JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The sixth annual Tony’s Turkey Trot is one holiday transition that was not derailed by the coronavirus pandemic. Runners lined up for the race near the Beaches Town Center early Thursday morning before 7 a.m. to participate.
The Thanksgiving Day 5K is about more than just getting ahead of the holiday calories. It’s a memorial run for Tony Meduri, who died years after a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Meduri’s daughter created the Tony Meduri TBI Fund that holds TBI awareness events year-round, including Tony’s Turkey Trot.
UF Jacksonville CEO Leon Haley said more than 40,000 people suffer from TBIs every year.
“It’s kind of one of the hidden diseases that we never talk about, so this event and the things that we do goes toward trying to bring awareness because these are people that have significant and long-term effects from their disease,” Haley said. “The injury costs many, many dollars, so we’re trying to bring new therapies and treatments to make sure we can take care of them.”
This year′s trot was different, due to the pandemic. In 2019, there were more than 3,000 runners, but this year organizers capped the number of participants and put more safety guidelines in place, like spacing the runners in 10-minute waves to scatter them out on the course.
Masks were required at the start and finish line, but runners could take them off during the race. All post-race events and the fun run were canceled, and the usual on-site awards were prepared to be mailed to winners and participants instead.
“It’s a good fundraiser. It’s a lot of fun, good exercise. And I don’t have to go to the gym this morning,” runner Sue Gruesser said, laughing.
The 5K was cohosted by UF Health Jacksonville.
Runner Tatiana McLauchlan said it was her family’s fifth year participating.
“It’s a fun family event every Thanksgiving,” she said. “We always say, ‘Thighs before pies!’”