Published November 21, 2019

NORTH READING — The 11th annual North Reading 5K Turkey Trot, sponsored by the North Reading Hornet Hall of Fame, is scheduled to go off at 8 a.m. sharp on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28 from Ipswich River Park.

Registration is now underway online at www.northreadingturkeytrot.com. Race participation is limited to the first 1,500 registrants. As of press time there were fewer than 200 spots remaining so sign up ASAP as registration has closed prior to race day for the past three years.

“We will also continue to have the 1.75-mile walk down Haverhill Street for those people who want to participate but find the longer course too much,” said Turkey Trot coordinator Joe Davis. “We will also continue to offer a long-sleeve performance T-shirt to commemorate your participation.”

“The Elementary School Challenge continues for the North Reading elementary schools. The elementary school in North Reading that has the highest percentage of their student body participating on race day will earn a trophy to display in their school for the year,” added Davis.

“We will continue the value-add competition for the top three finishers in the elementary school-age category. Percentage points will be added to the respective school’s participation total as follows: first place = 3%, second place = 2%, third place = 1%. The school with the highest percentage on race day will earn a $300 prize to be used toward the purchase of fitness equipment in their school,” he explained.

The North Reading Middle School has its own school challenge and must get more than 100 members of the student body to participate to earn $300 to be used on fitness equipment for the school.

At the High School, two scholarships of $500 are awarded to a male and female graduating senior. The recipients must have been involved in the running programs during their high school years. Additional proceeds from the race benefit the student-athletes of North Reading.

Some of the projects to which race proceeds have been contributed in the past include: sodding of the all-purpose grass field at the high school, purchase of the scoreboard located at the Little School softball complex, new softball/baseball batting cages, protective netting at the end zones on the turf field and recognition plaques for state championship teams.

Please contact Joe Davis at nrturkeytrot@gmail.com with any questions.