Letter from Race Director Wile

Dear Friend of the Maudslay Turkey Trot,

Registration is now open for the 23rd Annual Thanksgiving 5K Run at Maudslay State Park. I can't believe it has been 23 years years since I started the race. The first race had only 52 runners and now the race averages 800 runners! This is a great sign of the times, more of us are out there running and racing each and every day.

When I started the Thanksgiving race 23 years ago my intention was to raise money for the Newburyport Sports Boosters and to provide a Thanksgiving race to Newburyport area runners before everyone traveled to their family feasts. Seacoast Sports Medicine, my employer at the time, was the sponsor of the initial race. Change happens and they are no longer the sponsor, however I am still very grateful for their initial support. Their financial support allowed the race to provide financial support to the Sports Boosters at the time.

The race of today has the same heart and soul as it did 23 years ago: same beautiful venue, same superb group of core volunteers, and the same race director. Maudslay is beautiful every day of the year, no matter what the weather brings. My core group of volunteers is still putting in countless hours and they are ones that make the race possible. I continue on with the duties of race director such as applying for the state park permit as I have every year since the race's inception.

There will be a couple changes for this year: new sponsors,(Joppa Flats Running Club-a new club with familiar old faces!) and chip timing. The new sponsors provide the opportunity to direct 100% of the race profits to humanitarian causes in the Greater Newburyport area. I feel this is vital in today's economy, we need to take care of our fellow man. Chip timing decreases wait time for the results and gets you home to your family, something I truly value.

I hope to see you running at Maudslay on Thanksgiving morning. I appreciate your support.

Sincerely,

John Wile

Founder and Lifetime Maudslay Turkey Trot Race Director