Waterford High School Turkey Trot

Waterford High School Turkey Trot takes place in Waterford, Connecticut, on November 21, 2026. The program is a single 5K run (3.1 miles) that starts at 9:30 a.m., a school-linked Thanksgiving-season race open to the local running community.

School turkey trots typically mix students, families, alumni and local runners, which makes for a lively but low-pressure field. The 5K distance suits nearly everyone: high schoolers coming off the cross-country season can use it as a fast finish to the fall, adults who are new to running can prepare with six weeks of regular jogging, and anyone in between can treat it as a hard tempo run. If you are chasing a time, hold a controlled effort through the first mile and finish with everything you have over the last half mile. The 9:30 a.m. start allows a normal breakfast and a proper warm-up; dress in layers and keep the outer one on until a few minutes before the gun.