United Way of Marathon County Turkey Trot

United Way of Marathon County Turkey Trot is held in Wausau, Wisconsin, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026. Despite the county's name, the distance is a 5K (3.1 miles), with the start set for 8:30 a.m. The event is organized by the United Way of Marathon County, so your entry supports the nonprofit's local work.

Wausau in late November means you should plan for cold, possibly snowy conditions, so dress in layers you can shed once you are moving and give yourself ten minutes of easy jogging before the 8:30 a.m. start. As a race, a Thanksgiving 5K works for everyone from first-timers to seasoned runners chasing a fast time before the winter break from racing. If it is your first 5K, aim to run continuously and finish comfortably; four to six weeks of three easy runs per week will get you there. If you are more experienced, use it as a sharpener: keep your mileage steady through November and add one weekly session of short intervals at 5K effort, then run the race at a controlled pace and try to finish with a strong final mile.