Turkey trots are

footrace Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion by which humans and other animals move quickly on foot. Running is a gait with an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is in contrast to walkin ...

s, usually of the

long-distance Long distance or Long-distance may refer to: *Long-distance calling *Long-distance operator *Long-distance relationship * Long-distance train *Long-distance anchor pylon, see dead-end tower Footpaths *Long-distance trail *European long-dista ...

variety, held on or around

Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...

in the United States. The name is derived from the use of

turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

as a common centerpiece of the

Thanksgiving dinner The centerpiece of contemporary Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada is Thanksgiving dinner, a large meal generally centered on a large roasted turkey. Thanksgiving is the largest eating event in the United States as measured by retail ...

. A few races in the United Kingdom during the Christmas period are described as turkey trots, as turkey is traditionally eaten at Christmas there. In the United States, many courses used for these Thanksgiving events are run at a certified

USA Track & Field USA Track & Field (USATF) is a United States national governing body for the sports of track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking (known as the sport of athletics outside the US). The USATF was known between 1979 and 1 ...

road race distances between 5Ks and a

half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish, or shortcu ...

; others are informal

fun run A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors prov ...

s between and 5 km. The fun runs are often run as charity benefits and feature runners in costumes, particularly as turkeys. The oldest documented turkey trot, a still-ongoing annual event in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

, dates to 1896. The Atlanta Marathon, which ran on Thanksgiving from 1981 to 2009, was the last full

marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of kilometres ( 26 mi 385 yd), usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There ...

to be run on the holiday. Since 2010 the Atlanta Track Club eliminated the marathon distance on Thanksgiving but continued to host a half marathon. Both the

Yonkers Marathon The Yonkers Marathon, is a marathon race held annually in Yonkers, New York. Founded in 1907, it is the second oldest marathon in the United States, after the Boston Marathon. It is held on the third Sunday in October. In addition to the marat ...

and the

Detroit Free Press Marathon The Detroit Free Press Marathon is a race run every third Sunday in October in Detroit, Michigan, United States, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, since 1978. The marathon course is international and has featured the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel for all ...

(then known as the Detroit Motor City Marathon) started out as Thanksgiving Day races before moving to other dates. In 2021,

Molly Seidel Molly Seidel (born July 12, 1994) is an American long distance runner. Seidel represented the United States at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country in 2012, 2013, and 2018. In her first-ever marathon, Seidel placed second at the 2020 U.S. Marath ...

participated in the Berbee Derby held in

Fitchburg, Wisconsin Fitchburg is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 29,609 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb south of Madison and is part of the Madison metropolitan area. Fitchburg consists of a mix of suburban neighborhoods clos ...

and set the record for the fastest run for an individual dressed as a turkey.

Notable races

References

{{Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Long-distance running competitions Road running in the United States