Thanksgiving is a day for tradition. Families and friends gather to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, feast on turkey with all the trimmings and do whatever makes this day special.

Runners celebrate their own Thanksgiving traditions by attending favorite events year after year. But while runs like Elwood City’s 20th Gobbler’s Gallop and Pittsburgh’s 25th Annual Turkey Trot continue to mark the day, the area’s longest continuously run event comes to an end.

For almost 40 years, runners have challenged Pittsburgh’s Frick Park trails in the GUTBUSTER trail run. But this year, organizers are forced to cancel the event due to increased operating expenses.

As race director Dan Holland explains, the city of Pittsburgh requires the race to have emergency medical staff on hand for the event. But contracting EMS from the city would cost $1,000. That’s a 36 percent increase from last year’s cost, which had already increased from the previous year.

GUTBUSTER is normally a bargain in racing, charging just $7 for race registration. That keeps it, like other Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club events, family-friendly and accessible. Holland says that if GUTBUSTER raised the fee to cover costs, he fears race participation would suffer.

“We were blind-sided by this,” Holland says. “We don’t understand how the city can justify this increase.” He fears that other small community events will disappear as well and that other traditions will end.

GUTBUSTER is a three-generation tradition for the Holland family. His dad, Harry, never missed a race in the early years. Eventually, Harry’s sons Tom and little brother Dan ran, too. “Rain, snow, mud … we never missed a race,” Dan says. “We always came home laughing and with a story to tell.”

Dan’s mom, Dena, became involved as a volunteer and served as race director for a number of years following Harry’s death in 1994. The race was also renamed “Harry Holland GUTBUSTER” to honor its longtime supporter.

Dan took over as race director in 2009 and had hoped to keep the event going for the next generation, including his kids, ages 10 and 11.

“They never knew my dad,” he says, “but they knew his race.”

Dan hopes to keep GUTBUSTER traditions alive even after this setback. He was instrumental in organizing the Great Replacement Race to keep the City of Pittsburgh’s Great Race when the city cancelled it for lack of funding.

This Thanksgiving Day’s GUTBUSTER is not an official Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners Club event. There’s no $7 registration fee, no timing clock, no course markings, no finish line. But there will be runners on the same 40 year-old course.

Dan invites everyone who can’t start their Thanksgiving Day properly without GUTBUSTER to show up on that day as usual in Frick Park at 10 a.m. That includes visiting relatives, kids in strollers and leashed dogs. He requests that runners wear black to show their sadness over the cancellation of the race.

“I know it won’t be the same,” he says. Holland just wants to keep the event alive until Greater Pittsburgh Road Runners can investigate ways to move forward for next Thanksgiving’s GUTBUSTER. It’s certainly a tradition worth keeping.

Upcoming events

Saturday, 7 a.m.: Marshall Mangler 5 Mile, 25k and 50k Trail Runs, North Park. 724-986-3513 or www.runreg.com/marshall-mangler-trail-runs

Saturday, 9 a.m.: YMCA Fall Classic 5k and 10k, Kittanning. 724-659-3116 or briggle@rgsymca.org

Nov. 21, 9 a.m.: Fight for Life 5k, Apollo. Benefits American Cancer Society. 724-568-2517 or dzukas@cancer.org

Nov. 21, 9 a.m.: Big Brothers and Sisters of Beaver County Turkey Trot 5 Miler, Beaver. 724-630-4287 or jsprice4@yahoo.com

Nov. 21, 10 a.m.: Foxburg Turkey Trot 5k, Foxburg. Thanksgiving themed costume contest, kids activities. shile@foxburginn.com

Nov. 26, 8:30 a.m.: 25th Annual PNC YMCA Turkey Trot, Pittsburgh. Starts at PNC Park. Choice of 1 mile, 5k or 5 miles.

