Trotting for a Cause: Participants Use Turkey Trot to Support Various Efforts
November 24, 2011
At Thursday's Turkey Trot, Andrew Darker was, like many others, wanting to help a good cause.
But unlike other runners, he ran six miles clad in his military fatigues and camouflage pants, with a 50-pound ruck sack on his back.
"I do special ops. We train to the highest the military has to offer," the 21-year-old Redding native said. "We do 15 miles with 75 pounds of gear."
Darker, a senior airman with the 22nd Special Tactics Squad at McChord Air Force Base in the state of Washington, ran the Turkey Trot as a tribute to his brothers in arms in Afghanistan who couldn't visit their families stateside this Thanksgiving.
He's done a similar workout for three years at marathons, although this is the first time he's been in Redding for Thanksgiving since he enlisted.
He was joined by 1,300 other joggers and runners in the six-mile run at Diestelhorst Landing off Benton Drive for the 26th annual Turkey Trot, sponsored by Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding.
Razor Sharp, 22, narrowly edged Ryan Ghelfi, 23, to win the six-mile run, said Karen Hoyt, Shasta Regional Medical Center spokeswoman. The pair, both from Redding, finished with a time of 31 minutes, 3 seconds.
Around 2,500
participants ran or walked the two-mile fun run.
In addition, about 280 kids sprinted in the quarter-mile dash across Diestelhorst Bridge.
Laurel Kirby, 6, said her favorite part was running across the bridge — although the candy and chocolate in her goody bag were nice, too.
Darker said he usually jogs in gear on Memorial Day and Veterans Day to honor his fellow soldiers, but his teammates having to skip Thanksgiving with their families spurred him to participate in the Turkey Trot.
"I'm not down-range now. I'm thankful to be home with my family. Unfortunately, all my brothers can't see their families," he said. He's headed to Afghanistan in three months.
He said the Walk for the Fallen inspired him. It's an annual march from San Antonio to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., he said, where everyone carries a 50-pound sack along the way to honor those who died in the War on Terror.
He said he'll miss his family next year, but they've been very supportive of his upcoming assignment to Afghanistan.
Darker said the jog wasn't that bad after he completed the run.
"To go through something like that is a lot easier when you think about what guys are going through down-range and what families are going through right now if they're not able to have their loved ones for Thanksgiving," he said.
Ryan O'Toole and Michael Ward, both 18, were some of the first to cross the finish line. O'Toole barely beat Ward.
"He took it easy on me," O'Toole said.
O'Toole attends Sacramento State, while Ward goes to the University of California at Davis. Both are freshmen.
"Technically we're rivals," Ward said.
"Technically we should hate each other," O'Toole added.
They said they enjoyed getting to see each other and friends from high school again — and the food provided at the event.
"It felt pretty good," Ward said. "The endorphins keep you feeling good, and it's Thanksgiving Day, so you get to gorge yourself on turkey."
The Turkey Trot proceeds, which total around $40,000, will benefit the Shasta Family Justice Center, the Shasta Family YMCA, the Youth Violence Prevention Council and the Redding Recreation Youth Program.
