Sacramento’s annual Thanksgiving race rallies thousands. ‘What community is all about’
More than 34,000 runners and walkers flocked to East Sacramento to trek the Run to Feed the Hungry footrace Thursday morning.
Now marking the 32nd year of the annual turkey trot, registration for the event completely sold out, according to the run’s social media account. All proceeds from the event go to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. Councilmember Mai Vang called the race the “most important event in Sacramento,” explaining that the race unifies thousands of people in Sacramento.
“People of all ages, all colors, from all political spectrum, everyone’s coming together to do something really amazing for the region and to feed the hungry,” Vang said, who was tabling at the event. “This is what community is all about.”
Who won the race?
The winner of the run’s 10K was Ero Doce, 29, from Turlock. Doce finished the race in 28 minutes and 57 seconds, according to the race’s results. He also won the 5K in 14 minutes and 40 seconds. Brenden Gregg of West Sacramento followed behind Doce at 29 minutes and 2 seconds. The 36-year-old also placed second at last year’s Run to Feed the Hungry. Jacob Bustamante, 22, from Sacramento placed third in 29 minutes and 34 seconds.
Olivia O’kelly, 34, placed first for the female division at 33 minutes and 49 seconds with Anna Mcnatt, 20, following at 34 minutes and 1 second. Molly Jones, 24, followed 37 seconds behind Mcnatt. All three female runners are from Sacramento.
Winners of the 5K of the race include:
- Brayden Mclaughlin, 25, from Fair Oaks. Finished in 14 minutes and 43 seconds.
- Bennett Woodward, 25, from Rocklin. Finished in 14 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Gillian Meeks, 27, from Davis. Finished in 16 minutes and 5 seconds.
- Jenica Seawell, 29, from Rocklin. Finished in 16 minutes and 56 seconds.
- Nicole Clancy, 31, from Rancho Cordova. Finished in 17 minutes and 3 seconds.
A Sacramento tradition
Run to Feed the Hungry began in 1994, according to the event’s website. The event started with around 700 participants and has grown over the past three decades to draw thousands to East Sacramento.
The race has been a long tradition for many Sacramento area families, like that of Kelli Grimes. Joined by her daughter, Taylor Janoe, and her two grandchildren, she considers the event the “start of (their) holiday season.” Grimes said she’s been going to the run for the past 18 years.
“We love the vibe here,” Grimes said. “We love going through the Fab 40s and everybody’s partying and having fun and cheering you on.”
For Kristen Madigan and Tanner Durham, the run reminds them how “cool” the Sacramento community is. To be with thousands of people, all doing the same thing for a good cause like helping the food bank.
“It’s good to support the food bank and support Sacramento things and people in Sacramento,” Madigan said. “It’s also just kind of nice to get up and going early on a day that we eat a lot of food.”
Esther Jung, a sophomore at Mira Loma High School, spent the morning handing out cups of water to runners making their way through the Fab 40s. This is her second year volunteering at the race, and she said its becoming routine that her soccer team volunteers.
Born and raised in Sacramento, Jung said it’s inspiring seeing her community come together. For her, she said her favorite part of the event is knowing her people are “here to help out.”
“I like socializing with people, because they’re all so nice and it’s uplifting,” Jung said.
What are Sacramento residents thankful for?
When reminiscing about what they’re thankful for, Madigan and Durham thought of each other and their engagement. The couple’s wedding will be in October.
Ryan Seo and Jack Ruckman, both dressed in banana costumes for the race, said they were grateful for family. The two college students were visiting family while on break from Cal State Fullerton and the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Being away from family, you miss them a lot. It’s always really nice to come back see family and be able to get together and spend time together,” Seo said.
Vang, who represents District 8, said she’s appreciative of the residents of Sacramento. During these difficult times, community is more important than ever, she said.
“I’m thankful for the people who are holding the line, doing everything they can to love on and serve their family, their communities at the local level,” Vang said, “...at the end of the day, we are all we have. And when I say we got us, I mean we got us.”
