Katy YMCA Turkey Dash

Katy YMCA Turkey Dash is held in Katy, Texas, on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026. The morning is staggered across three starts: a timed 10K Run (6.2 miles) at 7:30 a.m., a timed 5K Run/Walk (3.1 miles) at 7:50 a.m., and a 1 Mile Family Run/Walk at 9:10 a.m., along with a 1 mile kids' run. Finishers of the 5K, the 10K and the kids' run receive medals. A post-race party follows with a kids' zone and a chance to meet local businesses. Proceeds go back to the Katy community as YMCA scholarships for memberships and programs.

The staggered schedule makes it easy for a family to cover several distances: one adult can run the 10K, another the 5K, and everyone can join the kids for the mile at 9:10 a.m. If the 10K is your goal, a weekly run of 6 to 8 miles and one tempo session over the preceding month will let you run it strong. For the 5K, a few weeks of short intervals is enough. Southeast Texas mornings in late November are usually mild, so a short warm-up jog before the early starts is all you need.