29 Sep 2020 Virtual Turkey Trot and Gobble Wobble

Posted at 6:53 PMh in News by
2020 Gobble Wobblers are L-R, back row: Hunter Boyett and Ariona Knight. Front row: Melchizedek Flowers and Theophilus Flowers.

The United Way of Central Arkansas’ annual Turkey Trot 5K and Gobble Wobble Kids Mile are still on for 2020 even though things will look a little different this year.

The race is going virtual for 2020, but Executive Director Jennifer Boyett believes it is important to carry on the tradition and provide a fun way for the community to support the United Way. 

“We looked at all of our options and felt like having a virtual race still allowed us to continue the Thanksgiving Day tradition we’ve built as well as give the community an opportunity to support the United Way during this season of giving,” she said. “One of the benefits of a virtual race is that participants have a longer window to participate, so if Thanksgiving isn’t the best day for them, they can run – or walk – any day of Thanksgiving week.”

Conway Regional Health System will serve as the presenting sponsor for 2020 and is providing a training program for anyone who isn’t quite race-ready. The training program is available to all registered participants. 

An enhanced swag bag is also being offered to all participants with the traditional t-shirt and finisher’s medal, as well as items such as a neck gaiter, sticker and stadium cup that will be packaged like a gift and can be picked up locally before the race or shipped to a participant’s home after the race. 

Turkey Trot participants aren’t the only ones who get the extra benefits. Kids up to age 12 can register and participate in the Gobble Wobble Kids Mile. 

“We want this to be a fun activity for the whole family, so of course the kids doing the Gobble Wobble will get T-shirts, finisher’s medals and all the great swag that the adults receive,” Boyett said.

Another added benefit for this year’s race is access to the RaceJoy app, which provides live phone tracking, GPS progress alerts and allows you to cheer for your racer. “We wanted to make the virtual race feel as much like race day as possible, so we are excited to offer this app, which provides many of the of benefits you’d find in a live race.” Boyett said. RaceJoy can be downloaded free from the App Store or on Google Play. 

Registration for the Turkey Trot 5K and Gobble Wobble Kids Mile is open through Sunday, Nov. 15, but you must register by Saturday, Oct. 31 to guarantee your T-shirt size. You can find the registration link at uwcark.org/turkey-trot-5K.