SEAL BEACH, Calif.—Around 2,000 runners, some dressed in turkey outfits, participated in the annual Seal Beach Turkey Trot on Nov. 19.
The runners took part in either a 5K or 10K, or a gym challenge—where teams ran a 5K with five exercise stations—including squats, burpees, and lunges. There was also a 1K race for children.
“I really love seeing how excited people get, how much fun they have participating,” Scot Breithaupt, director of operations for the event, told The Epoch Times. “Putting on something like this is a lot of work and it’s exhausting, but once you see somebody come across that finish line with a big smile on their face, it makes it all worth it.”
About 200 participated in the gym challenge and 1,500 in the 5K and 10K races, according to Breithaupt. About 300 children ages 10 and under ran in their own “Don’t Be a Turkey” race.
The races began on Main Street at Hennessey’s Tavern—a local sponsor of the event—and ran along Ocean Boulevard with a sunny ocean view.
According to Breithaupt, many shops overlooking the pier opened early for the crowd.
“Hennessy’s Tavern, for example,“ Breithaupt said. ”Usually Friday nights they’re fairly busy, but we pack the house at Hennessy’s from about noon all the way to 11 p.m.”
Decked out in festive turkey attire, Huntington Beach residents Brad and Sherry Goodrich, could be seen celebrating after their 5K run on a bench enjoying muffins and coffee from the local coffee shop.
“Especially for Huntington and Seal Beach, [this event] is really great for community building,” Sherry told The Epoch Times. “It brings a lot of business to the coffee shop and all the other shops too.”
“Seal Beach is cute,” Brad said. “I bet a lot of people probably come back.”
The couple has attended the event each year with their children and grandchildren since it started in 2019. The 2020 Turkey Trot was virtual, due to the pandemic.
Next to the race was an area providing runners with free fruit, as well as vendors from several community groups and businesses, and two decorated booths to take photos.
The Financial Partners Credit Union, Orange Theory Fitness, Beach Fitness, and West Grove Fitness are some of the other local sponsors that supported the event.
The event also promoted two local non-profits.
One was Grateful Hearts, which provides free food, clothing, and other necessities to the homeless, poor, and disabled. The other was Project Seek, which financially supports the arts, media, and physical education opportunities for students in Los Alamitos Unified School District.
Jonathan Metcalfe, whose city of residence was not specified, won the 10K with a time of 33:47, or a pace of 5:26 per mile.
Patrick Burciago of Westminster won the 5K with a time of 16:27, or a pace of 5:17 per mile.
Alexander Gorney of Redondo Beach won the 5K Gym Challenge with a time of 21:51, or a pace of 7:02 per mile.
