The Riverside Church Turkey Trot

The Riverside Church Turkey Trot takes place in New York on November 7, 2026, with the 5K and a Youth Turkey Dash both starting at 9:00 a.m. The church organizes it, and the two formats mean adults can race 3.1 miles while children take on a shorter dash.

Turkey trots are usually more social than serious, and a 9:00 a.m. Saturday start keeps it that way. That does not stop you racing one: 3.1 miles in the city makes a fine fitness check, and the field will be mixed enough that you should seed yourself honestly and start from the right part of the line. Four to six weeks of three or four runs a week, one of them faster than the rest, covers the preparation.