The annual C.H. Booth Library Turkey Trot 5K and 2.5K road race/walk saw tremendous support and participation — including a record 1,700-plus runners and walkers — on a cool Thanksgiving morning, November 27. The race started and finished at Newtown Middle School and took participants down closed roads with some hills along the way.

Boston's Tim O'Neill, visiting family with his wife Audra, who is from town, was the top overall finisher with a time of 17:02. The top female was Danbury's Kaitlyn Segreti who completed the course in 13th place with a time of 19:25.

"This was a wonderful day. We had more volunteers than ever and the weather was fantastic," said Jordana Bloom, strategic project manager for the library, adding that a large contingent of volunteers deserves a lot of credit for helping the event go smoothly, including Elaine Corbo, president of the library's board of trustees, and Cara Reilly, head of the library's development committee.

Bloom said she was thrilled with the contributions of Two Guys And A Pint who will be back for the next Turkey race. The turkey mascot was on hand offering high fives to runners as they took off and finished the course.

"We had a great day," said Bloom, in her fourth year of involvement. "This was the best Turkey Trot ever."

The weather could not have been much better. Participants saw a drop in temperatures overnight into the upper 30s for race time. Skies were clear, a welcomed site after last year's chilly, rainy Turkey Trot.

Bloom noted that 97 percent of registered participants arrived for the event, a major increase from a year ago when the rain apparently deterred about half of the runners and walkers.

The course challenged competitors who, as always, earned their extra serving of stuffing and slice of pumpkin pie.

"It was Nice," O'Neill said of the course after his first Newtown Turkey Trot experience. "That last hill is definitely a challenge when your legs are gassed."

There is always plenty of community support with the course lined with people cheering on runners, some handing out water, hot chocolate, and snacks.

"I think it was helpful seeing people cheering you on," Segreti said.

Noah Masotta came in second in 18:26, Christian Lestik was third in 18:28, Erik Wessel fourth in 18:36, Daniel Koehler fifth in 18:53, Jack Zamary sixth with a time of 18:57, Matthew Brantl seventh in 18:58, Nicholas Stowell eighth in 19:07, Joseph Conrod (aka one of the many suited up as a turkey) took ninth coming across in 19:10, and Joseph Whelan placed tenth clocking in at 19:13.

Jace Cowden was 11th in 19:16 and Warren Teichner came in 12th with a time of 19:17. Megan Grimes followed Segreti and finished 14th in 19:29, and Emma French was the next female and placed 15th in 19:32.

Brenda McRae, an an avid marathon runner from town who completed a seven-mile training run before the 5K, was the fourth-fastest female and took 16th overall in 19:34.

"I love this race," said McRae, who is headed to South Carolina via ferry for the Daufuskie Island Marathon in January.

For complete results, including age division winners, visit aratrace.com.