If you ever find yourself in the Troy/Albany, New York, area on Thanksgiving Day, I highly recommend attending the annual Troy Turkey Trot. There is something for everyone at this event. For runners, there is a one mile grade school race, a 5K, and a 10K.

For spectators, there is music, food, and great people-watching. Despite the 20 degree weather, this year's 5K has 1,804 finishers, including several in costumes.

I spotted Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear, a turkey, and a couple of men in women's bikinis among the crowd of runners. The turkey looked a lot warmer than the "bathing beauties"! The cold and the early hour didn't keep the beer-guzzling crowd at the Ale House from coming out with their drinks to cheer us on, as they do every year.

The race was won by Michael Foley of Ballston Spa, NY, with a time of 15:37. Mollie DeFrancesio of East Greenbush, NY, won the women's title for the third year in a row with a time of 17:14

On a tragic note, about 45 minutes after the start of the 5K a bandit carrying no ID collapsed and died 60 yards from the finish line. When I left NY his name was still unknown. Please be careful out there!"

Over 1,800 runners completed the 5K race.

  1 1/232 M0119 15:37 5:02 Michael Foley  17 M 3065 Ballston Spa NY
  2 2/232 M0119 15:45 5:04 Nolan Tully    19 M 3046 Saratoga Springs NY
  3 1/63  M2024 16:13 5:14 Louis DiNuzzo  20 M 2404 Hamilton NY
  4 2/63  M2024 16:19 5:15 Kyle Barrett   20 M 1500 Troy NY
  5 1/116 M3034 16:21 5:16 Ben Greenberg  33 M 3045 Rennslaer NY
  6 3/232 M0119 16:24 5:17 Robert Baniak  19 M 1550 Troy NY
  7 4/232 M0119 16:36 5:21 Andrew Bangert 14 M 2090 Gansevoort NY
  8 3/63  M2024 16:37 5:21 Shaun Horan    21 M  192 Clifton Park NY
  9 5/232 M0119 16:39 5:22 Sean Curran    18 M 1324 Saratoga Springs NY
 10 4/63  M2024 16:39 5:22 Keith Weiss    20 M  846 Loudonville NY
699 11/77 F3034 26:32 8:33 Heather Sims   34 F  912 Auburn MA