Nov 24, 2023 By Jim Downey 3 min read

The weather Thanksgiving morning was nearly perfect to take a run or walk around Uniontown for around 900 participants in the 17th annual Uniontown Turkey Trot 5K.

It was a bit chilly with a teeth-rattling wind every so often, but those who crossed the finish line didn’t seem to mind.

I’m not one with those morning 5K walks because I generally have a miserable night without the recommended amount of sleep, but, it is what it is.

I’ve been in many 5K races over the years, but the Turkey Trot has a different feel. It is truly a family race with moms and dads and their children, who come from near (Fayette County) or far (someone proudly announced they traveled from Oregon!).

Maybe they want to get out of Thanksgiving dinner duty (partially my reason) or just get out and enjoy a nice 5K run around the county seat. Whatever the reason, people seem to enjoy showing up on Thanksgiving morning.

As for me, I’m truly grateful that I’m still able to put together a 5K walk at this point of my career. At the risk of sounding insincere, I thank God every time I toe the start line (or, get in a not-as-solid-as-it-used-to-be workout). I might’ve lost a step or 10 over the years, but I’m still able to put one foot in front of the other for three miles.

I’m also grateful I was able to share the experience with family. Nephew Brian Lohr embarked on the arduous trek from Yukon to join me for another Turkey Trot.

We both had some bling to show off at the dinner table with Brian finishing second in his age group running and me finding a way to be the third male in the walk.

California track and cross country coach Matt Loomis shared the experience with his son, his first race.

The Uniontown cross country team, past and present, showed up in force, with coach Joe Everhart beaming with their presence in the race. The Red Raiders grabbed both top spots in the run with Nathan Lucy (who avoided notoriety by running under his assumed name of Nathan Luck) and Grace Trimmer taking the gold.

The gold in this case was a small gold turkey statuette for the top five male and female finishers in the walk and run. (Mine was the centerpiece on the main dining table. My family puts up with me.)

The day before Thanksgiving marked the 14th anniversary of my dad’s passing. As I’ve written before, he so enjoyed hearing the report of the race from myself and his grandkids. I’m sure he would’ve liked hearing all about the race details.

I recently watched History Channel’s documentary on John F. Kennedy. If you haven’t, I suggest you do.

What impressed me the most was the hope his presidency brought to so many Americans.

The people who stood in line for a momentary glimpse of JFK lying in state was a cross-section of the country. And, most were crying.

JFK gave many hope to so many, and with that came a feeling of being grateful.

I hope a day doesn’t pass I’m grateful for something. For those who took a moment to read this message on this day of shopping and are weaning off the tryptophan of Thursday’s turkey dinner, I’m appreciative you took the time to read my musings.

And, to end on an upbeat note, the words of WKRP station manager Arthur Carlson, “As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”

Happy Thanksgiving!