Thu, Nov 26, 2026

NOAC Turkey Day Race

New Orleans, LA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021
5 Miles0.5 Miles

Entry is $45 now and rises to $50 after Sep 3, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

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About the NOAC Turkey Day Race

The course starts and finishes at Tad Gormley Stadium inside City Park, which gives the morning a comfortable, familiar feeling. The route is a five-mile loop through the park, and the kids' run goes off first, so the stadium fills early with families who are there to watch before the main wave heads out.

Packet pickup runs at two different spots in the days before the race, including an option at the New Orleans Athletic Club on Rampart Street, with the stadium itself open the morning of the race as well. Parking near the stadium is free, and early pickup is the move if you want to avoid the race-morning rush.

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Finish-Time Stats

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

5 Miles · 2025 results

3,033finishers
24:52winner
54:47median
1:51:22cutoff

0.5 Miles · 2025 results

350finishers
3:40winner
7:34median
25:37cutoff

The NOAC Turkey Day Race 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 5 Miles 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

5 Miles11/26/2026 08:30$45
5 Miles11/26/2026 08:30$75
0.5 Miles11/26/2026 08:00$25
5 Miles11/26/2026 08:00Free

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.

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Common Questions About the NOAC Turkey Day Race

Will I finish last at the NOAC Turkey Day Race?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5 Miles field finished slower than 54:47, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:51:22, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the NOAC Turkey Day Race a good first 5 Miles?

With 3,033 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the NOAC Turkey Day Race?

The 5 Miles winner ran 24:52 while the median finisher took 54:47. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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