Local Faces Make Coffee Pot Turkey Trot Special
The Coffee Pot Turkey Trot 5K is back for its sixth year, and with it comes the energy and excitement of several thousand runners and walkers on our neighborhood streets on Thanksgiving morning. Produced by North Shore Elementary and sponsored by local realtors Kirby Bryan and Georgia Janas of Northstar Realty, the 5K race is a homegrown success story, growing exponentially in size and visibility since its humble beginnings in 2017.
The race is the brainchild of a group of dedicated North Shore Elementary parents who knew that bake sales and car washes would never raise enough money to support the in-school and after-school enhancements they had in mind. The race began with just 300 people gathering on a drizzly Thanksgiving morning for a leisurely stroll through the streets and has grown into a large competition that draws some of the best athletes in the area, along with families and friends galore.
One runner with his eye on the top prize this year is three-time city cross-country champion, and resident of Northeast Park, Dylan Bailey. At 17 years old, Dylan already displays a tenacity and sense of leadership far beyond his years. He is an honor student and senior class president at Canterbury High School and works part time at a local running store. You’ll often see him up before dawn on Sunday mornings, logging miles with his tight-knit group of running friends. You might recognize Dylan’s mother, Lisa Bailey, as the Pharmacy manager of our local Publix in the Northeast Shopping Center. Dylan’s father, Mike, is an attorney in Tampa, and an elite local runner in his own right, running a sub-three-hour marathon this past January and earning himself a spot in the 2023 Boston marathon. Their entire family took home prizes in last year’s Coffee Pot Turkey Trot, with Lisa placing third in her age group, Mike winning the Masters division (runners over 40 years old), and Dylan coming in second overall, just edged out by Tampa runner Eric Koenig for the win.
“Last year I had the lead, but didn’t finish as strong as I wanted to,” Dylan lamented. “But this year my plan is to start fast and finish even faster! I love the Coffee Pot Turkey Trot because it’s my home course, and I get to run it with friends and family.”
The race is the biggest fundraiser for North Shore Elementary PTA, supported by dozens of local businesses, thousands of registered runners, and hundreds of volunteers. After COVID forced a low-key “virtual” run in 2020, the race came back bigger than ever last year, maxing out at 2,500 runners two days before race day. This year, organizers will allow 3,000 or more runners to trot our lovely streets, but demand is high so don’t wait to register! The race fee is $40 during the month of November, and only $15 for children under 12. Readers of the Northeast Journal can save $5 by using coupon code: NEJ
The race starts November 24 at 7:45 am at North Shore Elementary, 200 35th Avenue NE. Sign-up details and more at tinyurl.com/CoffeePotTurkeyTrot.
Organizers would like to thank all sponsors, including: Northstar Realty: Georgia and Kirby, Green and Henwood Wealth Management Group, Wallace Welch and Willingham/Auto Owners Insurance, Leaven Law, Billy and Augusta Harvard Family, Blue Sky Communities, Baldwin Roofing Company, Power Design, Trophy Fish, Fit Life Foods, Goodrich Wealth Planning, Cycle Brewing, Skyway Capital Markets, Landguard Title Services, Parkshore Grill, Northwestern Mutual, Practically Pikasso, Sundial Title Agency, LLC, BMS CAT, Total Air.
