The 5K will be run (or walked) in person/live this year, but given the importance of comfort and safety, organizers will not "stuff the turkey" with 4,000 runners at the start on Pershing Avenue between Fillmore and Garfield Streets, but rather employ a 'rolling start' to provide ample breathing room between runners.
With the rolling start, registrants come to the no-wait start area (on Pershing at Garfield) within an approximately 30 minute window, either side of 8 a.m., and go on their own. More details will be provided closer to race time. The success of the Turkey Trot depends on participation. Organizers are asking Arlingtonians to register and invite family and friends. If you want a shirt, the deadline is Nov. 1, and otherwise, registration can be as late as Nov. 24, according to Mark Riley, charity race coordinator, who always comes to the race dressed as “The Big Turkey,” and who encourages all manner of silly Thanksgiving themed hats to be worn by runners.
The Turkey Trot, once a small affair designed by the pastor of Christ Church to raise charitable funds, is now a big event. Sponsored by over 30 Arlington businesses, including Amazon, who this year is a Platinum Sponsor and the most major sponsor of the Trot in the past 15 years; Dittmar, a local rental company; Christ Church, the original sponsor of the Trot; the Arlington Community Foundation; Arlington County; Good Company Donuts and Cafe; Ann Wilson Homes, a real estate company which is very involved in nonprofits; Beyond Monuments, Brookfield Properties (they did the Ballston mall); Clarendon Animal Care, Columbia Gardens Cemetery; Design Powers; Horizon Government Affairs; the Phoenix Team, a real estate company new to the Trot this year; Restoration Anglican Church; Screwtop Wines; and the Virginia Paving Company; and others.
The funds raised will go to charities that have been the lifesaving safety net for people who lost jobs or got sick during the pandemic. Arlington Thrive, Arlington Food Assistance Cooperative (AFAC), Bridges to Independence, and a host of other stalwarts of Arlington’s safety net circle, plus new this year, more smaller organizations. The whole event will be filmed from above by another local firm: the Mid-Atlantic Drone company. This race is truly a labor of love by and for the Arlington community.
And the second best thing about the race? You get to go home and eat more turkey because you just ran off 600 calories. To register for the race or learn more about it, see: https://www.arlingtonvaturkeytrot.org