It’s a family affair at the Oakland Turkey Trot  

Lake Merritt’s Eastshore Park will be filled to the brim Thursday morning for what’s become a tradition for many: the Oakland Turkey Trot.  

In its ninth year, the trot brings “The Town’s” community together to run or walk five kilometers (3.1 miles) around the lake. It’s a particularly big draw for youth and families. 

“The real kind of genesis and rally behind this event is that it is 100% neighborhood- focused. There’s a ton of civic pride,” says Ryan Dawkins, race director of the Oakland Turkey Trot and CEO of Mascot Sports, which produces sports and entertainment events.

The trot gets underway at 8:30 a.m. on El Embarcadero near the Lake Merritt Pergola. There’s also a kids’ run, about a quarter of a mile, for ages 2 to 7 at 9:40 a.m. 

The race’s community spirit is evident, from the local artwork at the start and finish lines, mile markers and photo backdrops, to the many volunteers, vendors and beneficiaries, including the Alameda County Community Food Bank, the Oakland Public Education Fund and Running for a Better Oakland. 

Plus, the race boasts a large number of participants. Last year, there were 4,300 trotters. Dawkins estimates that over 5,000 people will be at this year’s event, the highest count to date. About 2,000 registrants are kids with their families. 

“We don’t ever see that across any of the other events that we do all year long,” he says. “It just shows you how much of a neighborhood- and community-focused event this is.” 

Now a Lafayette resident, Dawkins and his family used to call Oakland home. He’d go on weekly runs with his daughters around Lake Merritt and walk to Lakeview Library and the Grand Lake Farmers Market. These experiences factored into his decision to create the first Oakland Turkey Trot in 2017. 

“It was a natural fit for us to do it in our hometown, kind of our home base, in terms of movement and walking and running,” he says. “[Oakland] is a large part of our life.” 

Members of Running for a Better Oakland, a nonprofit offering free running programs for kindergarten through 12th grade Oakland students, have attended the trot every year. They’ll be there again this year, volunteering and running, says RBO executive director Jessica “JDL” de Leon. 

“We are excited to represent RBO at the race on Thursday,” she says. 

About 140 RBO members have signed up, though de Leon anticipates the number will increase. 

“That’s a big part of it — not only encouraging the students to run, but making it a family affair,” she says. “Oftentimes, the students want the program as an opportunity to do their own thing, but we love seeing the parents support them. They’re all, I think, excited to see each other run on Thanksgiving morning.” 

Culminating RBO’s fall running program, the Trot marks a significant moment for young RBO runners as they make their way to the finish line.  

“Having that sense of pride is huge, and we’re seeing that with the students at RBO,” says de Leon. “They’re telling us, ‘I never thought I could run three miles without stopping’ and ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe I did that.’” 

A mother of three, de Leon hopes to continue her tradition of participating in the kids’ run with her 4-year-old daughter alongside fellow moms in Hella Bae Running, a Bay Area women’s running group she founded. 

“That’s the plan. As long as we can get all our RBO runners situated, I’m going to sneak off and help her with the kids’ race,” she says. 

The Oakland Turkey Trot starts at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 27 at El Embarcadero and Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland. Pre-race registration costs $72.04 through noon Nov. 26 and increases after. The kids run starts at 9:40 a.m., with a $29.75 pre-race fee. Visit https://oaklandturkeytrot.org/. For more about Running for a Better Oakland, visit https://www.rboakland.org/.