Changing weather is always a topic for discussion in Western PA, especially in the days leading to a big race.

But even as a cold front rolled through on Oct. 21, 635 runners lamented, tolerated or enjoyed temperatures in the high 40s to low 50s with occasional rain and breeze to finish this year’s 18th Buffalo Creek Half Marathon.

Runners appreciated the warm pizza and hot apple cider and gratefully picked up gear bags packed with dry clothes. All finishers were impressed by this year’s colorful finisher medals designed by GCXC Racing Pittsburgh.

The cool temperatures produced a number of personal bests on the net downhill course, but the most impressive finishing time belonged to Allison Park ultra-runner Will Hoevner. Will set a new course record of 1:04:57, breaking Nick Edinger’s previous record of 1:08:12 set in 2013. Jennifer Bigham finished first among women with her time of 1:18:10, speedy, but not a course record.

Race Director Chris Ziegler thanked participants and the host of volunteers, community groups and businesses who support the event and the Butler-Freeport Trail each year.

This week, we pack away the pumpkin chases and bring on the turkey trots. First on the Thanksgiving season races is this Saturday’s Butler YMCA Turkey Trot 5k and 1 Mile Run/Walk.

Butler’s Turkey Trot has a decades-long tradition of community service. The event “funds programs and services for children, families and seniors in Butler County.” And 100% of Turkey Trot proceeds stay local, ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, income and background, can access these services.

Race director and Butler Family YMCA Development Director Christina Dreher expects a good turnout with more than 100 registered one week prior to race day. You don’t have to be a YMCA member to run, but there is good support from within. Christina calls YMCA members “health seekers” and YMCA employees have the additional incentive of a registration discount.

Both the 1-Mile and 5k start on Penn Street in front of the YMCA. It’s a closed and safe course, thanks to Butler City Police and CB Rangers. And Butler Ambulance will stand by in case of emergency.

The 1-Mile out-and-back on Penn Street starts at 9:45 a.m. Although it’s popular with kids, adults may participate, too. Many parents accompany their kids and strollers are also welcome. First three girls and boys to finish as well as first three in age groups of 9-under and 10-13 earn certificates.

The 5k starts at 10 a.m. The gentle course runs down Penn Street to take two scenic loops of Memorial Park before finishing at the YMCA. A bicycle volunteer will lead runners on the course and additional volunteers will offer direction and encouragement along the course. Runners may want to bring water as none will be provided on the course.

Awards in the 5k will be presented to first three male and female finishers. Top three in age groups from 9 & Under through 70+ also earn awards.

Although not an official part of the event, members of Butler Area High School’s cross country team will wear special yellow shirts to honor teammate Aiden Lutz, who died tragically after being hit by a car while cycling on a local road. Aiden was signed up for this year’s Turkey Trot.

Christina’s final words of advice for Turkey Trot participants are, “Dress for the weather. Last year was a beautiful day for shorts and singlets. The year before, we wore hoodies and gloves. It could even snow!”

You may sign up online at runsignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/ButlerYMCATurkeyTrot until Thursday at midnight or in person on race day. Registration and packet pickup open Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. inside the YMCA, payment by cash or check only.

Saturday, 10 a.m.: Butler YMCA Turkey Trot, Butler. Also 1 Mile Walk at 9:45 A.M. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Butler/ButlerYMCATurkeyTrot

Sunday, 7:30 a.m.: EQT 10 Miler and 10k, Pittsburgh. raceroster.com/events/2023/75730/eqt-pittsburgh-10-miler-2023

Sunday, 9 a.m.: InFirst Bank Veteran’s Marathon, Half Marathon & Marathon Relay, Blairsville. Out and back on Ghost Town Trail. Boston qualifier. 724-388-4047 or runsignup.com/Race/PA/Blairsville/IndianaFirstBankVeteransMarathonHalfMarathonandMarathonRelay

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Operation Troop Appreciation Veteran’s Day 5k Race, Hampton Twp. Rolling course through Hampton Community Park, entertainment, post-race buffet. runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/OPERATIONTROOPAPPRECIATION5K

Sunday, 11 a.m.: Sweat for Vets Challenge, Altoona. Challenging trail 5k or 10k. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Altoona/SweatForVetsChallenge

November 11, 8 a.m.: Resilient Service Members Classic 50k, 20 Miler, 5k, Hookstown. Challenging trail runs through Racoon State Park. Also 5k Walk/Run starting at 9 a.m. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Hookstown/RESILIENTSERVICEMEMBERSCLASSIC

