SALT LAKE CITY — An annual tradition, Memory Grove Park near the Utah State Capitol was once again the site of the start-finish line of the Cold Turkey Run, an outing that brings family and friends together ahead of their holiday feast.
“We like to do turkey trots on Thanksgiving wherever we end up,” said Karen Mowrer of Emigration Canyon. “When we stay home in Salt Lake City, we love to do this Cold Turkey Run.”
Mowrer and her family were among those who started Thanksgiving Day by taking on the 6K adult course or 1K course for kids. The pace for everyone differed, and for first timers, they couldn’t help but notice the all-welcome vibe of the event.
“Just the camaraderie of everybody, everybody from strollers to runners, active runners to walkers, everybody being able to share the same space and compete,” said Ted Duke who lives in Ogden.
While some participants paid attention to their finishing time, others like 6-year-old Walter Mowrer paid more attention to what the course offered in the way of scenery.
“It was good and yeah I liked it, kind of cool because like hidden in like a valley,” said Walter.
Karen Mowrer didn’t need prompting to agree with her son.
“It’s in a pretty fun location, kind of going up the canyon and being in the mountains a little bit," she said.
Sure, there were plenty of nice distractions before the finish line. But for some, entering the run made them feel guilty free about over-indulging on the Thanksgiving meal.
“Oh yeah, I can feel good eating as much food as I want, knowing that I’ve come and burned calories this morning, so I am scot-free for the rest of the day,” said Michael Royle of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
