The Dallas Turkey Trot (commonly branded the Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot after its chief beneficiary) is an annual

turkey trot Turkey trots are footraces, usually of the road running, long-distance variety, held on or around Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The name is derived from the use of turkey as food, turkey as a common centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dinne ...

footrace over an course through the city of

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

(

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

). There is also a 5k fun run/walk. Participants may choose to register for the 5k as a timed or untimed runner. Between both events, the Dallas Turkey Trot is one of the largest multi-event races in the United States. The race attracts more than 25,000 harriers per year, with a record high of 36,820 in 2011. That year, the Turkey Trot set the

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

for the largest gathering of people dressed as turkeys, with 661 participants. Turkey Trot wheelchair racer

The race includes both runners and wheelchair racers.

History

The original Turkey Trot began in the 1940s and was run at

Fair Park Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of Downtown Dallas, downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the building ...

in Dallas. The began running annually in 1968, with 107 runners being instructed to start from the Bath House Cultural Center at White Rock Lake and run along the lake "to the big oaktree and back." However, the course was actually . Ralph Trimble won the event in a time of 41:59, and Nancy Norvell was the winner on the women's side in 54:40. The race quickly rose in popularity, and in 1979, The Trot was moved to the downtown area, near

Dallas City Hall Dallas City Hall is the seat of municipal government of the city of Dallas, Texas, United States. It is located at 1500 Marilla Street in the Government District, Dallas, Government District of downtown Dallas. The current building, the city's ...

. The Fun Run was added in 1984 in order to accommodate the increased participation of children and families.

The course

The race begins next to City Hall and heads east into

Deep Ellum Deep Ellum is a neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, home to a diverse array of arts venues, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, businesses, and urban residential units near downtown in East Dallas. Its name is based on a corruption of the area ...

. After two left turns, the course then heads west back into downtown down Elm Street. At Griffin Street, the 5k participants turn left and finish the race back at City Hall. Still on Elm Street, the eight mile runners pass by the Bank of America Plaza. Elm turns into Houston Street, passing

Dealey Plaza Dealey Plaza is a city park in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas. It is sometimes called the "birthplace of Dallas". It was also the location of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The Dealey Plaza Historic ...

. The course then winds around site of the former

Reunion Arena Reunion Arena was an indoor arena located in the Reunion, Dallas, Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The arena served as the primary home of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars and the National Basketball Ass ...

and onto the Houston Street Viaduct for almost two miles (3 km), passing over the Trinity River. After a turn around on Zang Boulevard in

Oak Cliff Oak Cliff is an area of Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town in Dallas County; established in 1887 and annexed by Dallas in 1903, Oak Cliff has retained a distinct neighborhood identity as one of Dallas' older establ ...

, the race moves on the Jefferson St. Viaduct, "The Mile Long Bridge" parallel to the Houston Strett Viaduct. On Jefferson, runners can see the beautiful Dallas skyline as they reenter Downtown. A quick turn east on Young Street then a slant onto Marrilla terminates the race right next to City Hall.

Trivia

* Winningest Runners: ** Male: Ben Moturi (4 times between 1981-84) ** Female: Ingrid Mollenkopf (5 times: 2014-2017, 2019) * Notable Winners ** 1976: Jeff Wells, who finished second place in the 1978

Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by eight cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was ins ...

References

External links

Dallas Turkey Trot website
{{Thanksgiving Long-distance running competitions Recurring sporting events established in 1968 Sports in Dallas Road running competitions in the United States 1968 establishments in Texas

History

The course

Trivia

See also

References

External links