WMU Turkey Trot 2026

Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Start time: 8:30 AM start (Detroit)
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Entry fee: From $30 · goes up to $35 on Nov 20, 2026
Included with entry: Includes a shirt
Fundraising: Takes optional donations when you register

Registration is open.

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Official race website

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Events and entry fees

Event	Distance	When	Entry fee	Cap
5K Run	5K	Nov 21, 20268:30 AM	$30$35 after Nov 20, 2026	–
5K Walk	5K	Nov 21, 20268:30 AM	$30$35 after Nov 20, 2026	–

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

The 5K fee goes up to $35 on Nov 20, 2026.

Race day planning

Entry fee schedule

$30 until Nov 19, then $35 until Nov 21.

Online registration closes Nov 21, 2026, unless the race fills first.

How the price compares

At $30, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in Michigan ($30).

What a typical finish looks like

A typical finisher at a 5K in Kalamazoo runs 40:13, about 12:57 a mile, based on 10 races with published results. Women typically finish in 43:15 and men in 34:33.

Light and altitude

Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:39 AM, and the 5K Run starts at 8:30 AM. The start sits about 920 feet above sea level.

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

Start location and course

1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

Directions to the start

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

2025 results

All results (4 years)

5K Run

803

finishers

30:46

median (9:54 /mi)

16:50

winning time

48% / 52%

women / men

Finish times, fastest to slowest. Each bar is a slice of the field; the dashed line is the median.

5K Walk

finishers

53:05

median (17:05 /mi)

38:42

winning time

74% / 26%

women / men

Aggregated from official results for WMU Turkey Trot. Individual finisher names are not stored here.

How fast do you need to be at WMU Turkey Trot?

At the 2025 5K Run, the fastest tenth finished in 22:27 or better, the top quarter in 26:14, and half the field in 30:46; the last tenth came in after 43:00.

At the 2025 5K Walk, the fastest tenth finished in 44:21 or better, the top quarter in 48:24, and half the field in 53:05; the last tenth came in after 59:41.

Third place by age group, 2025 5K Run
Age	Women	Men
Under 20	21:23	17:34
20-29	22:44	17:17
30-39	25:25	21:11
40-49	24:02	19:22
50-59	29:06	21:52
60-69	29:37	26:01
70+	n/a	33:51

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.

EventFinish timeGenderAge group

Finishers by year

Up 67 percent since 2021.

541

2021

491

2023

691

2024

902

2025

All events combined, from official results.

WMU Turkey Trot 5K year by year

From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 481 to 803 finishers, and the median time dropped from 31:32 to 30:46.

Year	Finishers	Median	Fastest tenth	Winner
2025	803 (+34%)	30:46	under 22:27	16:50
2024	598 (+36%)	30:51	under 21:50	15:38
2023	439 (-9%)	31:46	under 21:23	16:31
2021	481	31:32	under 21:06	16:18

From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.

How fast is it?

Faster than most Michigan 5Ks

The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 26:14, against 28:36 in a typical Michigan 5K, so times here run 8 percent faster.

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 21 the day usually runs from 31°F at dawn to 44°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 31% of days. Cold snaps dip to 22°F and hot years reach 55°F.

Based on 85 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.

Race details

Where: 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008Map
Course: Road
Start elevation: About 920 feet
Included with entry: Tee Shirt Swag Options
Donations: Accepted when you register
Distances: 5K
Editions: 2026 (Nov 21, 2026), 2025 (Nov 22, 2025), 2024 (Nov 23, 2024), 2023 (Nov 18, 2023), 2022 (Nov 19, 2022), 2021 (Nov 20, 2021)

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Plan your race

Quick answers

When is WMU Turkey Trot?: Saturday, November 21, 2026, starting at 8:30 AM.
How much does it cost?: Entry starts at $30 before processing fees, and rises to $35 on Nov 20, 2026.
When does registration close?: Online registration closes Nov 21, 2026, unless the race fills first.
Is the entry fee high for Michigan?: At $30, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in Michigan ($30).
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?: 5K.
How big is it, and how fast?: In 2025, 803 runners finished the 5K Run; the median finish was 30:46 and the winner ran 16:50.
Is it a fast course?: The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 26:14, against 28:36 in a typical Michigan 5K, so times here run 8 percent faster.
Where does it start?: 1903 W Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49008.