If you’re planning to cross a finish line this Thanksgiving before indulging in turkey, stuffing, cranberries, and pie, you’re not alone. In 2016, close to a million people are likely to race on turkey day, according to Running USA, A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
That million-finisher mark appears within reach if increases seen in two of the past five years are repeated.
In 2015, 901,753 people finished a turkey trot, making Thanksgiving the most popular holiday to race for at least the fourth year in a row. Since Running USA began tracking the number of Thanksgiving Day race finishers in 2011 (684,334 finishers), the number of runners has risen each year—sometimes dramatically. From 2014 to 2015, for example, the number of finishers grew by 11 percent, or almost 90,000 people.
| Thanksgiving Finishers | |
|---|---|
| Year | Take Your Picks of the Top Turkey Trots |
| 2011 | 684,344 |
| 2012 | 808,806 |
| 2013 | 811,186 |
| 2014 | 812,905 |
| 2015 | 901,753 |
“The sport of running is increasingly social, so it’s no surprise Thanksgiving turkey trots are on the rise with the holiday being centered around family and friends,” said Rich Harshbarger, Running USA CEO, in a news release. “Becoming such a popular running day, it seems as if nearly every community has their own turkey trot, which only strengthens the community and family focus of the day.”
The largest Thanksgiving Day race last year was the Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot in San Jose, California, which had 19,000 finishers. Seven trots welcomed more than 10,000 runners in 2015.
| Top 10 Largest Thanksgiving Day Races (2015) | |
|---|---|
| Race | Take Your Picks of the Top Turkey Trots |
| Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot (San Jose, CA) | 19,000 |
| Detroit Thanksgiving Parade Turkey Trot (Detroit, MI) | 16,344 |
| Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day Race (Cincinnati, OH) | 13,627 |
| Delaware YMCA Buffalo Turkey Trot 8K (Buffalo, NY) | 12,835 |
| Manchester Road Race (Manchester, CT) | 12,463 |
| Feaster Five Thanksgiving Day Road Races (Andover, MA) | 10,529 |
| Atlanta Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon & 5K (Atlanta, GA) | 10,386 |
| Dana Point Turkey Trot (Dana Point, CA) | 8,814 |
| Oceanside Turkey Trot (Oceanside, CA) | 8,127 |
| ORRRC Turkey Trot 5 Mile (Miamisburg, OH) | 7,852 |
RELATED: The second- and third-most popular holidays to race are
The second- and third-most popular holidays to race are Halloween and the The second- and third-most popular holidays to race are, with 733,576 and 292,700 runners, respectively. (Note: Running USA includes all Halloween week races in its total because it is not a national holiday.)
If you’re starting your day with a race on Thanksgiving, you’ll get a jump on our Runner’s World Holiday Run Streak, which is designed to help you bridge the gap between fall races and training for the spring. The goal is simple: Run at least one mile per day, every day, starting on Thanksgiving and ending on New Year's Day.
Beyond organized races, Apple is hoping to get more Americans up and moving. This week, Apple Watch users will receive a notification encouraging them to take part in a Thanksgiving Day Challenge. Walk or run at least 5K on Thursday and you’ll unlock a special badge in the Activity app on your iPhone.
Brian has spent more than a decade focused on creating compelling news, health, and fitness content—with a particular interest on enthusiast activities like running and cycling. He’s coordinated coverage of major events like the Paris Olympics, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Tour de France, with an eye toward both the professional race and the engaging stories readers love.
