Turkey Trot Race November 2025

The 2025 Turkey Trot

The 11^th annual 5K Turkey Trot ran again Thanksgiving morning. This was the first Trot hosted by the McKenney Hills-Carol Knolls Civic Association (MHCK CA) after 10 years run by the Capitol View Park Citizens Association. Alex Arnsberger, MHCK CA Board President, reports the 2025 Trot included more than 215 participants, and the $25 registration (ages 10+) raised more than $2,500 for A Wider Circle, an organization working to ensure children and adults live safe, stable, and comfortable lives with opportunity to succeed. 

Ms. Arnsberger and the MHCK CA Board express hearty thanks to the Trot’s three sponsors: Donut King in Kensington (www.donutking.net), Stella Point Grille also in Kensington (www.stellapointgrille.com), and Mr. Tim Robinson of Stateside Residential Realty (www.statesideresidential.com). The Board also thanks the Glenwood Recreation Club (“The Pool”) for opening its parking lot as the Trot’s staging, start, and finish area, with Ms. Arnsberger saying, “it’s the perfect space to do this.” And the CA again thanks La Finca Coffee for their pop-up tent selling delicious hot coffee and other items on the chilly Thanksgiving morning. 

Congratulations are in order to all who finished the 5K course, running, walking, or both (crawling?). First-place finisher 13-year-old Wade Cliche ran it in 20 minutes (for you stat jocks that is a swift ¼ K or 273 yards per minute). Young Mr. Cliche said, “it was a good run, kinda hilly, and I’ve done it for a couple of years.” In second, 17-year-old Gavin W. (“my last name is hard to pronounce”) finished in approximately 21 minutes and considered it just another run in his career as a long-distance runner at Albert Einstein High School. 

This year’s fastest adult was Mr. Jose Luis Maya, an event planner at the Mexican Embassy in D.C. who “loves to run.” He finished in 25 minutes despite going slightly off course along the way. And, our fastest family was the Homans, Eric and Kate and daughter Bea and son Eddie. Dad finished in 28.24 minutes (being a real-estate lawyer he knows precision) and the rest of the fam a few minutes later. Eric noted, “he always wanted to do this with his family and finally got the chance this year.” Kate added, “this is great for the neighborhood and for A Wider Circle, and to show our kids and others it’s good to show up and be active. 

Other finishers were neighborhood fixtures Larry Frank and his adult daughter Elyse (Larry once served as MHCK CA President); and the Roddin family of Jeff, Julie, Jacob, and Rachel, with Jacob among the first few finishers, and mom and dad not.      

The event also featured a Thanksgiving-themed costume contest won by Bonnie (did not want to share her last name) and her son and daughter, each decked out in a turkey costume (and seemingly not afraid of being stuffed). 

Overall, the neighborly camaraderie, smiling faces, and upbeat chats showed the Trot was fun for all. By far the most common complaints were about the hilly course but this writer loves the neighborhood’s many steep, short hills, AKA a natural outdoor gym for ISEHR (intentional sustained elevated heart rate). All top finishers received a gift card from one of our sponsors, and the costume winners won three yummy pies. Also, registrants received the Trot’s commemorative blue t-shirt with a handsome logo on the front and the sponsors listed on back. If you see someone wearing such spiffy duds, say congratu-gobble-lations, and perhaps make plans to join them at Turkey Trot 2026 (or other upcoming MHCK events).   (https://www.mhckcivic.org)

Len Rickman, AKA Len on Hayden, December 8, 2025