Strollers a Big Hit at Alexandria's Turkey Trot

Though the Alexandria Turkey Trot has grown in size and structure over the last 35 years, Thursday's addition of the Stroller Dash might just go down as something entirely more significant than organizers realize.

Most races across the region do not allow stroller competitors. Their wide size can give competitors a difficult time as they traverse streets and attempt to gain position by maneuvering through large packs of runners. Strollers can also be a safety concern.

However, with so many people training regularly with expensive, running-specific strollers, Alexandria's annual 5-mile trot could become a destination for those who make a habit of pushing their toddlers through morning jogs.

"A lot of [races] don't like it," said Lola Capps of Arlington, who pushed her son Lachlan in a stroller. "Others usually complain about people running with strollers. But it was a really fun run."

Race organizer Jeff Lutton, who finished third in Thursday's Doggy Dash division, came up with the idea for a stroller division after being repeatedly passed by a competitor pushing his kids through last year's race.

Wanting to find a way to recognize the stroller sprinters, Lutton made the Stroller Dash an official division this year. With a safety a concern, organizers put stroller competitors in a separate corral at the start of Thursday's race to keep them apart from other runners.

Steve Sarro of Arlington took top honors among Thursday's stroller dashers. With his son Anthony riding shotgun, Sarro completed the race in 32 minutes, 35.8 seconds.

"It's very hard to find a race [that accepts strollers]," said Sarro, who said he trains regularly with Anthony. "This is the only race I know where you can actually bring one. … We were the first stroller through, so they were really cheering us on. [Anthony] just claps the whole way.""

Sarro and Capps both said their sons took a lot out of the race. All morning prior to the race, Lachlan Capps expressed his excitement about participating and seeing everyone standing in their lawns cheering him and his mother on.

Sean Graham didn't have to hurdle any prams on his way to the finish line. The overall winner was well out ahead of pack, finishing in 24:13.8. The 30-year-old assistant cross country coach at American University had been recovering from an injury, but still managed to edge out 2009 Trot winner Andrew Dumm (who finished third behind Frank Devar of Alexandria).

"I ran the Army 10-miler and that was my first race in a while," Graham said. "But I felt great. It's a great event. The crowd was going crazy. It was a lot of fun."

Fun, in fact, was the main attraction. With close to 4,200 competitors, the event at times felt more like a party. Several runners dressed in costume or with Thanksgiving-themed hats. Others carried flags or leashes for their dogs.

Kristen Huber of McLean ran with her teenage son, Jake. Huber grew up in Alexandria and said she has run in "10 or 15" Turkey Trots over the years.

"I come to see old friends," Huber said. "It's sort of a homecoming. The race has gotten a lot bigger, so now it's hard to find those old friends."

ALIVE of Alexandria, which provides assistance to the city's needy, collected 50 boxes of food and $600 in cash donated by competitors prior to the race. The Del Ray Business Association, which organized the race along with D.C. Road Runners, also presented ALIVE representatives with a check for $5,000.