RUSSELL — With a generous load of food in cans, boxes and bags collected before the annual Russell Turkey Trot, organizer Ruthie Lynd says students at Russell High School have been especially generous despite tough economic conditions within the community.

Knowing some of the food they gather could easily end up coming back to the families of students, Lynd said she and others made a point of being sensitive to the idea that not everyone would be able to give as much as they might want to.

“We know times are tough so we said, ‘If you can, bring it ...,’” said Lynd, a teacher and former track coach and runner for Russell High School. Watching as a flurry of students loaded the bags of food collected at the high school before the traditional 5K and 10K run on Thanksgiving Day, Lynd said they had roughly 5,000 food items.

Recalling the unexpectedly large load of food gathered at the starting point of last year’s Russell Turkey Trot, Lynd said volunteers would deliver everything collected at the school Friday to Helping Hands for further distribution.

Lynd said she isn’t certain when the Russell Turkey Trot started, although “it was sometime in the late ’70s, I know that.” The event began as an informal gathering of people who like to run, and enjoy a big meal with their own families, she said.

In the years since, the Turkey Trot has been organized by different individuals and organizations, and has become a tradition for many local residents as well as people who are visiting family for the holiday. The runners have also been joined by people with their pets and others pushing babies in strollers, all with a common goal of helping others have something to eat on a day they know they’ll have an abundance for themselves.

Tanner Alexander, who has run in the Turkey Trot since entering high school and claimed the best time twice in the 5k run as well as finishing first in last year’s 10k run, said he enjoys many aspects of the event.

“I’m just thankful to be able to get out and run again,” said Alexander, 18, whose track activity has been curtailed by health issues during his senior year at Russell High School.

“This year I kind of just want to do it with my mom (Pam Wright) and my family,” he said, adding he hopes his father, Mike Wright, will also be able to join in.

“It’s a nice friendly kind of competition. It doesn’t matter whether you are first or last because that’s not really what it is all about,” Alexander said, explaining competitive runners will always go for the best possible finishing time as part of the traditional Thanksgiving Day morning run.

“It is family oriented and I personally encourage people to do it themselves.”

Alexander said one of the greatest parts of the run is seeing the faces of former teammates as well others who just show up to run. Alexander said he got a charge from seeing “Doug Fultz — the Doug Fultz,” whose name remains on many of the school’s track awards and trophies, during a recent Turkey Trot, as well as “outstanding Russell athlete” Tate Dillow.

This year’s Russell Turkey Trot starts at 9 a.m. and runners are encouraged to arrive in downtown Russell by 8:30 or 8:45 a.m. to receive a commemorative T-shirt. Needed donations include peanut butter, flour, sugar, baking soda, dried goods including pastas and instant potatoes, cereal and pancake mix.