This Thanksgiving Day, before you gather to feast, gather to move your feet! The second annual Turkey Trot-n-Trek is returning to Fayetteville on a quest to be your new favorite family tradition.

The Turkey Trot-n-Trek is a family friendly event with a little something for everyone! First held in 2021, the inaugural Turkey Trot-n-Trek was an immediate success, with the fun casual race well on its way to becoming a Fayetteville tradition. This year, two race categories are available on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 24, 2022, beginning at 9:00 am. New for 2022, runners will begin at Ozark Natural Foods, where they can choose to race either a 5k "trot" for all or a kid-friendly 1k “trek” - perfect for families and little ones.

The new course is an ode to all things Fayetteville, covering the hilly, scenic and fun on a race through downtown! Participants will depart ONF, head downtown, around Wilson Park, through the Historic District, and back to Ozark Natural Foods. Preview the Turkey Trot-n-Trek route on Strava. The entire event is - you guessed it! - Thanksgiving themed, so bring your best seasonal attire! All participants will go home with a Turkey Trot-n-Trek beanie and a finisher's medal. 

For those familiar with the race scene in Fayetteville, this event is presented by the organizers behind some other favorite local events: the Hero Half Marathon, Nutty Runner 5K, and Cow Paddy Run. The Spark Foundation, supported by these events, is a local nonprofit that supports health and fitness education in Fayetteville schools and provides the funding for the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation. In other words -- they kinda know what they’re doing! 

Cost to register is $35 for either of the 5K races, or $15 for the kids 1K event.

Register here for either the 5K or the 1K! You can also learn more about the Spark Foundation and their mission to make fitness fun by visiting their website.