UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- With a new venue conducive to faster times, personal and course records could be shattered at Penn State New Kensington’s 35th annual Turkey Trot 5-K set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, in the Westmoreland Business and Research Park on State Route 780. The park sits astride the boundary of Upper Burrell and Washington townships.
A 35-year tradition at the campus, the pre-Thanksgiving race has grown from an informal weekday 2-miler into a classic weekend 3.1-mile run. Held in conjunction with the 5-K is a low-key 1-mile fun run or walk that starts at 10:15 a.m. The three distances cater to the tastes of running enthusiasts, joggers and casual walkers.
The feature race begins and ends at Industrial Automation and Control Inc., located at 600 Hunt Valley Circle. The course is a loop that winds through the 544-acre development. Parking is available across the street at the Whitaker House. (Directions to the business and research park are below.)
In a special ceremony before the race, Arlene Hall, director emeritus of academic affairs at the campus, will be honored as the founder of the Turkey Trot. Hall spent 36 years at the campus as educator, coach and administrator before retiring in 2012. However, like linebacker James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers, she didn’t stay retired for long. At the behest of Madlyn Hanes, vice president for Commonwealth Campuses, she came out of retirement in 2013 to become interim chancellor of Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. She retired again in June, and is sticking to it.
A native of Snowshoe, Hall earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in physical education administration from Slippery Rock University. She holds a doctorate in health education from Penn State.
Hall joined the New Kensington faculty in 1977 as an instructor in kinesiology. In addition to her teaching duties, she coached a number of sports teams, leading the volleyball team to several championships. The Export resident received tenure and was promoted to associate professor in 1997. She was named director of academic affairs four years later.
In 1980, Hall developed a 2-mile race that weaved through the campus and Upper Burrell. Run the week before Thanksgiving, she christened it the Turkey Trot. The hallmark of the event was staggered starting times between noon and 3 p.m. that allowed students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends an opportunity to burn off excess calories prior to the Thanksgiving feast. Participants started at the Athletics Center, crossed the upper parking lot and headed down Myers Drive to the turnaround point. Runners then backtracked up the steep hill of Myers Drive to the finish line at the Athletics Center. The format remained unchanged for 29 editions of the iconic event.
In 2009, Pepsi Umberger, instructor in kinesiology at the campus, took on the role of race director. For the 30th running of the event, she converted the race from a 2-miler into a 3.1-miler and moved it to Saturday. Down and up Myers Drive remained the staple of the course. In addition to the 5-K, she added a low-key 1-mile event to accommodate alumni, friends and families in the local communities.
Moving the race off-campus and into the community complemented Chancellor Kevin Snider’s vision of using the resources of Penn State to engage the community and enhance the quality of life in the region. The Turkey Trot dovetails with Penn State Provost Nicholas Jones five guiding principles for the University. Promoting health is the No. 1 principle.
The campus has partnered with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Proceeds will be donated to the foundation to help children and adults with the debilitating disease and to the campus scholarship fund to help students with financial need.
The entry fee is $15 for college and high school students with ID, $20 for campus faculty and staff, and $25 for local residents. A special family fee of $25 allows four family members to participate in the distances of their choosing. Frozen turkeys will be awarded to the winners of each of the four age categories: 16-24, 25-30, 31-44, 45-54, and 55 and older. All registrants receive a Turkey Trot T-shirt and goodies bag.
For more information, contact Umberger at 724-334-6747 or plh20@psu.edu.For directions to the race, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/46057.htm.About Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States. A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, leads to life-threatening lung infections, obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.
In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.
"It is a great time of year to reach out and get people involved in a great cause," said Umberger, who earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State University. "The race provides fun for the campus and community, while benefiting people who are impacted by cystic fibrosis."