The Turkey Trot consisted of a 5 kilometer race and a Toddler Trot that was the length of the track for children 5 years and younger. It occurred on November 15, 2025 at the Central Oregon Community College track. Over 200 participants were estimated to arrive at the Thanksgiving-based race; the Toddler Trot began at 10 a.m. and the 5K at 10:30 a.m.
For the 5K, participants jogged two thirds of the track and made their way off campus. At the end of the race, individuals came through the finishing line and got a ticket with their time and placement. Top runners got prizes that were donated from the COCC bookstore.
The Turkey Trot, said Jacob Swinn, assistant director of club and intramural sports, has run for 26 years and is Swinn’s second time leading it. The race is expected to continue next year.
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The T-shirts for the participants of the Turkey Trot lay folded on the table.
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A man pushing a stroller runs as the race begins.
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Children hold a sign as the race concludes.
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Turkey Trot participants line the track in preparation for the race.
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Another participant of the race crosses the finish line.
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Central Oregon Community College’s mascot waves hello.
The Mazama Gym was filled with free pastries from the Culinary Club before, during, and after the race, along with coffee from Sodexo. One first year culinary student, Lauryn Kiefer, mentioned the time commitment of preparing the items. Kiefer said, “We started … getting the ingredients together like a couple weeks ago, and then just in-between classes and after school and stuff people would come in and either start like mixing or like mixing, and, cutting, and freezing.”
Both the organization Girls on the Run and COCC running team attended the event. The coach of the running team, Lina May, noted how rigorously the running team had been training–they practiced two times a week, once on various trails and once on the track, since the beginning of term. May said the most important part of preparing for a race is dedication and having fun.
She said the most rewarding part of racing is, “All the hard work you put in … leading up to this moment. Running is … what you put into it you get out of it.” The team is continuing through the rest of term, then will resume in the spring.
Swinn expressed appreciation for the COCC bookstore, the Culinary Club, Sodexo, and the T-shirt manufacturers: In the Zone.
Editors note: An earlier version of this story had the 5k race stated as a 5,000 kilometer race and has been corrected.