Nov. 26, 9 a.m.: Turkey Chase 5k, Cranberry Township. Flat run through Graham Park. 724-712-4136 or taylor.pj@zoominternet.net

Nov. 26, 9 a.m.: 20th Annual Gobbler’s Gallop, Ellwood City. Choice of 10k or 5k beginning at Riverside High School. 724-758-6227 or joeandsidney@yahoo.com

Nov. 26, 9 a.m: Kiski Valley Turkey Trot 5k and 1 Mile, Apollo. Also costume competition. 724-335-1516 or prusia@comcast.net

Greensburg Turkey Trot 5k, Greensburg. 724-836-5310 or chpalcic@msn.com

Nov. 26, 9:30 a.m.: Gobble Wobble 5k, Hermitage. 724-346-4637 or glackey@eglolaw.com

Nov. 26, 10 a.m.: Not the GUTBUSTER, Pittsburgh. Untimed group trail runs of 2 miles, 4 miles or 8 miles through Frick Park. 412-512-8885

Nov. 28, 10 a.m.: WALKer RUN 5k, Conneaut Lake. 814-382-3839 or lauriekurt@gmail.com

Nov. 28, 11 a.m.: Paw-sitively Purr-fect 5k, Freeport. Run at Birdsfoot Golf Club benefits Orphans of the Storm animal shelter. runforhunger@gmail.com

Dec. 5, 9 a.m.: Oil City’s Christmas Past Jingle Bell 5k, Oil City. Also youth Elf Race at 8:45 A.M. 814-677-3152 or elizabeth@urban-ins.com

Dec. 6, 9 a.m.: Trot for tots 5k/10k, Oakdale. Run on Panhandle Rail Trail. Please bring a new toy on race morning for charity. 412-490-0881 or eliterunners.com

Dec. 6, 10 a.m.: Deerslayer Trail Run, South Park. Choice of four or eight miles. 724-348-6012 or bmcglothlin@hotmail.com

Dec. 6, 10 a.m.: Nittany Valley Half Marathon, State College. 814-321-2993 or nvhalfmarathon@gmail.com

Dec. 6, 10 a.m.: Girls on the Run 5k, North Park. Colam12@mail.magee.edu

Dec. 12, 10 a.m.: Snowflake 5k, Erie. Starts at Presque Isle State Park’s Rotary Pavilion. 814-774-3209 or dan.a@erierunners.club

Dec. 13, 10 a.m.: Jingle Bell Run 5k and 1 Mile, Pittsburgh. Run on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, costumes encouraged. 412-490-0881 or eliterunners.com

Dec. 13, 11 a.m.: Clint Puller Memorial Toy Run, Meadville. Run on Ernst Trail benefits Toys for Tots. 724-992-9154 or michaelharry40@hotmail.com

Dec. 19, 11 a.m.: Old Fashioned Christmas in Volant 5k and Kids Fun Run, Volant. Raffle prizes and gift wrapped presents to winners. 724-456-2373 or bonnherb@yahoo.com

Race results

Lt. JC Stone Trail 50k, Oct. 3: Aaron Horrell, 1st Overall M, 5:12:11; Inna Borisov, 1st Overall W, 6:25:10; David Benson, 7:22:25; John Armstrong, 7:31:11; Nancy Thenthonkham, 7:49:45; Ingrid Duque, 7:53:04

Zombie 5k, Oct. 25: Aiden Domencic, 1st Overall M, 19:02; Alaina Hicks, 1st Overall W, 20:55; Ben Hess, 2nd 13-15 M, 21:10; Brian Kile, 1st 30-39 M, 21:31; Bill Schessler, 1st 40-49 M, 21:52; Zachary Baker, 2nd 10-12 M, 22:27; Noah Domencic, 2nd 16-19 M, 22:57; Madison Pomykata, 1st 13-15 W, 23:32; Wendy Wick, 1st 30-39 W, 24:23; Alexandra Gongas, 1st 9 & Under W, 24:51; John Passarelli, 2nd 30-39 M, 24:58; Eric Ramos, 3rd 30-39 M, 25:20; Erica Trimble, 3rd 30-39 W, 25:26; Elaina Smiley, 1st 40-49 W, 26:28; David Domencic, 3rd 40-49 M, 27:38; Maggie Ray, 3rd 10-12 W, 28:23; Amy Lehman, 2nd 40-49 W, 29:37; Jill Hackenburg, 3rd 40-49 W, 29:53; Cindy Rosenquist, 1st 50-59 W, 32:49; Alyssa Voland, 1st 16-19 W, 35:46; Chance Lawson, 1st 9 & Under M, 37:19; McKenna Bitter, 2nd 9 & Under W, 38:04; Brody Ray, 2nd 9 & under M, 38:16; John Macha, 2nd 50-59 M, 41:29; Samantha Kravits, 3rd 16-19 W, 42:06; Jean Metzer, 2nd 60+ W, 42:21; Adam Braughler, 24:31; Zachary Donaldson, 25:44; Leigh Blain, 26:11; Aiden Minder, 27:10; Justin Domencic, 27:54; David Voland, 28:11; Thomas Ray, 28:27; Mathew McArthur, 29:02; Josh Larrow, 29:11; William Arrowsmith, 30:07; Barbara Taylor, 30:56; Mike Taylor, 30:56; Emma Bartos, 31:14; Lisa Perry, 31:40; Davis Minder, 31:49; Brenda Addison, 32:02; Leila Channaj, 32:04; Melinda Geiwitz, 36:21; Avery Lawson, 37:22; Taylor Carpentero, 38:06; Sydney Perry, 38:18; McKenna Macha, 38:41; Heather Ray, 39:28; Melissa Malackmay, 39:35; Marissa Carpentero, 39:35; Nina Filotei, 39:36; Deborah Kelly, 40:04; Jamie Gallagher, 41:24; Gail Gongas, 42:20; Riley Perry, 45:22

