AUSTIN, Texas — Thousands of people may be waking up sore Friday morning after “trotting” through downtown Austin for the 33rd Annual ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.
People like Jim Galbreath who’s been running in the trot for the past 15 years, while him and his wife were growing their family.
“We started when this guy [his eldest son] was in the belly,” Galbreath said. “We never miss a Turkey Trot.”
Now Jim and his wife Brooke have five kids who all participate in the trot.
"We started with strollers, put them in the double BOB,” Galbreath said. “This is the first year, though these guys did the one mile by themselves, so big accomplishment."
The Turkey Trot is also a place for people like Sarah Brownson and her boyfriend John Coulter to make new traditions. They came for the first time this year, and though Sarah couldn’t run because of a broken ankle, she got to cheer on Coulter and their friends.
“It's just a really good reason to get you out early in the morning and then go home and stuff your face,” Brownson said.
Brownson said she was living vicariously through Coulter as he crossed the finish line.
“I saw him coming up, and I was like looking at the time and I was so proud because he just crushed it,” Brownson.
Brownson says she’s thankful for her family and friends who have rallied to support her during this time.
"It's just kind of a reminder to me that like, there is some bad in life, but it's also really, really good,” Brownson said. “I think I'm just like with all that kind of more thankful for all the little things."
Thankfulness for family seemed to be the reoccurring thing trotters were thankful for Thursday morning.
100% of the proceeds from the Turkey Trot goes toward Caritas of Austin, a local nonprofit that works to end homelessness. Over the 33 years of the event, they’ve raised more than $4.9 million for Caritas.