A few years ago, Steve and I decided to start a Thanksgiving tradition of running a turkey trot the morning before the feast. We have yet to run the same race twice. But now that we know how much fun the Alexandria Turkey Trot is, that might change.
The race starts at 10 a.m., which gives it an instant advantage over races requiring an alarm clock. More importantly, it’s billed as being flat, fast and fun, and it delivers on all three promises. The five-mile course takes runners through the lovely (and flat!) Del Ray neighborhood, with its charming bungalows and rows of quirky small businesses. Crowd support is incredible for such a small race (about 3,000 runners)—residents set up tables with water and treats, including a full plate of bacon.
The race is also extremely well-organized, from the flow of foot traffic within the pre-race registration area to the thoughtful placement of portable toilets.
Stay tuned later this week for post-race analysis and lessons learned from my own performance. I covered the five miles in 44:43, which is basically a slow training pace for me, despite my best efforts to shift into a higher gear. Stay tuned for details about the real victory—not falling apart mentally when things didn’t quite go my way.
Check out my review of last year’s Bethesda Chevy-Chase Turkey Chase 10K here. Did you run a turkey trot this year? If so, let me know how it went by posting a comment below.
Amy Reinink 
Oooh, I’m so glad you liked it! It’s definitely one of my favorite races, ever.
Race you, next year? 🙂
Yes, please! We will definitely be back next year!
you ran by my house! or almost, anyway. I wish we were here for thanksgiving because the start is less than a mile away. 🙂 glad you enjoyed it, even if things didn’t go as well as you hoped!