Festive events on Quantico included "Distinguished Participant" and "Best Costume" awards
QUANTICO, VA (November 19, 2016) - It was a picturesque autumn day on Marine Corps Base Quantico today with many runners arriving from 20 different states dressed in turkey costumes and holiday garb for the Turkey Trot 10K and Turkey Trot Mile. The Turkey Trot Mile started off the events at 8:30 a.m. with more than 200 little ones running with mom and dad.
Among the 1,055 total finishers for the Turkey Trot 10K, 164 of them received "Distinguished Participant" medals for having participated in Marine Corps Historic Half and MCM Event Series distances throughout this year. The specially designed medals were present by the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), VA Runner, the running specialty store with locations in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge, VA and Always Advancing.
2nd Lt. Zachary MacIolek, 22, did the Marine Corps proud winning the Turkey Trot 10K in 35:54 ahead of 1,057 total finishers. Currently stationed at The Basic School, MacIolek is a native of Clearwater, FL. Fairly new to Quantico, this was MacIolek’s first Turkey Trot. "The course was awesome and I love the trail they added in there too," he said.
Having a differing opinion of the 10K course was second-place finisher Adam Lowe, 34 of Mechanicsville, MD who finished in 36:34.
"I thought it was a lot harder than last year’s course and I don’t really like trail runs so this was harder on me mentally, but Zach went at it hard so I just tried to keep up," said Lowe after he finished.
Lowe is familiar to MCM events, having just completed his fourth Turkey Trot 10K. He has also finished six Marine Corps Historic Half marathons and, most recently, he finished his seventh MCM on Oct. 30 in Arlington, VA.
Rounding up third-place among male finishers was Benjamin Harlow, 16, of Verona, VA who finished the 6.2 mile course in 38:49.
Turkey Trot 10K women runners were led by former MCM champion Heather Hanscom, 39, of Arlington, VA. Hanscom took first place finishing the 10K course in 40:03. In 2003, Hanscom won the 28th MCM winning first place overall among all female marathoners.
Jenny Fitzgerald, 37, of Woodbridge, VA captured second place for women runners, finishing the event in 40:52. Fellow Woodbridge runner Shannon Hillery, 26, took third place finishing just a couple minutes behind in 42:04.
Finishing first among Turkey Trot Mile participants were Manassas, VA runners, Samuel Fuller, 14, who completed the Mile in 6:02, and Rebekah Bewley, 12, who finished first among the girls in 6:38.
All of the top finishers and age-award winners received frozen turkeys and holiday pies, courtesy of Wegmans.
To further enjoy the festive atmosphere "best costume" awards were given to a "family of turkeys" who happened to be two Marine Corps captains and their children from Quantico, VA.
All participants received a uniquely designed Turkey Trot shirt and a bountiful harvest of hospitality items at the finish.
Today’s results are available at MarineMarathon.com but remain unofficial.
For more information about the 2017 MCM Event Series, Historic Half and Marine Corps Marathon, visit MarineMarathon.com.
The 2016 MCM Event Series includes a series of road races and a triathlon occurring in Prince William County and on Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. The MCM Event Series is sponsored by Brooks, GEICO, Discover Prince William County/Manassas, National University, Sentara Healthcare and Wegmans. No federal or Marine Corps endorsement implied. #RunWithTheMarines
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
