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8K

131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot 2026

Date
Thursday, November 26, 2026
Start time
9:00 AM start (New York)
Entry fee
From $45 · goes up to $51 on Oct 10, 2026
Included with entry
Includes a shirt
Fundraising
Takes optional donations when you register
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Registration is open.

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Official race website

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Events and entry fees

EventDistanceWhenEntry feeCap
8k Run/Walk8KNov 26, 20269:00 AM$45$51 after Oct 10, 202614,500

Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.

Register on RunSignup

The 8K fee goes up to $51 on Oct 10, 2026.

Race day planning

Entry fee schedule

  • $45 until Oct 9, then $51 until Oct 31, then $64 until Nov 18, then $75 until Nov 26.

Online registration closes Nov 26, 2026, unless the race fills first.

How the price compares

At $45, entry is about 29 percent above a typical 8K in New York, which costs $35 right now.

Light and altitude

Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:20 AM, and the 8k Run/Walk starts at 9:00 AM. The start sits about 590 feet above sea level.

Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.

Start location and course

Franklin Street and West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202

The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.

10,500
finishers
55:53
median (11:15 /mi)
24:26
winning time
48% / 52%
women / men
median 55:5331:421:43:59
Finish times, fastest to slowest. Each bar is a slice of the field; the dashed line is the median.

Aggregated from official results (Leone Timing) for 131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot. Individual finisher names are not stored here.

How fast do you need to be at 131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot?

In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 41:21 or better, the top quarter in 47:43, and half the field in 55:53; the last tenth came in after 1:26:34.

Third place by age group, 2025 8k Run/Walk
AgeWomenMen
Under 2035:2428:05
20-2928:1525:39
30-3932:2326:09
40-4931:4429:11
50-5938:0631:20
60-6938:5534:33
70+54:0743:23

Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.

What would my time get me?

Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.

Finishers by year

Up 23 percent since 2021.

All events combined, from official results.

131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot 8K year by year

From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 8,517 to 10,500 finishers, and the median time rose from 52:53 to 55:53.

YearFinishersMedianFastest tenthWinner
202510,500 (-11%)55:53under 41:2124:26
202411,839 (+7%)55:50under 40:4423:47
202311,046 (+16%)55:29under 41:0624:58
20229,534 (+12%)54:21under 39:5624:05
20218,51752:53under 39:3224:42

From each year's official results for the 8K; virtual options are left out.

How fast is it?

Slower than most New York 8Ks

The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 47:43, against 42:54 in a typical New York 8K, so times here run 11 percent slower.

Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.

Typical race-day weather

Around November 26 the day usually runs from 31°F at dawn to 42°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 33% of days. Cold snaps dip to 24°F and hot years reach 50°F.

Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.

From the race's page

What the organizers of 131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot cover on their registration page, in brief.

Schedule and packet pickup

Packet Pick Up

Pre-Race packet pick-up is available Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26 (10:00am - 6:30pm) at the INDEPENDENT HEALTH FAMILY BRANCH YMCA, located at 150 Tech Drive in Amherst (off of Main Street and Wehrle Drive near the ECC…

Shirt and medal

Virtual Race Information

Dates: Thursday, November 28th - Sunday, December 1st. Price: $39-$49. SWAG: 129th Annual commemorative t-shirt. Shipping Note: Shirts and keepsake bibs will begin shipping to virtual participants who elected to pay for shipping following…

The cause

Fundraising Tips

125th YMCA Turkey Trot. FUNDRAISING TIPS & TRICKS. Are you new to fundraising? Need some new ideas to help you reach and surpass your goal? You've come to the right spot! But if you still need some help or have some questions, please…

Full details on the race's RunSignup page

Race details

Where
Franklin Street and West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202Map
Course
Road
Start elevation
About 590 feet
Results posted by the race
Submit and Manage Virtual Results
Included with entry
Preferred T-Shirt Size
Donations
Accepted when you register
Distances
8K
Editions
2026 (Nov 26, 2026), 2025 (Nov 27, 2025), 2024 (Nov 28, 2024), 2023 (Nov 23, 2023), 2022 (Nov 24, 2022), 2021 (Nov 25, 2021)

Organize this race? Add details or a correction

Plan your race

Quick answers

When is 131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot?
Thursday, November 26, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM.
How much does it cost?
Entry starts at $45 before processing fees, and rises to $51 on Oct 10, 2026.
When does registration close?
Online registration closes Nov 26, 2026, unless the race fills first.
Is the entry fee high for New York?
At $45, entry is about 29 percent above a typical 8K in New York, which costs $35 right now.
Do runners get a shirt or medal?
Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
Can I donate to a cause when I register?
Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
What distances can I run?
8K.
How big is it, and how fast?
In 2025, 10,500 runners finished the 8k Run/Walk; the median finish was 55:53 and the winner ran 24:26.
Is it a fast course?
The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 47:43, against 42:54 in a typical New York 8K, so times here run 11 percent slower.
Where does it start?
Franklin Street and West Eagle Street, Buffalo, NY 14202.

From the organizers

Get Ready to Gobble Up Some Fun at the 131st Annual YMCA Turkey Trot!

Lace up those sneakers, because it's almost time for a Thanksgiving tradition like no other! We're talking about the 131st annual YMCA Turkey Trot, a super fun 8K (4.97 miles) road race that takes over the streets of Buffalo every Thanksgiving morning.

Get this: it's not just any race, it's the oldest consecutively run footrace in the ENTIRE WORLD! How cool is that? This November, we're celebrating its incredible 131st start, and you won't want to miss out on the history (and the hilarity!).

Read the full description on RunSignup