LA Turkey Trail

LA Turkey Trail is Los Angeles' only trail race on Thanksgiving morning, sending runners into the Santa Monica Mountains instead of onto city streets. It offers a half marathon, 10K, and 5K, suitable for serious trail runners, families, and those wanting a shorter holiday run before the day's festivities. The course uses fire roads above the city, descends toward Santa Monica Bay, and includes singletrack through chaparral. The hills are a significant part of the race, with enough vertical gain to feel like a mountain run. The half marathon offers winner-takes-all cash prizes for both women and men, while the Thanksgiving timing provides the race's main tradition: running hard in the mountains with friends or family before the holiday meal.