ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Despite the current chaotic times, an Arnold Engineering Development Complex tradition lives on.
The 35th annual AEDC Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run at Arnold Air Force Base will take place this year on Nov. 13 beginning at 4 p.m. at the Arnold Lakeside Complex, or ALC. The Company Grade Officers’ Council at Arnold is once again hosting the event.
Registration for the race will be Nov. 4-6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Café 100. Those interested can also email CGOCTurkeyTrot@gmail.com by Nov. 6 to register.
The Turkey Trot is open to military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, contractors and their families in accordance with company policy and supervisor approval. Runners of all ages and skill levels are invited to take part.
Those looking to take things a little slower can opt to participate in a 2.5K walk by indicating this at the time of registration.
Capt. Elizabeth Sewell, a member of the CGOC who worked with 2nd Lt. Mason Lucas to organize the race, said the Turkey Trot is being held to not only keep the pre-Thanksgiving tradition going but also to give folks who have likely been cooped up over the past few months a reason to put on their running shoes and get outside with friends and colleagues.
“I think people have been a little stir crazy with so many events going virtual or being canceled, that if we could have an in-person race, it would get people excited again,” she said. “It also brings people together for a good cause. We can hold the event safely, so it’s a good way to get a little social interaction going again.”
Participation in the Turkey Trot is free with the donation of a nonperishable food item at the time of sign-up or on race day. All donations collected by the GCOC will be provided to the Storehouse Food Pantry in Manchester.
For those wishing to receive a commemorative T-shirt, the entry fee to participate in the race is $10.
Registration on the day of the race will also be available, but commemorative T-shirts will not be guaranteed to day-of registrants.
The Turkey Trot will be held rain or shine.
This year’s race route will once again take runners from the front of the ALC, around the back of the building and along Woods Reservoir. The trail will then take participants through the Arnold Village community and back to the ALC. Runners will complete this loop twice to finish the race.
There will be prizes for the top three male and top three female 5K finishers. As is tradition, the first-place winners will receive a frozen turkey just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The 2.5K walk will allow participants to complete the loop once at their own pace.
Although the AEDC Turkey Trot is on again this year, steps have been taken to mitigate risks brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks will be required of runners and walkers while gathered at the starting line, and participants are asked to follow social distancing guidelines during the event.
“The biggest changes are runners will be required to wear masks at the start of the race, but once the race starts and they have the ability to spread out, they can take them off,” Sewell said. “However, once the participant is done with the race, they will need to put their mask back on. If a runner is passing someone on the course, they need to ensure they maintain a 6-foot distance or put their mask back on. Because this event is outside, we have the ability to have everyone social distance at the start and finish line.”
Like last year, participants are invited to go inside the ALC for drinks and fellowship following the conclusion of the race.
“With teleworking and social distancing, I think it is important that we still try and have some social interaction, especially when we can do it safely right now,” Sewell said. “All the safety guidelines for the Lakeside Complex will still need to be followed.”
While the turnout for last year’s Turkey Trot drew more than three dozen participants, organizers of this year’s event are hopeful that a later start time will encourage more members of Team AEDC and their families to sign up.
“With the holidays coming, I think it is important that we can come together as a community, especially during these difficult times,” Sewell said. “We pushed back the start time hoping we would have more family involvement.”
Disclaimer: The CGOC is a private organization which is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and has no governmental status.