BY KARISSA MILLER
The pounding of hundreds of feet filled the roads in Mooresville on Thanksgiving Day as people of all ages and abilities came out to participate in the 13th annual Mooresville and Lake Norman Turkey Trot 5K race.
Under sunny skies, most of the participants arrived well ahead of the morning start time — sporting their event T-shirt and a festive hat, but a few went the extra mile and dressed as a turkey from head to toe.
The net proceeds from the event benefit Mooresville’s The Christian Mission (TCM), a nonprofit whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty through crisis assistance, case management, educational programming and other resources in the community.
TCM Executive Director Amy LaCount was pleased with the turnout.
“We have over 1,600 participants,” LaCount said. “This was our largest event to date. It’s great to see the community come out and support such a great organization.”
The event, which featured hundreds of runners from throughout the region and some from out of state, is a longstanding holiday tradition for many families.
Mooresville resident David Moore and his family have incorporated the annual Turkey Trot into their Thanksgiving plans for more than a decade.
According to Moore, the Turkey Trot was a way for him and his brother to live a healthier lifestyle.
This year Moore had nine other family members join him for the Turkey Trot, including his 82-year-old Mamaw, who recently moved from Atlanta to Mooresville.
“Honestly, before the Turkey Trot, none of us were active,” Moore said, placing a strong emphasis on none.
Moore said it was the first venture into endurance sports for all of them.
“Some have gone on to run 10K races, half marathons, triathlons and even a full Ironman triathlon. It is truly life changing for the entire family,” he said.
Isabella Cuesta, a freshman at Pine Lake Prep, has been participating in the 5K run each year with her siblings and family.
“It’s a Thanksgiving tradition, and it’s a lot of fun. I like seeing a lot of friends from my old middle school and from high school,” she said.
While she runs competitively with her school’s cross-country team, Cuesta said that she ran for fun Thursday.
“I think running is an awesome sport. You feel better and get better. It makes you feel great overall,” she explained.
Her mom, Justine Cuesta, has a special reason for wanting the Turkey Trot to be the best experience each year for her family and others.
“I’m a social worker with The Christian Mission,” she said. “It’s important to us to make this a really great event because it’s our biggest fundraiser for the whole year.”
Race Results
Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/34148#resultSetId-425958 to view the race results.
About The Christian Mission
The Christian Mission is a non-profit organization that has been serving southern Iredell County for more than 84 years. TCM serves over 4,000 individuals and families every year with food, clothing, shelter, life skills and educational programming. Learn more about how TCM changes the lives of Mooresville area families, volunteer, or make a donation, visit www.thechristianmission.org.
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