Blacksburg Turkey Trot

Blacksburg Turkey Trot is held in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2026. The main event is a professionally timed 5K (3.1 miles) starting at 8:30 a.m. Before it, at 8:00 a.m., the Gobble Gobble Kids Dash gives children their own short run, a tradition that has become part of the morning. The race is open to runners and walkers of every level, and participants are encouraged to show up in Thanksgiving-themed outfits.

Professional timing means you will get a reliable result, so this is a legitimate place to chase a 5K personal best if your fall training has gone well: taper lightly for a few days, warm up with an easy mile, and run the first half mile under control. It is just as welcoming if your goal is simply to move before the meal. Families can make a morning of it with the kids' dash first and the 5K afterward. Newer runners will be well served by six weeks of run-walk training, three days a week.