business. The Northborough Turkey Trot will continue under the leadership of Pamela Guggina, a Northborough resident and long-time participant in the race.
“Ten years is a long time,” Matraia said. “I’m ready to move on, but I take pride in knowing that the Turkey Trot more than doubled in size practically every year and has become the area’s largest road race.”
Matraia initially saw the 5K road race as “a way to bring the community together,” when she and her friend Maggie Kosovsky invited 20 people to gather on her front lawn on Thanksgiving Day in 2007. Back then, she asked racers to bring along cans of food, which were donated to the Northborough Food Pantry.
Over the years, she moved the start of the race to the Marion E. Zeh School, started receiving cash donations instead of cans, began producing t-shirts for runners and added corporate sponsors. The current route includes a 3K walk, along with a 5K run.
In addition to The Core Connection, Communication Technology Services, LLC is a gold sponsor this year. Silver sponsors are Flaherty Physical Therapy, Orthomed Massage Clinic, Realtor Karen Scopetski and Triple Crown Tack Shop.