The 2011 year’s race attracted over 8,000 participants. There were over 12,000 people at the finish line, and 5 course records were set.

The Oceanside Turkey Trot is becoming a local tradition as families come out the Oceanside pier for some exercise before their big Thanksgiving feast. Additionally, more than $30,000 was raised for local schools and charities, another record for the event.

Among the notable beneficiaries was the Austin Bice Memorial Scholarship Fund. Bice, a former Torrey Pines High School and San Diego State football player, as well as a triathlete, had competed in the Oceanside Turkey Trot for five years. After the exchange student was found drowned in Spain last March, his friends took up his cause. More than 220 ran in his memory for Team Austin Bice. It was the largest team in this year’s event by far. And, hundreds also selected his memorial fund as their race beneficiary, raising a significant amount for the fund.

Record-setting competition was the order of the day as David Edwards, 24 of San Diego, won the 5K by holding off five-time event champion Tom Kloos of Oceanside. But Edwards had to set a course record to do it. His winning time of 14:37 broke the former course mark of 14:53 set in 2010 by Kari Karlsson. Edwards finished 9 seconds ahead of Kloos, who won the Oceanside locals competition and shattered the local’s record of 15:56.

For the women 5Kers, Madeline Kramer, 24, also set a race record, finishing 18 seconds ahead of fellow Carlsbad resident Lindsey Drake. Kramer’s winning time was 17:02, a 5:28 mile pace.

In the 5 Mile Run, Oceanside’s Okwaro Raura, 36, was an easy winner in 25:27, a 5:05 mile pace and yet another race record. Raura finished 13 seconds ahead of runner-up Mario Mendoza, 25, of Cambria.

For the women, Claire Rethmeier, 25, of Escondido, won easily in 28:49, a 5:45 per mile pace and the fifth course record. Triathlete Michellie Jones, 42, took second in 30:05, one second faster than Brooke Giuffre.

The 8,000 runners easily exceeded past records here, and the crowd was teeming with an array of Thanksgiving-themed costumes, infusing the race with the holiday spirit.