While most of the town was catching some extra sleep this past Thursday morning, around 1000 early birds–turkeys, of course–dragged themselves out of bed and into the rain for the annual Marathon Sports Hingham Turkey Trot Road Race.

For 21 years, runners have gathered at the High School for a 7:30 a.m. start. Despite the pouring rain and strong winds, this year was no different.

Beginning at the high School, the route extends for 3.1 miles down Union Street, through Wompatuck State Park, back down Union Street, and finishes on the school’s track. Along the way, members of the school’s Boys and Girls Cross Country and Track & Field teams cheered on runners. The annual 5K raises money for their athletic programs. 

Sophomore Anthony Longo, who runs for Cross Country, explains, “it was great to see families and friends enjoying themselves despite the weather. And for us XC guys who help out, it gives us an opportunity to see some of the alumni and catch up with them.” Sophomore Matt Hall added, “It was cold.” Longo agreed, “It was wet…Overall, it was a great conclusion to a great season.”

Sophomore Camille Boer, who ran the race, comments, “I loved running the turkey trot with my friends even though we got soaked.” She then added, “At least there was free food after!”

For the overall race, Sarah Brown placed 1st, Stephen Vercollone placed 2nd, and Pete Ross placed 3rd. For the female 14-17 age group, Casey Macelhiney placed 1st, Claire Ackerman placed 2nd, and Libby Ranocha placed 3rd. For the male 14-17 age group, Trent Hesselman placed 1st, Gabby Guerrero placed 2nd, and Bryce Botelho placed 3rd. For more information on the results, visit https://my.racewire.com/results/36248.

For those of you who read this and wonder, “Why would anyone run 3.1 miles through the rain on Thanksgiving morning?”, well, I cannot tell you. It’s cold, but it’s exciting. It’s wet, but it’s fun. It’s tiring, but it’s fulfilling. Maybe it’s the free food. Maybe it’s an excuse for runners to feast later on. Or maybe it’s just one of those traditions that Hingham cannot resist. Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers!