Parents snapped photos, kids tugged on race bibs and runners in turkey hats crowded near the start line Thursday morning as Goodyear’s annual “Run, Turkey, Run! 5K and 1-Mile Turkey Trot” set off under cool desert skies. What began as a fitness event quickly grew into a celebration of family and community, with clusters of relatives warming up together and cheering each other on before the holiday’s main feast.
The 5K began at 8:30 a.m., followed by the 1-mile run and walk. While capped at 900 participants, the event felt larger as families lingered around the Goodyear Recreation Campus, turning the morning into an unofficial gathering of neighbors, friends and first-time racers. Finisher medals, post-race snacks and games for children added to the festive atmosphere.
Race organizer Omar Ortega, owner of Rayheimer’s Race Management, said the event reflects exactly what he hopes to promote year-round.
“My family and my business are all about promoting health and fitness,” Ortega said. “Seeing little kids with their parents, smiling and running and being active, that’s what makes this special.”
Ortega said that he was thankful for the running community, for his family and for the families who have kept his business going for nearly 15 years.
Participants also brought the spirit of the holiday through donations. Baby food, canned goods, socks, hygiene supplies and pet items piled up at the collection stations set up for the Children’s Cancer Network, which supports families navigating pediatric cancer.
For many families, the trot was a first attempt at starting a healthy Thanksgiving tradition.
Becky Candler said she signed up with her two daughters to add an active tradition to the holiday.
“I love to run and thought it would be good for (my family) to get active and get out in the community,” Candler said. “It’s fun to see all these different families out here doing the same thing,” she said. Candler added that she was grateful for her family.
Lexi Kramer, also a first-time participant, said her family came out because they wanted to commit to a healthy lifestyle. “We’re trying to be a 5K family, this is a half hour of movement to set us up for a better day and a better lifestyle,” she said. “It’s a good environment too, everyone’s coming together. It’s exciting and fun.”
Kramer said she was most thankful for her family and the community they are building this year, and was most looking forward to pumpkin pie after the run.
That shared sense of gratitude threaded through the morning. Whether pushing strollers, jogging beside teenagers or walking side by side with grandparents, families used the race as a way to begin a day centered on togetherness.
Around the finish area, parents knelt to hang medals around their children’s necks, volunteers offered high-fives and groups stopped for photos before heading off to their Thanksgiving meals.
Event organizers have not yet announced details on next year’s race, but organizers expect the tradition to grow as more families look for a communal and active way to begin the holiday.
More information on future events is available at runsignup.com.
James Goldmeer Reporter | Goodyear & Litchfield Park
Meet James James Goldmeer joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2024, starting their career as a reporter in Goodyear and Litchfield Park.
Community: James grew up in the West Valley, calling Avondale home and going to school in Glendale and Peoria. Returning to the community after university, James plans to get involved in everything arts and culture, and civil rights.
Education: Northern Arizona University a bachelor's degree in Journalism, a certificate in Professional Communications, with a minor in English.
Random Fact: James spent half a year as an intern for the Arizona House of Representatives communication team, working with legislators to inform the public through press releases and social media.
Hobbies: James collects postcards and old books, reads memoirs and attends local jazz shows.
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