Roughly 2,000 runners and walkers braved 39-degree weather and heavy fog in Redding to gambol before they gobbled up their Thanksgiving dinner.
Cheered on by family and friends, they raced in the 2025 Redding Turkey Trot along the Sacramento River Trail on Thursday morning.
People of all ages and abilities ran or walked the 6-mile or 2-mile routes, starting near the Senior Citizens Shasta senior center on Benton Drive at Caldwell Park.
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Races started with the kids’ free fun run event, the Diestelhorst Dash. Youngsters ages 7 and younger took off running across Redding’s historic Diestelhorst Bridge at 8 a.m., some aided by their parents. Turkey-shaped chocolate treats awaited them at the finish line.
About 2,000 people registered for this year’s Turkey Trot, said event organizer Tori Parks, although not everyone showed.
Hosted by SWEAT Running Club, Thursday marked the fourth Thanksgiving since the Turkey Trot’s return in 2022. The event was cancelled during the COVID pandemic shutdown in 2020, and again in 2021 due to continued concerns about COVID spread at social gatherings.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and news stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica on Record Searchlight Facebook groups Get Out! Nor Cal , Today in Shasta County and Shaping Redding’s Future. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding Thanksgiving tradition the 2025 Turkey Trot takes off Thursday
Reporting by Jessica Skropanic, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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