Eagle 5000 Turkey Trot

Eagle 5000 Turkey Trot takes place in Alexandria, Virginia, on November 21, 2026. Unlike most turkey trots, this one runs in the evening: the single format, a 5,000-meter race (5K, 3.1 miles), starts at 7:00 PM. That makes it a Saturday-night option the weekend before Thanksgiving for runners who would rather not set an early alarm, and it fits easily after a normal day.

An evening 5K changes your routine more than your training. Eat a proper lunch, keep the afternoon snack light and finish it a couple of hours before the start, and expect to feel stiffer than you would in the morning if you have been sitting all day, so give yourself a longer warm-up of 15 minutes with strides. Since the race runs after dark in late November, bring a layer for before and after and consider reflective gear. Training is the same as for any 5K: three runs a week, one of them with faster intervals, will set up a strong effort. Go out controlled and use the second half to move up.