Sunday, 11 a.m.: 9th Annual Nate Run/Walk 5k, Sewickley. Held at Blueberry Hill Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Sewickley/NateRunWalk

Nov. 11, 8:30 a.m.: Harvest Moon Race, Coraopolis. Starts at St. Philip’s Church. Choice of 10-Mile, Run, 5k Run/Walk, 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk or Kids Dash. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Coraopolis/HarvestMoonRaces

Nov. 11, 9:30 a.m.: Dirt Monster 5 Mile Trail Race, Allison Park. Run on North Park trails starts at Grant Pavilion. trailrunner.com/event/dirt-monster-trail-race/

Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m.: Pine Richland 5k Classic, Gibsonia. Run on Pine-Richland High School track. Also 800m & 1600m options seeded by time. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Gibsonia/PineRichlandTrack5k

Nov. 18, 9 a.m.: Oil City Turkey Trot 5k, 10k and Kids ¼ Mile Fun Run, Oil City. Run on Samuel Justice Trail. runsignup.com/Race/PA/OilCity/OCTurkeytrot

Nov. 23, 8 a.m.: 33rd Annual YMCA Turkey Trot, Pittsburgh. 1-mile fun run at 8 A.M., 5k at 8:30 A.M., 5-mile at 9:15 A.M. p3r.org/races/ymca-turkey-trot

Nov. 23, 8:30 a.m.: New Castle Community YMCA T-Day 5k/ Fun K, New Castle. 724-658-4766 or runsignup.com/Race/PA/NewCastle/LawrenceCountyYMCATDay5K

Nov. 23, 9 a.m.: Seneca Valley Turkey Chase 5k Run/Walk, Cranberry Township. Flat and fast course through Graham Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/CranberryTwp/svccturkeytrot

Nov. 23, 9 a.m.: 27th Annual Gobbler’s Gallop, Ellwood City. 10k starts at 9 A.M., 5k at 10:15 A.M. You may run both. 5k fun walk starts anytime 9-11 A.M. 724-758-6227 or runsignup.com/Race/PA/EllwoodCity/GobblersGallop

Nov. 25, 9 a.m.: Truthahntrab 5k, Saxonburg. Run through scenic farmland and small town. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Saxonburg/SaxonburgTruthahntrab5k

Dec. 2, 7 a.m.: New River Gorge Trail Festival — Winter Edition, Fayetteville, WV. Choice of 50k or half marathon on rugged, scenic trails of New River Gorge National Park. runsignup.com/Race/Info/WV/Fayetteville/NewRiverGorgeTrailFestivalWinterEdition

Dec. 2, 9 a.m.: Jingle Bell Run 5k, Allison Park. Starts at North Park Boathouse. events.arthritis.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=1551

Dec. 2, 9 a.m.: Oil City’s Christmas Past Jingle Bell 5k, Oil City. Dress festive. Run through downtown. runsignup.com/Race/PA/OilCity/OCJingleBellRun5k

Dec. 3, 10 a.m.: Nittany Valley Half Marathon, State College. 814-231-4043 or www.nittanyvalleyhalfmarathon.com

Yinzer 4.12K, Aug. 26: AJ Kelly, 1st Overall M, 13:31; Terry Beacom, 2nd Overall M, 14:24; Kaylin Carlson, 1st Overall W, 15:34; Eric Thomas Wilber, 3rd 34 & Under M, 15:30; Josh Campbell, 16:44; Dallas Bond, 17:13; Josh Gretz, 17:53; Rick Jones, 18:05; Jason Judy, 18:28; Brent Collins, 18:40; Ray Huber, 19:05; Jill Albers, 19:28; Erin Hart, 21:42; Caleb Gretz, 21:55; E. Gretz, 22:37; Juliane Cafaro, 24:42; Katie Gretz, 25:18; David Guo, 26:07; Greg Moss, 27:07; Mackenzie Wenmoth, 27:08; Jeff Swackhammer, 27:14; Christine Duff, 27:24; I. Gretz, 28:10; W. Sedar, 28:37; Ryan Sedar, 28:38; Scott Campbell, 28:55; Jordan Poindexter, 29:51; Samantha Poindexter, 29:51; Shauna Campbell, 30:25; Julie Moss, 31:40; Mikayla Fisher, 32:00; Erin York, 32:02; Margie Cain, 32:30; Chad Atkinson, 45:31; Jessica Holloway, 45:31; Diane Galbraith, 48:54; Karen Bechtold, 48:56

