10 Steps to Organize a Turkey Trot!

First, I just have to say...I absolutely love our annual turkey trot. It has become such a fun tradition for my entire family and the trot morning almost trumps Christmas morning for me. It's just that special. This is our 7th Annual Turkey Trot Fun/Run and it's been a baby step process in watching it develop and blossom. It began with only a handful of friends rallying for a morning run and growing each year into a larger crew of people wanting be with fellow friends, family, strollers and community and help a cause while breaking a sweat. It's grown from 20 people raising $200 dollars it's first year to over 200 people raising $3600 this year and I can only hope it grows a bit more each year. 

10 Steps to Create a Turkey Trot in your Town! 

1. Have donations go to a local charity/cause:
Find a local cause (vs. a national group with no direct office in your town), so people feel a direct connection. We donated to our local Meals on Wheels.

2. Make it a 5k distance
A 5k distance is the most friendly for run/walkers of all levels. You'll get a much bigger turn out for a 5k than a 10k. Plus it's WAY easier to manage a 5k route than a 10k. 

3. Have a large Start/Finish area
Have your Start/Finish point be at a place that can accommodate a lot of parking, checking in and people gathering. We got permission from a park up the road from our house.

4. Create a flyer 
Create a simple flyer you can use each year to post around to gyms, banks, local stores, schools etc:

5. Make it as grassroots as possible.
You don't need to make it an official trot with time chips, numbers, pre-registration etc. There's something about keeping it very mellow/grass roots that attracts people. Simply have people sign in/register that morning by signing a waiving and making a $ money donation. (you can find mock waivers online)

6. Ask for a SUGGESTED donation of $20 for adults, $5 kids and make it a fun! 
Make it a friendly family affair. Strollers, dogs on leashes welcome. This garners more community support and creates a true community experience. Oh! and if you have kids- have them help make the signs and arrows. This adds to the grass roots community feel:

7. You need only 2-3 people to spear head the trot. 
Then divide up the following responsibilities: 
1. advertising & marketing
2. race day insurance
3. chalking course course outline 
4. get volunteers: sign in 
5. get volunteers: flagging on the course (1 at each intersection where there could be cars)
6. muffin/coffee/cocoa making and set up
7. get volunteers: parking

8. Pray for good weather. 
Weather makes a difference. This year it was gorgeous and our turn out was double from last year.

9. Get some great pictures
Pictures speak volumes! Get somebody to take some great pictures of the race: People signing in, the race start and overall mood of people gathering together. I had my dad come up and take the pictures and I swear our race START picture makes our flyer and marketing! 

10. Create a facebook page
Now...this is the biggest one. This is the first year we had a page and it was a wonderful way to spread the word to a target audience, share the race preparations and excitement and really create community buzz.  
Here's our FB link: https://www.facebook.com/Sonoma5kTurkeyTrot. Then spend a little for an ad as almost  all new trotters said they learned about the trot via our Facebook page ad.

So there you have it. A collection of steps to guide you to your very own community trot! And I'll leave you with this: a very sweet time lapse video my dad created for this year:


Sonoma 2012 Turkey Trot from James Radford on Vimeo.