About the 2026 Valparaiso Turkey Trot
The route runs through city streets, starting and finishing at Valparaiso High School. The course is a Thanksgiving morning race, entirely outdoors, and strollers are welcome as long as they line up toward the back. Four-legged companions have to sit this one out. The race benefits behavioral and physical healthcare programs in the area, so there is a cause behind the entry fee.
Packet pickup happens at Extra Mile Fitness Company on Calumet Avenue in the days leading up to race morning. There is no race-day pickup, so plan accordingly. Parking is at the high school, but road closures affect both entrances early in the morning, and the organizers lay out specific approach routes depending on which direction you are coming from. After the race, exit uses the north lot.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Valparaiso on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
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.
5K · 2025 results
3,009finishers
15:19winner
35:48median
1:18:54cutoff
Top 3: Mason Nobles (15:19) · Jimmy Dillabaugh (15:51) · Nathan O'Connor (16:02)
The 2026 Valparaiso Turkey Trot has been held every year since at least 2013. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
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 Sep 10, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
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.
Where to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Valparaiso — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.
