The O’side Turkey Trot is unique. They have an early wave and a main wave starting at 6:45 and 8:05 on Thanksgiving, so you can run one or both. The early wave used to be an 8k, but they cut it down to a 5k a couple of years ago. I ran last year and decided to run again this year. The vibes are always fun. My big goal was to break 20 minutes in both. Last year, I ran a 19:56 and a 20:21.
Some questions I’ve been asked about the O’side Turkey Trot:
Is the O’side Turkey Trot fast?
Yes. The course is net downhill and generally considered fast. You lose elevation almost immediately, and the last mile along the boardwalk is flat. But, it’s important to note, the O’side Turkey Trot course is short. The biggest challenge is the crowding in the main wave.
How long is the O’side Turkey Trot course?
The course consistently measures short on GPS. Most people record between 3.07 and 3.09 miles for the 5k. It is not unusual for turkey trots to be a little off, but this one tends to run short every year. If hitting an exact 5k distance matters to you, this is something to know ahead of time.
Which wave should I choose: early or main?
If you want fewer crowds, choose the early wave. It is easier to line up, less chaotic, and you can actually find your pace right away. If you want big “Turkey Trot Race energy,” the main wave brings the big crowds and the festive atmosphere. Some runners (like me) do both to make it a workout.
What should I expect from parking and logistics?
Parking in Oceanside can be hard, especially for the main wave. The streets fill up quickly and walking to the start can take longer than expected. Give yourself plenty of time or plan to park a few blocks away. The early wave is much easier to navigate since fewer people are moving through the area.
Is the O’side Turkey Trot worth running?
If you want a fun, scenic Thanksgiving race with fast potential and a lot of energy, yes. If exact distance accuracy matters, or if you prefer smaller races or accurate race courses, you might walk away with some mixed feelings. But the course, weather, and overall vibe make for a fun Thanksgiving morning.
Before the O’side Turkey Trot
We left for Oceanside the day before, and there was almost no traffic to San Diego. Honestly, I am still shook. We expected heavy Thanksgiving traffic, but there wasn’t any on the way down or even back home on Thanksgiving Day. What a win. I had my bib mailed to me because I wasn’t sure of our schedule and wasn’t one hundred percent sure I would make it to the O’side Turkey Trot packet pickup the night before.
Race morning was fairly uneventful, and I woke up wide awake around 4:15. I had hoped to wake up a little earlier, but it all worked out.
My plan for the O’side Turkey Trot was to run about two miles, run the first 5k, run in between (probably around four to five miles), run the second 5k, then a mile or two cooldown. It becomes a nice workout, and last year it was my last workout before California International Marathon. I ended up with about 13 miles for the day.
O’side Turkey Trot Early Start
The O’side Turkey Trot early start is a lot less chaotic. If you want a chill race that is fairly easy to get to the start line, then this is the wave for you. We were off at 6:45 am, and despite a little wind, I was feeling pretty good. I hit the first mile in 6:14 and wasn’t sure how to feel. I’ve run faster first miles in recent 5ks, so I felt meh.
Around mile one, I passed the first place woman. I was surprised because last year I was ninth and twenty second in the races, but I just kept trucking along. The course is net downhill, and the next two miles were me trying to keep first place. I ran a 6:15 and another 6:15. To be honest, it’s probably the most consistent 5k I’ve ever run LOL.
When we hit the Oceanside boardwalk running path, I just focused on finishing strong. As we got closer, I realized they were holding a tape and I would get to break it. Then another male ran through the tape, but they quickly got it set back up. I crossed the finish as first woman in 19:16.
You can see Strava here.
Between
From there, I ran for about forty five minutes, fueling with Tailwind 360 and a Maurten caffeine gel. When I got back around 7:55 for the O’side Turkey Trot main wave start, I suddenly remembered how busy and crowded that race was. It’s much busier, and it was next to impossible to get super far forward, so I started a little further back than I wanted. To be expected with any turkey trot really.
O’side Turkey Trot Main Wave
I told myself to just run strong and see where that took me. I ran the first mile in 6:25. There was some weaving, but I just kept trucking along. It was around miles nine through twelve for me on the day, so really any hard effort was going to be good. I hit the second mile in 6:26 without much note.
I was slowly passing other women, but I knew the main wave was much more competitive, and I was not in the running for an overall place. Once we hit the boardwalk, I focused on the finish. It can be hard to run over half a mile toward the finish and think, why isn’t it getting closer, but I crossed the O’side Turkey Trot main wave finish in 19:56.
You can see Strava here.
O’side Turkey Trot Thoughts
I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about the O’side Turkey Trot. I’m happy with my races because my legs felt pretty tired and marathon training has caught up to me. I was about forty five seconds and twenty five seconds faster than last year, so it is nice to see progress.
The O’side Turkey Trot keeps claiming it is one of Runner’s World’s top races, but I am disappointed the race is consistently 3.07 or 3.08 miles. They could easily move the start or finish line to get it to be the right distance. I’m also disappointed they don’t do overall awards for the early wave. I don’t really understand what they do, but I guess they combine both races and give out age group awards. There is overall prize money in the main wave, which is cool, but it would have been fun to have an overall medal or something for winning the early start. Is it a first world problem? Yes, but I don’t understand why there is a tape to break if you didn’t actually win.
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Questions for you:
Do you run a turkey trot?
What is your favorite 5k?