Joplin Turkey Trot

Joplin Turkey Trot is an annual Thanksgiving Day 5K run and walk held in downtown Joplin, Missouri, on November 26, 2026. The certified 5K course (3.1 miles) starts and finishes at Joplin City Hall, with the gun at 8:00 a.m., preceded by a 1 Mile Fun Run at 7:30 a.m. that awards medals to young participants. Every 5K finisher receives a medal, and the package includes an event shirt, chip timing, music, post-race snacks and age-group awards. The event also runs a corporate challenge for local businesses to promote health and wellness, and a virtual option is available if you cannot attend in person.

A certified, chip-timed 5K on a downtown course is a reliable place to set a benchmark time before the winter. If that is your goal, plan four to six weeks with one weekly interval session, such as 5 to 6 repeats of 800 meters at goal pace, and keep everything else easy. For walkers and families, the run/walk format means you can move at your own pace, and the early fun run gets kids their own finish before the main start.