The Turkey Trot Race was first run in 1986. It is always run on the Sunday after the Club’s Christmas Party.

The distance has evolved over the years - originally it was a 10km course that included sections of Court Lane and Dulwich Village, before latterly becoming a 5km, 3 lap course of Dulwich Park.

Rules

This is a 3 lap walk or run around the park circuit (5 km) with a few twists:

• Participants need to predict their time as well as provide details of a recent parkrun / 5km time to help set their handicap. The people with the slowest predicted time start first and so on.

• Participants need to hand in watches and phones and anything else that might tell them how fast they are walking or running.

• There is a prize for first finisher (walker) and first finisher (runner). The first runner receives the Sid Crouch Turkey Trot Trophy.

• There is a prize of a porcelain Turkey for the time closest to the prediction. This used to be a real turkey until the prize kept being won by vegetarians!

• There is a prize for best fancy dress.

• Walkers and runners are disqualified if they are 90 seconds or more faster than their predicted time.

2024 TURKEY TROT

Our winners were:

• Jo Shelton-Pereda (first runner within 90s of their predicted time, with a time of 25:26)

• Chris Bell (first walker within 90s of their predicted time, with a time of 44:18)

• Jane Bradshaw (best predicted time. Exactly forecast her time of 23:00!)

2023 TURKEY TROT

The rules were revised this year with walkers and runners only having 89 seconds off leeway if they were too fast. Claire Steward became the first person to retain the trophy and is now the outright all time winner! Her time of 30:45 was 75 seconds faster than predicted.

Other winners were:

• Sue Vernon (first walker within 90s of their predicted time, with a time of 47:40)

• Katie Styles (best predicted time. Only 2.19s faster than their predicted time in 23:11)

• Hugh Balfour (best fancy dress - shepherd’s outfit)

2022 TURKEY TROT

Snow and ice resulted in a more testing race in 2022, with Claire Steward first runner home to regain the title she last won in 2017.

Winners (left to right)

• Claire Steward (first runner within 2 mins of their predicted time, 30:09)

• Chris Bell (first walker within 2 minutes of their predicted time, 41:43)

• Will Chambers (closest to predicted time, 25:13 - 13 second difference)

• Belinda Bell and Milo (Best Costume)

2021 TURKEY TROT

Winners (left to right)

Jonathan Whittaker (first finisher - runner, 22:02), Bridget West (first finisher - walker 47:43, although subsequently disqualified for walking too fast! Chris Vernon subsequently won first finisher - walker 47:33), Ebe Prill (closest to predicted time 20:31, - 3 seconds difference), Colin Frith (Best Fancy Dress).

2018 Turkey trot

For details of all the races and times please click on this link

2017 TURKEY TROT

For details of all the races and times please click on this link

Past Winners (first runner home)

2024 - Jo Shelton-Pereda

2023 - Claire Steward

2022 - Claire Steward

2021 - Jonathan Whittaker

2020 - no race

2019 - Alex Bond

2018 - Clare Wyngard

2017 - Claire Steward

2016 - Sharon Erdman

2015 - Paul Hodge

2014 - Clare Wyngard and Ian Sesnan

2013 - John O’Byrne

2012 - Tony Tuohy

2011 - Sue Vernon and Martin Morley

2010 - Chris Treble

2009 - Caroline Schurmann

2008 - Michelle Vernon

2007 - Barry Graham

2006 - Jo Hewett

2005 - Di Morgan

2004 - John O’Byrne

2003 - Mohammed Jutindu

2002 - Chris Loizou

2001 - Francis Norton

2000 - Alison Steer

1999 - Iain Cook

1998 - Jonathan Hurford

1997 - Dee Fay

1996 - Colin Frith

1995 - Alan Taylor

1994 - Graham Laylee

1993 - Rebecca Bray

1992 - Dee Fay

1991 - Chris Bell

1990 - Karen Grieves

1989 - Giles Heywood

1988 - Ruth Taylor

1987 - Beverley Crouch

1986 - Sid Crouch

Most wins - Claire Steward (3)