ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Even as it nears its 40th year, a longstanding pre-Thanksgiving tradition at Arnold Engineering Development Complex shows no signs of slowing down.
The 36th annual AEDC Turkey Trot was Nov. 10 at the Arnold Lakeside Complex, the third consecutive year the race has been held at the ALC since its relocation from the Arnold Air Force Base mission area.
The event was hosted by the Company Grade Officers’ Council at Arnold. Capt. Elizabeth Sewell, a CGOC member who helped organize the race, said members of the organization feel it’s important to keep the Turkey Trot tradition alive.
“We have been running for 36 years, so it is great to see it continue,” she said. “I love when people wear their Turkey Trot shirts from past years.”
The event drew dozens of runners vying for the customary frozen turkey and bragging rights that come with a first-place finish in the 5K race. These speedsters were joined by approximately two dozen walkers looking for a relaxing trek through the autumn scenery around Arnold Village.
“I was so happy and surprised by the turnout,” Sewell said. “We had more than double the participants of 2020 and more runners than 2019. It was great. I love seeing this race keep growing.”
The Turkey Trot took participants along the same route as the previous two years. From the starting line outside the ALC, runners dashed through the facility parking lot, turning onto the roadway leading to Arnold Village. Just before entering the neighborhood, the runners veered onto a trail that took them around the back of the ALC and along Woods Reservoir. From there, the route took runners through the Arnold Village community and back to the ALC.
Runners were required to finish this loop twice to complete the more-than-3-mile race. Those choosing to take part in the walk finished the route once at their own pace.
The first AEDC Turkey Trot took place in 1985, and the event quickly became an annual tradition at Arnold AFB, the headquarters of AEDC. The yearly gathering of runners and walkers is seen as a way to bring civilian contractors, government employees and military members across Arnold AFB together to share in a good time ahead of the holiday.
The Turkey Trot has also benefited area families in need since its inception. There was no charge to those taking part in the event, but participants were asked to bring a nonperishable food item for donation. The food collected was donated to the Storehouse Food Pantry in Manchester.
“Giving back to the community is always important,” Sewell said. “It may seem like a little item when you are only bringing a few food items, but when 60 people each bring just a few, that adds up to a lot. And we can make an impact when working together. Hopefully we were able to help the foodbank in Manchester and help get some more food on the table of a few families this year.”
More recently, organizers have opened up participation in the AEDC Turkey Trot to the families of Arnold personnel. This, as was the case last year, allowed two first-time participants to each take home a coveted frozen turkey.
Garrett Masters, son of Arnold engineer Dr. James Masters, finished first among male runners. Candace Anderson, wife of Maj. Wesly Anderson, placed first among female runners, finishing just behind her 7-year-old son Seth.
Although he is a first-time Turkey Trot participant, the 18-year-old Masters said he runs competitively as part of the cross country team at Coffee County High School. He is also part of a running program in Tullahoma and participates in track and field.
Masters said it is likely that he will add the Turkey Trot to his slate of running activities.
“I really liked it,” he said. “I’ve ran here before just for fun. The hills are definitely tough, but the weather was great, the people were great. I think I’ll definitely be doing it again in the near future.”
Anderson said she used to run in school and has been looking to get back into running. She said the Turkey Trot presented the ideal opportunity to lace up her sneakers and hit the pavement with her family.
“It was fun and a great day,” she said. “It was a wonderful fall day.”
As for the spoils of their victories, both Masters and Anderson said they plan to share their winnings with their loved ones by partaking in a holiday feast.
Organizers feel the move to open the event up to those beyond the Arnold workforce has turned the Turkey Trot into an experience families can share.
“I love when children and spouses get involved on base,” Sewell said. “It is great for the community at Arnold AFB. It’s also fun to see the families out there together. It really brings the spirit of Thanksgiving to the race.”
Those who put on this year’s event view the 2021 AEDC Turkey Trot as a success. Sewell said, along with the pleasant fall weather, participants seemed to enjoy the opportunity to gather and socialize inside the ALC following the race. They also enjoyed seeing smaller prizes awarded to top finishers in various age groups, as this allowed more than just the overall winners to be recognized.
“I want to give a huge ‘thank you’ to all of our volunteers who helped sign up runners, hand out T-shirts, helped me time the runners, and sweep debris off of the course,” Sewell said. “And ‘thank you’ to all the runners and walkers who came out. Whether they have been doing this race for years or if this was their first time, we hope to see them next year.”