Sat, Nov 21, 2026

Santa Cruz Turkey Trot

Santa Cruz, CA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021
10K5K1K

About the Santa Cruz Turkey Trot

The course runs out and back from Natural Bridges State Park, through the park itself and then out to West Cliff Drive along the ocean. It is flat and fast, and the stretch along the water is the reason most people come back. Several distance options are on offer, including a kids' run, so the start area has a wide mix of ages and paces.

Packet pickup happens the evening before at a Patagonia outlet store on River Street. Race morning, headquarters sets up where Natural Bridges Drive meets Delaware Avenue, with bib pickup available there as well. Street parking is nearby, and there is a dedicated lot on Delaware too. A bike valet run by a local cycling group is a good option if you want to skip the parking question entirely.

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Santa Cruz Turkey Trot 2025 Results

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K Results · 2025

264finishers
17:24winner
32:54median
1:12:29cutoff

Top 3: JONAS OPPENHEIMER (17:24) · ANDREW CASTANEDA (17:56) · ZACHERY CASTIGLIONE (17:56)

10K Results · 2025

179finishers
34:34winner
1:00:01median
2:13:18cutoff

Top 3: MATT TEODORI (34:34) · DIEGO JARA SIMKIN (34:49) · JULIAN SUNN (35:14)

1K Results · 2025

79finishers
3:56winner
7:07median
16:31cutoff

Top 3: L. CRICK (3:56) · F. MCDONNELL (4:05) · T. DUJMOVICH (4:34)

The Santa Cruz Turkey Trot 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 Nov 12, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

10K11/21/2026 08:30$60
5K11/21/2026 08:00$55
1K11/21/2026 07:45$5

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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 10K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Santa Cruz Turkey Trot

Will I finish last at the Santa Cruz Turkey Trot?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 32:54, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:12:29, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Santa Cruz Turkey Trot a good first 5K?

A field of 264 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 Santa Cruz Turkey Trot?

The 5K winner ran 17:24 while the median finisher took 32:54. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

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