Trout Valley Turkey Trot

Trout Valley Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving Day race in Trout Valley, Illinois, on November 26, 2026. Two formats are offered: a 5K (3.1 miles) starting at 9:00 a.m., and a Kids Fun Run of about 1 mile that goes off first at 8:30 a.m. The staggered schedule lets families watch the children finish before the adults line up for the main event.

Northern Illinois in late November is usually cold and often windy, so this is a race where a proper warm-up and the right layers make a real difference: gloves, a hat and a light jacket you can tie around your waist after the first mile. If you want to run the 5K fast, add one weekly session of short intervals to six weeks of easy running and rest up in the final days. If you are jogging it with family or trying your first 5K, a month of relaxed 30-minute outings is enough. Aim for an even pace rather than a quick start, and keep something in reserve for the last half-mile.