By Khalida Sarwari
Last year it was blue, the previous year it was red and before that it was orange. This year on Thanksgiving morning, downtown San Jose will be awash in a deep purple, the hue of the long-sleeve race shirt that participants will wear in the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot.
Sponsored by Applied Materials and produced by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation, the annual walk and run is fast becoming a South Bay tradition.
The event has become so popular over the years that last year, organizers had to expand the start and finish lines to accommodate the large number of participants. The count was exactly 24,223. This year, organizers are expecting up to 28,000 participants for the ninth annual trot–a long way from the 1,900 that showed up to the first one.
The event has blossomed beyond everyone’s wildest imagination, said Steve Wright, a spokesman for the Silicon Valley Leadership Group Foundation–so much so that it is now the largest timed turkey trot in the country, he said.
So, what makes the event so special to people? Wright hinted at a multitude of reasons.
“I think it’s a mixture of people wanting to experience a little family time together that’s outside, away from television and other distractions,” he said. “And the amazing thing is how people, when you watch them on the course, just really talking. It’s mothers, grandmothers, spouses, kids, significant others; just about everybody is engaged and talking together.”
Just as importantly, the Turkey Trot, which focuses on charities centered around health, food and shelter, offers an opportunity to give to those in need. First, there’s the canned food drive every year. Last year, 26,000 pounds of food–the equivalent of 20,000 meals–was collected and $1.2 million was raised for three charities. All proceeds beyond those needed to cover organizational expenses go to local charities.
The program was started in 2004 by Silicon Valley Leadership Group’s CEO and president Carl Guardino and his wife, Leslee, and since its inception has raised more than $3.4 million.
The goal this year is to collect about 25,000 pounds of food and raise about $850,000 for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, the Housing Trust Silicon Valley and the Healthier Kids Foundation Santa Clara County, previously known as the Children’s Health Initiative of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation. The Santa Cruz food bank was added to the list of beneficiaries to boost participation among Santa Cruz County residents, Wright said.
“I think a lot of people participate, not just because they want to walk and get some air in the morning, but when I talk to people, they say it’s for charity,” he said. “I really think a lot of people do it to give back a little bit.”
The events will begin at 6:30 a.m. on Nov. 28 in downtown San Jose, near the HP Pavilion.
There are six events, and each has an entrance fee, ranging from $12 for the Kids Fun Run to $1,000 for the CEO/Celebrity 5K Challenge, one of three timed categories being offered as alternatives to the 5K walk and run and 10K run. The other one is the Quickest Cop and Fastest Firefighter for police officers, deputy sheriffs, probation officers, correctional officers, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and investigators in the county district attorney’s office. And the final category is the U.S. Veterans 5K and 10K Challenge for those who have served in the armed forces.
Adding an extra element to the race this year is an effort by sports technology company BSX Athletics to unite all turkey trots across the country to set a record for the most participants in a multi-venue race as part of the Guinness World Record Gobbler Challenge. The Silicon Valley Turkey Trot will be one of more than 20 races across 12 states vying to break the record of 116,086, currently held by Malaysia. Organizers are, however, capping registration at 28,000 participants.
There are a few more things to get excited about with the race quickly approaching. As in years past, the event will feature a costume contest with prizes such as tickets for a flight from Virgin America or to a San Francisco 49ers game. And, of course, there are the purple race shirts.
For more information, visit svturkeytrot.com.
Record numbers expected for ninth Silicon Valley Turkey Trot