Zombie 1 Mile, Oct. 25: Alaina Hicks, 1st Overall W, 7:00; Zachary Baker, 1st Overall M, 7:04; Anna Yang, 1st 13-15 W, 7:47; Andy Yang, 3rd 13-15 M, 7:48; Aiden Hicks, 1st 9 & Under M, 8:30; Abby Kreber, 3rd 10-12 W, 8:32; Stefan Voght, 1st 40-49 M, 9:12; Doug Wolf, 2nd 40-49 M, 9:43; Graeme Wolf, 9:43; Nolan Minder, 3nd 9 & Under M, 10:17; Margie Wolfe, 1st 40-49 W, 10:18; Jim Pyrah, 3rd 40-49 M, 10:49; Tanya Vogt, 2nd 40-49 W, 12:18; Jamie Vogt, 3rd 40-49 W, 12:49; Lisa Perry, 2nd 30-39W, 13:55; Erica Trimble, 3rd 30-39 W, 14:41; Jean Mentzer, 1st 60+ W, `7:14; Sofia Voght, 8:32; Cole Pyrah, 10:48; Sydney Perry, 10:57; Natalie Vogt, 12:18; Logan Wolf, 12:30; Jacob Shebek, 12:46; Riley Perry, 13:40; Lana Trimble, 14:41; Laci Trimble, 17:08

Brady’s Run Park Haunted Hay Run 5k, Oct. 31: Matthew Sudak, 1st Overall M, 18:28; Herb Cratty, 3rd Overall M, 20:57; Kelley Bellia, 1st Overall W, 25:19; Cindy Suber, 3rd Overall W, 26:28

Farmer’s Inn Half Marathon, Nov. 1: Evan Avery, 1st Overall M, 1:25:21; Emily Rabenold, 1st Overall W, 1:32:25; Ben English, 1st 30-34 M, 1:29:07; John Armstrong, 1st 50-54 M, 1:40:34; Bill Swanik, 1st 55-59 M, 2:06:53

Farmer’s Inn 5k, Nov. 1: John Damore, 1st Overall M, 20:50; Raeann Erdesky, 1st Overall W, 25:07; Mitch Radella, 1st 50-54 M, 23:52; Chrissy Shirey, 2nd 35-39 W, 31:24

Marathon on the Mountain Marathon, Nov. 7: Derek Clark, 1st Overall M, 3:22:12; Emily Parker, 1st Overall W, 4:07:07; David Ebersole, 5:49:22

Marathon on the Mountain Half Marathon, Nov. 7: Levi Foust, 1st Overall M, 1:22:45; Colette Sylvis, 1st Overall W, 1:45:10

Marathon on the Mountain 5k, Nov. 7: Elijah Pressman, 1st Overall M, 27:05; Noelle Lucke-Wold, 1st Overall W, 28:28; Jenna Kratsas, 2nd Overall W, 29:48; Trish Parkhill, 2nd 30-39 W, 32:07; Nicole Gostkowski, 1st 20-29 W, 32:30; Coleen Virostek, 3rd 40-49 W, 33:57; Brett Dimmerling, 2nd 20-29 M, 35:01; Holly Rectenwald, 1st 50-59 W, 35:30; Brie Horrell, 2nd 19 & Under W, 38:51; Kaitlyn Horrell, 3rd 19 & Under W, 38:52; Abby Cunningham, 34:22; Lynette Horrell, 37:03; Lesley Bachman, 38:57; Tiffany Suorsa, 41:22; Beth Healy, 41:29;

Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, PA. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. Email bigp16@connecttime.net

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle