Thanksgiving Day road race in Avon to be virtual event

AVON, Nov. 23, 2020 – The third annual Bottoms Up Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot at Thompson Brook School will be a virtual event.

Race organizer Dawn Zavalishin had hoped to hold a race but when the number of COVID infections in the state and across the country began to rise, the race committee changed their minds.

“Our team has continuously monitored COVID-19 data, health district updates and state guideline changes. We take the safety of our participants very seriously,” Zavalishin said on the race website. “In light of the recent COVID-19 data both within Connecticut and across our country, it is with a heavy heart that our team has decided to cancel the in-person race.”

The 3.1-mile race was scheduled to kickoff at 9 a.m. beginning and ending at Thompson Brook School. The race had 106 runners in year one (2018) and more than doubled the number of runners a year ago with 252 runners.

“As much as we wanted to provide a venue for an in-person race this year, we felt it was best for the community and the town to go to a virtual status,” Zavalishin told The Hartford Courant.

A year ago, Jesse Tubb set a new course record with a winning time of 18:57 over the 3.1 mile course. Morgan Roche from Orlando, Fla,, won the women’s race, finishing fourth overall in the race with a course-record time of 19:03.

This year, runners are invited to compete virtually from Thursday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 5. Runners can sign up on the race’s website. There is a costume contest that runners can participate in for the best race day outfit.

The race is a 501c3 public charity that helps raise awareness of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as provide financial support for those who can’t afford their annual colonoscopy, co-payments for infusions or maintenance medications associated with IBD.

2019: Record-setting run at Bottoms Up
2018: Runners brave frigid conditions to run on Thanksgiving morning