Dana Point Turkey Trot Wraps Up 2011 Race; Calls for 2012 Sponsors and Registrants

Online, February 3, 2012 (Newswire.com) - The Dana Point Turkey Trot, a Southern California tradition, has officially wrapped up its 2011 Thanksgiving Day run, providing Orange County runners with one of the most successful races to date in its 34-year history. Introducing new race enhancements for the 2011 run, the Dana Point Turkey Trot hosted more than 10,000 runners on Thanksgiving Day, as well as thousands of volunteers, families and spectators. In total, the 2011 Dana Point Turkey Trot donated $35,000 to the race beneficiaries, with $25,000 going to the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment and $10,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. More than $6,000 donations were made through the event's online registration system. With the success of the 2011 Turkey Trot only two months behind, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is already gearing up for the 2012 run, with a call for early sponsors and registrants.

Organizers of the Dana Point Turkey Trot, including the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce and RUN Racing, joined together as a team to provide 2011 participants with various race enhancements, including wave starts based on anticipated race times to alleviate congestion, stroller-specific wave starts, widening of the lane for the finish-line shoot and, for the first time ever, every Dana Point Turkey Trot participant received a finisher medal.

In addition, the Dana Point Turkey Trot held a health and fitness expo on November 23 and 24, offering the community an abundance of exhibitor booths that included the latest and greatest the fitness and health industry has to offer, as well as industry expert speakers and local fitness celebrities. Sarah Reinertsen, the first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, was on-site at the expo to sign books and participated in the race itself, running the 5K and 10K. Alongside Reinersten, Fernanda Rocha, local personal fitness trainer and former Bravo TV reality star, warmed-up with the children before the Kids' Gobble Wobble race and led the kids in the one-mile run, alongside former Mayor Scott Shofield and Colonel Buhl of the United States Marines, and former Olympian Bob Seagren to spread the message of a healthy lifestyle.

"The Dana Point Turkey Trot takes pride in listening to our participants' feedback each year and continuously making enhancements to make each year even better than the previous," said Russell Kerr, Chairman of the Board, Dana Point Chamber of Commerce. "Whether working on personal fitness goals, encouraging kids to get active, giving back to the community, or enjoying the traditions' festivities, the Dana Point Turkey Trot offers something for everyone to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day and it's never too early to get involved."

Attracting thousands of participants each year to its 5K, 10K, and Kids' Gobble Wobble, the Dana Point Turkey Trot was named "one of America's best Thanksgiving Day runs" by Fitness Magazine. 2011 sponsors of the race included: City of Dana Point, the presenting sponsor; AT&T; BuildingOnline; Clif Bar & Company; Collins Holdings LLC; County of Orange, OC Supervisor Patricia Bates; Dana Point Times; Dick's Sporting Goods; Hodel Briggs Winter LLP; Lantern Bay Village; Mahe; Mix1; Sunsets Cabo Beach; The Strand at Headlands; Taste of Brews Dana Point; The Toll Roads; and Vintage Marina Partners.

Now, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is accepting sponsors for the 2012 race, ranging from title sponsorship and Friends of the Turkey Trot, to expo exhibitors and race t-shirt sponsorships. Organizations will reach tens of thousands of runners, athletes and community members, and millions more through media impressions, all while making a vital impact on the local economy in Orange County.

For more information about the 35th Annual Dana Point Turkey Trot and sponsorship opportunities, visit http://www.turkeytrot.com. Follow the Dana Point Turkey Trot on Twitter at http://twitter.com/turkeytrot and Facebook at http://facebook.com/danapointturkeytrot. Turkey Trot participants and supporters are encouraged to download the Dana Point Turkey Trot Cause Layout at http://www.causelayouts.com/DanaPointTurkeyTrot/. For every original download of the Facebook layout, $1 will be donated to the Dana Point Turkey Trot.

About the 35th Annual Dana Point Turkey Trot:
Produced by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce in partnership with RUN Racing, the Dana Point Turkey Trot is the nation's sixth largest turkey trot in the country. Named one of America's best Thanksgiving Day runs by Fitness Magazine, the Dana Point Turkey Trot has become an Orange County tradition, attracting more than 16,000 participants, including friends and family, in its 5K, 10K, Kids' Gobble Wobble, and two-day health and fitness expo. Featuring scenic routes through picturesque Dana Point Harbor and Doheny State Beach, the Turkey Trot offers something for every member of the family. The Dana Point Turkey Trot is a USA Track & Field (USATF) sanctioned and certified event and a USATF Southern California Championship 10K Race. The 2011 Dana Point Turkey Trot helped fundraise for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and the Dana Point 5th Marine Regiment, accepting donations for each through the on-line registration. For more information, to register for a race, or to become a sponsor, visit http://www.turkeytrot.com.