SPRINGFIELD, MO — The 30th Annual Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk, presented by Hall Ansley, PC, included 6,206 registered participants who walked or ran in Springfield’s Thanksgiving tradition. 

Despite chilly temps and gusty north winds, this year’s number was up more than 16 percent over 2023 — the largest Turkey Trot turnout since 2019. Registration included more than 525 participants with dogs.  

The annual event remains Springfield’s largest timed 5K race and the largest Thanksgiving Day race in Missouri, with proceeds benefiting Developmental Center of the Ozarks and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund. The event also serves as one of the largest one-day food drives of the year for Ozarks Food Harvest.

2024 Award winners were:

Overall Female: Katie McCune, age 26, at 18:23. 

Overall Male: Grant Musick, age 19, at 15:27. This winner had a tied time and was determined by photo finish.

Masters (40-59 yrs.) Female: Christina Angle, age 40, at 21:03

Masters (40-59 yrs.) Male: Andrew Johnson, age 40, at 17:02

Grand Masters (60+) Female: Liz Kyger, age 65, at 23:58. Kyger also won Grand Masters Female in in 2023 at 23:17 and 2022 at 23:07, and Masters Female in 2016 at 21:05 and 2014 at 21:07. Kyger may have set a state record for her age group. She holds two other state 5K records.

Grand Masters (60+) Male: Matt Wegenka, age 60, at 18:13. Wegenka may have set a state record for his age group. He is the holder of several state 5K records, including the overall state record, set in 1995. 

Medals will be mailed to 1st 2nd and 3rd place age division winners. Age divisions are 9 yrs. and under, then staggered in five-year increments up to 85 yrs. and older. 

Race results, including age division winners, are posted at ParkBoard.org/TurkeyTrot

The 30th Annual Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk was presented by Hall Ansley, PC. Healthcare sponsor is CoxHealth. Additional sponsors include Davis Properties, Foundation Recovery Systems, Brad Bradshaw, MD, JD, LC, Brightspeed Business, Cox HealthPlans, Great Southern Bank and the Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company. 

For more information, visit ParkBoard.org/TurkeyTrot or call the Park Board at 417-837-5817 (office reopens Monday, Dec. 2). Check out race day photos on the Turkey Trot Facebook page.

For media inquiries, contact Marisa DeClue, Executive Director at DCO, 417-829-0896; or Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, at 417-224-5510.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

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The 30th Annual Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk is presented by Hall Ansley, PC. Healthcare sponsor is CoxHealth. Additional sponsors include Davis Properties, Foundation Recovery Systems, Brad Bradshaw, MD, JD, LC, Brightspeed Business, Cox HealthPlans, Great Southern Bank and the Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company. 

For more information, visit ParkBoard.org/TurkeyTrot.

For media inquiries, contact Marisa DeClue, Executive Director at DCO, 417-829-0896; or Jenny Fillmer Edwards, Public Information Administrator for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, at 417-224-5510.

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