You know that Thanksgiving morning tradition…
- The running shoes.
- The turkey costumes.
- The family photos.
- The kids racing toward the finish line.
- The neighbors who somehow convince themselves that a 5K before Thanksgiving dinner is a good idea.
REGISTER for 2026 Turkey Trot Now: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lithia/FishHawkTurkeyTrot
The FishHawk Turkey Trot has become such a beloved part of our community that it’s easy to forget something pretty amazing:
It all started with a much smaller idea.
Back in 2009, the very first FishHawk Turkey Trot was organized in just two short months at the FishHawk Sports Complex.
The goal?
100 runners.
That sounded like a pretty good start.
But our community had other plans.
450 people showed up. 🎉
And the Turkey Trot was officially off and running.
The next year, more than 1,400 people participated.
In 2011, the race moved to its permanent home at the FishHawk Publix parking lot and topped 2,000 runners.
Then came more than 2,500…
Then nearly 2,800…
And in recent years, the Turkey Trot has welcomed around 3,000 registered runners. (Seeds of Hope)
But here’s the part we think is pretty incredible:
The Turkey Trot didn’t just become a Thanksgiving tradition.
It helped create Seeds of Hope. 🌱
Seeds of Hope was formed from proceeds of the FishHawk Turkey Trot, with a mission of helping local people in need and providing meaningful community service opportunities for students.
Today, those Turkey Trot dollars help Seeds of Hope provide food assistance to local families through weekly food distributions, the Backpack of Hope program and other food assistance initiatives throughout the year. (Seeds of Hope)
So when you look at that Thanksgiving morning race, you’re really looking at something much bigger than a race.
- You’re looking at 18 years of community history.
- You’re looking at thousands of people who have run, walked, laughed, dressed like turkeys, crossed finish lines and celebrated together.
- You’re looking at families creating traditions.
- You’re looking at students earning service experience.
- You’re looking at local businesses supporting something right here in their own backyard.
- And you’re looking at a Thanksgiving tradition that has helped feed hope to local families for years.
That’s a pretty amazing story for a little race that started with a goal of 100 runners. 💚
🦃 And now…we’re getting ready to do it all over again!
The 18th Annual FishHawk Turkey Trot is coming this Thanksgiving!
REGISTER NOW: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lithia/FishHawkTurkeyTrot 🦃
And if you want to take a little trip down Turkey Trot memory lane, we’ve got something fun for you… 📸 Check out photos from the past six years of Turkey Trot memories!
See the Turkey Trot photo archives
And, of course, keep the official 2026 Turkey Trot page bookmarked:
Because the Turkey Trot isn’t just a race.