Since he was 70 years old, Michael L’Annunziata has been taking first place in Oceanside’s Thanksgiving Day race, known as the O’side Turkey Trot 5K, which draws nearly 10,000 runners and walkers from across the country. The 80-year-old nuclear physicist and cancer survivor has won 10 years in a row for his age group in the Locals category, which pits Oceansiders against each other.
But it’s been more than a winning streak.
It’s been a matter of self-discipline and science and a deep motivation to stay healthy after a sobering encounter with cancer. And he is coming back this year to take on the challenge again in the 18th annual O’side Turkey Trot.
L’Annunziata first started jogging about 26 years ago, going out in the early mornings before the start of the work day with his wife of now more than 50 years, Maria. She’d walk with a neighbor and he’d run ahead to get exercise.
“My intention of running or jogging was to exercise for my health — to keep weight, cholesterol, sugar and blood pressure at good levels,” said L’Annunziata, who lives in Oceanside.
But in 2000, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent an operation to remove the cancerous gland, which required a full month recovery in bed followed by slow walks for another couple of months.
“After recovery from the pain of the operation, I decided to jog to gain my full strength,” L’Annunziata said.
Then after six years of early morning jogs and workouts at the gym he and his wife got wind of the O’Side Turkey Trot.
“I didn’t know if I could run 5 kilometers, so I tried to do it on the treadmill at the gym,” he said.
He was successful on the treadmill, so he and his wife registered for their first Oceanside Turkey Trot in 2007.
“I tried very hard in this race and to my astonishment won second place in the Locals 5K. This provided me with the motivation to continue training to try to win first place,” said L’Annunziata, whose cancer has been in total remission.
After the race, L’Annunziata‘s ankles were sore and he found out it was because he was not running properly —one shoe would slightly touch the ankle of his other foot. He trained himself to keep his feet straight.
“I admire his determination to win,” Maria L’Annunziata said.
Maria and Michael L’Annunziata in the 2011 O’side Turkey Trot.
(Courtesy of Michael L’Annunziata.)
After several 5K Turkey Trots and only second- or third-place wins, he decided to approach running “more scientifically,” which was natural considering his scientific background.
L’Annunziata, who has a doctorate in agricultural chemistry from the University of Arizona, is a retired diplomat, scientist and field expert for the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency and lecturer on radioactivity analysis for the Packard Instrument Company (now PerkinElmer).
L’Annunziata thought about it and realized he was trying too hard at the beginning of the race.
“I discovered that I should start slowly to get my pace and breath for the first mile. Once the proper pace was found I could easily run the second mile without too much loss of strength. The third mile does require an extra effort, because the body begins to tire and weaken. I also discovered that the run requires a certain style. It is like a dance where your arms must swing in rhythm with your legwork,” L’Annunziata said.
Once he got the taste of victory with a first-place win in 2012, L’Annunziata was set on keeping it up.
“That provided me with the motivation to continue each day to jog earnestly keeping in mind that the next Turkey Trot will be ahead in the following year,” L’Annunziata said.
Last year, when he was among the oldest in his group of Oceanside runners ages 75-79, he was afraid he wouldn’t win first place in the Locals category. But he did. This year, he’s training for the race by running in the morning and afternoon a few weeks before the race.
“My prostate cancer has remained in remission since the year 2000. I like to think that my running and healthy eating help keep me in good health,” L’Annunziata said.
He says he eats healthy meals, with oatmeal and fruit typically for breakfast, salad and beans for lunch and homemade soup, fish, chicken and vegetables for dinner and sometimes red meat; baked fish is predominant in his diet.
Runners take off in the 16th annual O’side Turkey Trot in 2021.
(Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
L’Annunziata spends much of his time when he is not running, writing books for the Elsevier publishing company, formerly Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. This year he completed his 12th book, “Radioactivity, History, Science, Vital Uses and Ominous Peril,” with a chapter on “The Threat of Nuclear Weapons.” A previous edition of the book published in 2007 and titled “Radioactivity: Introduction and History” was on the Library Journal Academic Newswire’s Top 10 Best Sellers List in Physics in August 2007.
“My real passion is my books. Next year I’ll plan another book, God willing,” L’Annunziata said.
He was head of Fellowships and Training at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, and served as a representative and field expert for the IAEA from 1976-2007 in fact-finding, planning and developing peaceful applications of nuclear energy for more than 50 countries.
He is among the IAEA staff members who shared in the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei “for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way.”
Last year, he received the Arthur Holly Compton Award in Education from the American Nuclear Society.
Annual O’side Turkey Trot
(Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Meanwhile, L’Annunziata’s wife, Maria, has been running with him in the annual Turkey Trot races, but not to win. Although, she did take second and third place in her age group several times. “She enjoys the excitement of the crowds and the festivities; I enjoy the competition. We enjoy taking pictures of others; and asking them to take our picture,” he said.
“Many, of the Oceanside Turkey Trot participants do not attend to run a race. They are there to get exercise before their big Thanksgiving Day meal in accord with the O’Side Turkey Trot motto, ‘Move Your Feet Before You Eat,’ and many participate in the festivities and wear costumes dressed as turkeys or Puritans. It’s an event to look forward to,” L’Annunziata said.
Thousands of people flock to the event as much for the camaraderie as the competition.
“The O’side Turkey Trot brings together people from 46 states and 460 cities. Not only does it create a great social event that raises money for local charities, but it’s getting people active and brings them together on the holiday, which is just a win-win all around,” said Eric Marenburg, chief running officer and co-founder of San Diego Running Co.
See a guide to local turkey trots at sandiegouniontribune.com/local/story/2023-11-07/turkey-trots-2023.
