12th Annual Petaluma Turkey Trot & Food Drive!

Thanksgiving Day   –  Thursday, November 22, 2018   –   Start Time: 8:30 AM

Don’t forget to bring your canned foods for the donation!

Trot Info

The 12th Annual Petaluma Turkey Trot is scheduled for Thanksgiving morning, the run starts at 8:30 am sharp! It’s healthy, social, and fun! Featuring no fees, minimal registration, zero waste, and Turkey Trot beanies for the first 300 runners!

Runners, trotters, and walkers of all ages are welcome. Warm up to music at 8:15 am with KaiaFIT. Feel free to come in turkey-wear! Print your 4 Mile Route Map or 6 Mile Route Map below (not that the maps have ever helped). Luckily, the Petaluma High School Lacrosse Teamwill be on the trail to point the way!

Trot History

We have grown! This year we are partnering with AQUS Community and Petaluma High School Lacrosse.

The trot started 12 years ago when founder Mary Dooley was looking for a community run to participate in on Thanksgiving morning. Since no such run was to be found, there was only one choice: start one and design a route that would excite and delight. She invited the whole community to trot around in nature and feel darn good about a calorie burn before the big feast. The Turkey Trot is not just a walk in the park (though walkers are welcome).

The first year a group of 20 runners came out, the next year 30, then 50 trotters. Last year was our biggest yet with over 1000 trotters! We filled the Redwood Empire Food Bank’s truck and raised over $2000.

You may have heard that people get lost in Helen Putnam Park, and it’s all true! But eventually they find their way back to the start and definitely burn extra calories. (More pumpkin pie for them).

Course Description & Map Downloads

Your choice of a 4 mile or 10 kilometer distance to trot, run or walk.

4 Mile Route: If you walk this, you might arrive at the finish when the majority of the 10K runners get back. If you trot or run this, you might hang out for a while and take some photos of incoming walkers/ runners and post them to our Facebook Page.  download map

10K -ish Route: The ish is because sometimes people get lost. If you walk this, it will take a long time and likely won’t see us at the finish line because we’ve got a turkey to roast. Just know that we wish you the best!  download map

Food Drive

We welcome your cans, pasta and cereal as a donation to the Redwood Empire Food Bank – the largest provider of food to people in need in Sonoma County.

Rules of the Trot

• Obey traffic signals.
• Run against traffic so you can observe approaching automobiles.
• Look both ways before crossing.
• Carry identification.Include any medical information.
• Always stay alert and aware of what’s going on around you.
• Run with a partner.
• Bring your own water bottle.
• When using multi-use trails, follow the rules of the road.
• Do not litter.

Beneficiary

You. Me. Us. Redwood Empire Food Bank.