Parkersburg Turkey Trot 2022 (2024)

FAQs

Why is it called Turkey Trot? ›

Turkey trots are footraces, usually of the long-distance variety, held on or around Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The name is derived from the use of turkey as a common centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dinner. A few races in the United Kingdom during the Christmas period are described as turkey trots.

If you can walk, you can complete a Turkey Trot. And although the most typical course is 5 kilometers — 3.1 miles — there are some races, as in Provo, Utah, that have 1-mile courses. Also, many people will be dressed in costumes; these are not events that emphasize speed.

Laura Wilkinson. SAN JOSÉ, CA (November 16, 2023) — The Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, America's largest Thanksgiving Day race, returns for its 19th year on November 23. The Turkey Trot has donated more than $11 million to date in support of local charities.

Get ready to gobble up the road in the ORRRC Miamisburg Turkey Trot 2024! Dive into the fun with a heart-pumping 5-mile run/walk or take the whole family on a playful 1-mile fun run/walk.

Most Turkey Trots are 5K (or 3.1 miles).

One reason for its popularity: it's fun. Participants can run or walk the race (which, in the spirit of giving, usually has a charitable component), and everyone can wear festive Thanksgiving-themed costumes for a little holiday cheer.

It takes the average runner about 30 to 45 minutes to run a 5K race, and a walker will spend about an hour to 90 minutes to complete a 5K course, so you're done with your exercise early in the day.

The biggest US running day of the year impressed in 2023, with 920,761 people participating in 833 races across the country and raising more than $1.9 million dollars for charities.

Many turkey trots give a portion of race proceeds to food drives or other local initiatives that help families in need. Find a mission-based race in your area for a fun way to contribute.

Trot for a cause

One other reason that people join is because Turkey Trots are often organized to raise money for charity. The races are held for a variety of causes, and people simply sign up to help the organization of their choice. Also, how can one overlook the fun brought about by wearing a turkey costume?

Who invented the Turkey Trot? ›

The first Turkey Trot was held on Thanksgiving Day in 1896 in Buffalo, New York. It was an eight-kilometer race hosted by the YMCA; six people participated, and only four finished. People have run the Turkey Trot every year since — through blizzards and pandemics — making it the oldest race in North America.

A 10K race, which is 6.2 miles, is ideal for experienced runners who are looking for more of a challenge. It's the second most popular race after the half-marathon and requires a fitness level that balances strength, energy, and endurance.

Turkey Trot - The Dance

The name derived from the flapping arm movements used in the dance. The Turkey Trot was one of the many "Animal" dances (like the FoxTrot) that required closer contact between men and women and were often danced to the new, fast Ragtime music.

The turkey trot was a dance made popular in the early 1900s. The Turkey Trot was done to fast ragtime music popular in the decade from 1900 to 1910 such as Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag.

Known to be the oldest continuously run footrace in the world, the YMCA Turkey Trot is an 8K (4.97 mile) Thanksgiving Day tradition that attracts over 14,000 runners of all ages and abilities to the City of Buffalo each year.

Turkey Trot - The Dance

The name derived from the flapping arm movements used in the dance. The Turkey Trot was one of the many "Animal" dances (like the FoxTrot) that required closer contact between men and women and were often danced to the new, fast Ragtime music.

The name "trot" is a shortened form of "foxtrot", a style of ballroom dance that influenced the simple two-beat rhythm of trot music.

trot (v.) of a horse, "go at a quick, steady pace," late 14c., trotten, from Old French troter "to trot, to go," from Frankish *trotton (see trot (n.)). Italian trottare, Spanish trotar also are borrowed from Germanic. As "go or travel" to some place from late 14c., in trot after (something).

Pioneer hunters would herd the turkeys through these natural funnels into a central location for an easy harvest. Since historic accounts suggest that large numbers of turkeys lived here, it follows that turkeys in the runs prompted the area's name, Turkey Run.