Run Around the Square 5k, Aug. 26: James Waters, 1st Overall M, 17:16; Claire Collison, 1st Overall W, 18:25; Colleen Abel, 2nd 45-49 W, 22:03; Bill Schmidt, 1st 65-69 M, 24:26; Ryan Abel, 21:53; Mike Zucatti, 24:59 Matthew Mehalik, 27:01; David Findlay, 27:16; Michelle Zucatti, 27:44; Allison Miller, 27:56; Shannon Wishart, 27:57; Peter Lyons, 28:05; Wesley Waldrup, 29:22; Arielle Herzberg, 29:33; Richard Fortier, 32:08; Erin Reddinger, 32:17; Kathleen Mack, 33:02; Missy McCullough, 35:11; Jeremy Waldrup, 36:39; Julie Rindt, 37:17; Natalie Armstrong, 37:49; Julia Gancy, 38:39; Brigid Bemer, 38:39; Edward Dinneen, 39:25; Terry Melis, 40:08; Janet Lochner, 40:25; Katie Gancy, 42:25; Anastasya Radzilowicz, 43:44; Kripa Venkatakrishnan, 45:56; John Miller, 46:21; Chris Lochner, 46:23; Brett Gilliam, 47:00; Emily Ashmann, 56:59; Robert Dinneen, 56:59; Diane Jacobs, 1:03:20

Buhl Day 10k, Sept. 3: Douglas Basinski, 1st Overall M, 41:16; Matt Montellanico, 2nd Overall M, 41:53; Jennifer Trimble, 1st Overall W, 45:01; Jonathan Sosa, 1st 29 & Under M, 48:08; Rhonda Maloney, 1st 55+ W, 1:08:00

Buhl Day 5k, Sept. 3: Brian Canny, 1st Overall M, 20:00; Nicolette Devincentis, 1st Overall W, 23:45; Chris Paskie, 1st 30-34 M, 23:31; Andrew Deem, 1st 12 & Under M, 23:54; Michael Deem, 1st 40-44 M, 24:15; Brad Filer, 1st 20-24 M, 24:22; Mitch Radella, 1st 55-59 M, 26:51; Aaron Depew, 2nd 50-54 M, 27:42; John Karpacs, 2nd 60-64 M, 28:05; Wyatt Bowman, 3rd 12 & Under M, 29:38; Jessica Pyle, 2nd 35-39 W, 32:08; Beth Dalessandro, 1st 55-59 W, 33:46; Deborah Takacs, 3rd 55-59 W, 40:21; Oscar Pearlhan, 31:54; Nehemiah Trainer, 35:39; Madison Trainer, 35:52; Jonathan Stanley, 40:13; Heidi Fleming, 40:13

Pine Creek Challenge 100 Mile, Sept. 9: Steve Schall, 1st Overall M, 19:02:00; Kristen Cantor, 1st Overall W, 20:30:42; Ronald Jordan, 27:56:32

Pine Creek Challenge 50 Mile, Sept. 9: Wyatt Kenno, 1st Overall M, 8:06:29; Jody Musolino, 1st Overall W, 8:45:34; Stacy Kopchak, 1st 60+ W, 10:37:31

Erie Marathon at Presque Isle, Sept. 10: Hans Wentz, 1st Overall M, 2:36:38; Alysia Rogers, 1st Overall W, 2:49:38; Ann Cook, 1st 30-34 W, 3:08:14; Bella Alampi, 3rd 25-29 W, 3:26:13; Renee Eaton, 1st 19 & Under W, 5:51:27Tian Wang, 3:19:43; Zachary Gall, 3:27:42; Seth Jenny, 3:28:48; Ray Reinheimer, 3:29:32; Melissa Conjack, 3:31:32; Rich Earls, 3:40:39; Daniel Wiese, 3:40:45; Molly McGinnis, 3:53:35; William Wolfe, 3:54:08; Sara Irwin, 3:56:09; Mark Zielewski, 3:58:46; Robert Dummer, 3:59:23; Rebekah Keaton, 4:03:23; Robert Kent, 4:08:17; Deborah Courtney, 4:17:27; Traci Hanna, 4:18:50; Rebekka Dinh, 4:20:48; Benjamin Haugh, 4:35:19; Eric Fitchwell, 4:56:47; Joe Guilyard, 5:23:52; Jessica Wilson, 5:39:09; Jared Webber, 6:09:42; Tim Campbell, 6:10:32

Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert. Phone 724-352-4395. Email lotzak@consolidated.net

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle