Fit First Turkey Trot brings about 400 entries to Bay St. Louis

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WLOX) - Folks in Bay St. Louis began their Thanksgiving Day bright and early for the 11th annual “Fit First Turkey Trot.”

It was a day for turkeys - of all kinds.

“We dress up as turkeys to show our support and where our loyalties lie,” joked participant John Michael Ladner. “We stand with turkeys.”

But our furry friends are also front and center.

“The Friends of the Animal Shelter makes sure that the animal shelter in Hancock County gets everything that they need that’s on their wish list,” said Bay St. Louis Running Company president Leanne Murray. “They provide food and bedding and cleaning supplies - anything that they need, they take care of. And so, we’re here to help them.”

The main attraction was a 5K race as well as a one-mile fun run.

“Before you eat a bunch of turkey and stuffing, it feels good to run, and it’s a great thing to do with your family,” said race director Joel Lawhead. “It’s a family activity and people are coming in from out of town, we have 14 states represented today.”

And the participation was on par with last year at about 400 entries.

There were a lot of prizes for the winners of this race. The top prize, of course, was a full turkey dinner.

Want more WLOX news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2022 WLOX. All rights reserved.