Turkey Trot

$ 35 for a 10k is nearly unheard of these days. Great value and the race was well-​executed. Parking was ample and no bathroom lines even with ~10k runners. BUT, the race course left much to be desired. Out 3.1mi and back on the same stretch of pavement — I might as well have been on a treadmill. But the people watching was fun, the water stations were well-​placed, and everyone got a participation medal because we live in America! Happy Thanksgiving!

The event is so organized and fun! It is the best way to get Thanksgiving Day started!

This marks the fourth year of running the turkey trot and every time it is a BLAST!!!
The event is pretty chill such that even if you show up late you can get to your race and start running. If you do it, I would suggest 2 things:
1) Dress up in costume! It makes it more fun that way as you run by and make people smile. You also become the star for pictures and everything.
2) Stay around for the free snacks, tents, and freebies at the end. That part is always well organized and fun to be around.
I’ll be back again for many years to come.

There’s nothing like the thrill of running a 5K right before the most glorious meal of the year. Not only do you feel energized; you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in a few… thousand calories. It’s totally worth it!
The organizers of this event always do a great job of finding sponsors to pamper us right after our run. I like how they shower us with healthy treats and goodies. Shoot, we deserve it after mustering up the energy to get up at the crack of dawn just to run in 40 degree weather.
Whatever you do, go all out and dress up in your best Thanksgiving garb. There’s nothing like the thrill of seeing fellow runners dolled up in the most ridiculous turkey hats. I particularly like the families who go all out and wear personalized tops with creative nicknames.
So there you have it folks. RUN. GOBBLE. NAP… and nap some more.

2014 was my first year running in the Turkey Trot near the Galleria, and it was quite an experience! They offer both a 5k and 10k race option, so depending on your level of experience you can race whatever works best. There are also wheelchair and kids specific races happening, so bring out the whole family!
The course wound through the Galleria area, and the weather was perfect for running. As a first timer, I thought the instructions were a bit vague and I wish there had been a little more structure to the begining/​pre-​race activities.
There were lots of people running in a group dressed in costumes, so if you have a couple of crazy friends grab them, get creative with the costumes, and have some fun running before stuffing yourself full of turkey later that day.
Post-​race activities include a few snacks for runners, photo opportunities, games and inflatable slides/​obsticle courses, and a lot of great vendors to visit and get free swag. Unilocal was one of hte race sponsors, and they had a booth where you could get Unilocal branded merch as well. Fun!

This has become a tradition of mine. It gives me the right to eat whatever I want later on in the day.
This years Trot wasn’t as packed as I have seen before. I am guessing the cold weather kept the hot blooded Houstonians all in doors. Usually parking is a bia, but this year had no problems.
There is always great energy here and everyone is in a good mood. I wish they would change the route up a bit and have a wider start line. It can take a good 5 – 10 minutes just to get past it.
Love this race, not to mention it helps a great cause like Sheltering Arms. I look forward to it every year.

I’ve been participating in the 10K Turkey Trot (both Sugar Land and/​or Houston) for the past 3 – 4 years and it’s been a blast. This is not only one of the more organized runs I’ve participated in but it’s fun and has become a Thanksgiving tradition within my group of friends. Every year, we wait until there’s a Groupon for ½ price admission and packet pick-​up is pretty much hassle free for the most part (parking is typically the problem). On the morning of the run, I’d suggest arriving early (about an hour or so early) and parking near or in the DSW/​Container Store lot. It’s conveniently close enough to the starting line.
I have yet to dress up and run in a costume for the «costume contest» but some people get pretty creative. The best one I’ve seen so far has been the «Gingerbread man.» lol
Overall, I’d definitely recommend running for a cause and running/​walking the 10k or 5k. It’s a great way to start a new tradition with your friends and an even better way to «earn» your Thanksgiving dinner!