Wild Turkey Chase

Wild Turkey Chase is held in Pickrell, Nebraska, in Gage County, on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Two distances are on offer, a half marathon (13.1 miles) and a 5K (3.1 miles), on a course that runs through the lakes and woodland typical of the area. Start times are not listed, so check with the organizer before race week.

A Thanksgiving half marathon is a rarer find than the usual holiday 5K, and it gives runners with a fall base a real target rather than a token jog. If you are aiming at the 13.1-mile distance, plan on a 12- to 16-week build with a weekly long run climbing toward 10 or 11 miles, plus one steady-paced session each week. The 5K sits at the other end of the scale and works for first-timers, walkers, and anyone with family running the longer race. The lake-and-forest setting means scenery rather than city streets, which many runners find makes the miles pass more easily.