Festive Crowd Thankful at Oceanside Turkey Trot

December 1, 2008 from Running USA wire (OCEANSIDE, CA) The champions, as well as the rest of the event record field of more than 4,100, had plenty to be thankful about on Thanksgiving Day as heavy rains avoided downtown Oceanside long enough to allow the 3rd O'side Turkey Trot to go off in ideal Southern California conditions. Many in the holiday races that help support the Move Your Feet Before Your Eat Foundation, came dressed in costume, including two entrants who maneuvered a 12-foot long slice of pumpkin pie around the course. But the race also had more than its share of fast runners.

With ideal running prevailing despite heavy rains in nearby towns, fast times were needed to win the day's feature race - the Local's Only 5K .

Steve Albanese , a volunteer cross country coach at nearby Vista High School, broke away late in the race to win in 16:00, seven ahead of David Kloz and another second better than third-place Jeffrey Wilson. All three are Oceanside residents.

"I'm thankful for the running community here," said Albanese, who recently moved to Southern California from Chicago. "They are like a second family to me, and there were a lot of runners from Vista in the field, along with another volunteer coach, and I was glad to show them how it's done."

The Locals Only 5K women's champion was Jessica Sandoval, who ran for Oceanside High School as a prep and recently completed her collegiate cross country season at nearby Cal State San Marcos. Her time of 17:56 was 11 seconds faster than her time here last year and more than two minutes better than runner-up Kelly Bieraugel of Alexandria, Va.

Winning the wheelchair title was Sandra Rush.

In the Open 5K , Tom Kloos of Oceanside three-peated with his third O'side Turkey Trot title in the day's fastest time - 15:29. He needed it to hold off Thomas Estrada of Vista, who finished in 15:30 and Jesus Romo of San Francisco, who was third in 15:31.

Anne Marie Bryne of Oceanside won the Open 5K women's title in 18:00.

The race benefits local schools with a focus on improving physical fitness through a tie to the Move Your Feet Before You Eat Foundation. Complete race results and more Foundation information are available at: OsideTurkeyTrot.com