Thu, Nov 26, 2026

Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K

Garner, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021

5K1 Mile

Entry is $15 now and rises to $25 after Aug 2, 2026, so registering before then saves $10.

About the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K

The course runs through White Deer Park and Lake Benson Park on paved trails, staying mostly flat the whole way. It is a Thanksgiving morning race, and people show up in costume, with strollers and wagons, and with dogs on leash. The vibe is holiday-morning chaos in the best way, with the crowd a mix of runners moving fast and families moving slow.

Parking is at Lake Benson Park, and you walk over to White Deer Park for the start. Before race morning, there are several packet pickup events at local spots around the area, including a yoga studio and a couple of breweries. Race-morning pickup opens early at the park. Vendors, coffee, and hot chocolate are on site while you wait for your wave.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2025 results

676finishers

16:23winner

34:33median

1:13:53cutoff

Top 3: Brian Gonda (16:23) · Riley Willcox (16:54) · Coen Dunkin (17:19)

The Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K has been held every year since at least 2021. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K11/26/2026 08:30$25

1 Mile11/26/2026 08:40$15

5K11/26/2026 12:00$20

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K

Will I finish last at the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:33, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:13:53, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 676 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K?

The 5K winner ran 16:23 while the median finisher took 34:33. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.