As households around the Quad Cities put turkeys in the oven and set up tables for families to share in a Thanksgiving feast later in the day, Bettendorf Family YMCA Branch Executive Director and Turkey Trot Race Director, Luis Leal and his race crew will be setting up tables as well in downtown Davenport. Except on their tables will be race gear, water and swag for the 2024 YMCA-McCarthy Bush Turkey Trot taking place on Thursday, November 28th at the R. Richard Bittner YMCA.
Starting at 8 am with the Kid’s Race (2-10), Leal is proud to have numbers comparable to those of the QC Marathon this past September as this is the YMCA’s biggest fundraiser of the year with all the proceeds going to scholarships that help send kids to YMCA Camp Abe Lincoln, a daytime and overnight camp in Buffalo, IA. “We get twenty-seven hundred to three thousand participants,” said Leal. “The marathon just got thirty-six hundred. It’s a hard day because it’s Thanksgiving, but we’re kind of comparable.”
As many runners know, it’s sometimes more about the swag than the actual race itself and this year, Leal and his team added a few surprises for the participants. “The big one this year is every finisher is going to get a Turkey Trot medal,” said Leal. “The medal is a replica of the logo on the shirt, so it’s pretty cool.”
Along with the medals, a pup run will be a new option to sign up for, where you can run with your furry friend. Every pup gets a Turkey Trot bandana when they finish. And if that’s not enough, a custom BOCO Gear Turkey Trot runners’ hat, Turkey Trot compression socks and the popular Turkey Trot beanies will be on sale before and on race day. “We know participants like that extra swag,” explained Leal. “So, we may not do it every year, but we wanted to do something different this year.”
So, before you relax and eat four times the normal amount of food you would for the day, grab a hoodie and sweats and join the Quad City running family in a holiday tradition where you earn those calories, one mile at a time. “My favorite part is the five minutes leading up to the start of the race,” said Leal. “The energy is building, and I start to see so many faces that I recognize. It’s a really cool feeling and vibe of accomplishment and community. We are one community.”
For more information or to register visit, www.ymcaimv.org/programs-activities/community-events/