Fred Geswein has to feel like a proud father as he raises his starter’s pistol each Thanksgiving morning for the official start of Fast Freddie’s Festive Five-Mile Foot Feast. The race, in its 21st year, is unofficially the oldest ongoing race, conducted on the same course and operated by the same people, in the area

“Yeah, it makes you feel good,” he said. “We’ve taken a lot of pride in it. We have tried to operate it the way a race is suppose to be operated. I have been to races before where they didn’t know what the heck they were doing. This crew, if something goes wrong, they fix it.”

Not too much has gone wrong with this Thanksgiving tradition. As of last week, Geswein already had 650 runners and walkers registered for the race. He expects another 100 to register today and before the event Thursday morning.

The race begins at 9 a.m. at the Floyd County 4-H Fairgrounds along Green Valley Road in New Albany. Awards and door prizes will be given out following the race.

Runners will travel north along Green Valley from the 4-H to Mount Tabor Road, east to Grant Line Road, through Sam Peden Community Park to Schell Lane, south to Daisy Lane, west to Green Valley and north to the 4-H Fairgrounds.

There is a 2-mile walking course which also starts at the 4-H Fairgrounds and travels to the pedway at Community Park.

Awards will be given out to the top overall male and female, as well as the top three finishers in different age groups.

“Runners keep coming back each year so I guess we are doing something right,” Geswein said. “We have gotten a lot of positive support from the mayor’s office, fire department and police department. They have never changed the rules on me.”

Runners and walkers can still register today from 3 to 7:30 p.m. at the 4-H and up to 8:30 a.m. on race day. Late entry fee is $20 which does not include a T-shirt. Proceeds from the race benefit the diabetes education program at Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health Services.

There were only 124 runners in the first Fast Freddie’s, which began and finished at Community Park before parking became an issue.

Geswein said the volunteers who help each year deserve most of the credit. He said participants can expect on getting an accurate time and being home in plenty of time for Thanksgiving dinner.

Following the awards, more than $1,000 worth of door prizes will be given out.

“I think for a lot of people it’s like a homecoming. It’s a holiday and everyone has a good feeling,” Geswein said. “They also know I won’t keep them there all day.”

Chris Swisher holds the race record finishing the 5-mile course in 23 minutes, 58 seconds while Allie Shafer has the women’s record of 28:52.