Zeeland Turkey Trot 8k

Zeeland Turkey Trot 8k is run in Zeeland, Michigan, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026. The event has one format, an 8K of just under five miles, and it starts early at 8:00 a.m., which leaves the entire rest of the day open.

An 8K sits in a useful place for runners who find the 5K over too quickly: long enough that pacing decides the outcome, short enough to recover from within a day. If you are used to racing 5Ks, start about ten to fifteen seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace and hold it. If you are training for something longer, the distance slots neatly into a build as a hard tempo effort. Four to six weeks of consistent running with one tempo session a week is enough preparation. Note the early gun: at 8:00 a.m. in western Michigan you will be warming up in the cold, so add extra jogging time before the start.