Turkey trot · First-timers
Your first turkey trot: where it began in 1896, and race-day tips
A turkey trot is the friendliest race on the calendar, and still the morning goes smoother if you know the logistics: where to get your bib, what to wear to the start, whether music is allowed, and how to come home with a finish photo. This guide covers those, plus where the very first turkey trot was run. It does not give training or health advice.
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1. Where the first turkey trot was run: Buffalo, 1896
The first documented turkey trot was run in Buffalo, New York, on Thanksgiving Day 1896, and that race still runs every year. According to The Hustle (checked October 20, 2026), the local YMCA organised it as an 8-kilometre race, just under 5 miles, and it had six competitors, of whom four finished.
Wikipedia’s Turkey trot article (checked October 20, 2026) lists the Buffalo YMCA Turkey Trot as an annual race that is still going, and, citing The Buffalo News, describes it as the oldest continually running public footrace in the United States. The same article says the 5K is by far the most common turkey trot distance, with over 90% of races run at that distance, citing a Scripps News report from November 22, 2025.
One thing that confuses searchers: the “turkey trot” that was banned was a dance, not this race. Wikipedia’s separate Turkey trot (dance) article (checked October 20, 2026) describes a ragtime dance of the early 1900s that conservative critics tried to get banned at public functions as suggestive.
The race side is worth knowing on the start line, because it explains the spirit of the thing. If this is your first one, you may well be standing next to people in turkey hats who have no intention of running hard. That is the point.
2. Registration and bib pickup: sort it before the day
Bib pickup is the part of race morning most likely to go wrong, so handle it early. Each race sets its own rules, and the confirmation email usually spells them out. The NYC Turkey Trot in Flushing Meadows is a good example of the usual choices (checked October 20, 2026): it offers to mail your packet for $19.99 per participant, posts in-person pickup details at least two weeks before the race, and describes race-morning pickup as not recommended, with a 15-minute wait to plan for.
- Picking up for someone else?The NYC race asks you to bring that person’s signed waiver. Other races have similar rules; read them before you offer to collect the family’s bibs.
- Check whether registration is refundable.The Dana Point Turkey Trot’s race information page says registration is non-refundable and the event runs rain or shine (checked October 20, 2026). Many races work the same way.
- Plan the journey. Popular trots draw big crowds early on a holiday. The NYC race says parking is very limited and recommends public transport.
3. What to wear and carry on race morning
Wear clothes you already run or walk in, and nothing brand new. Thanksgiving morning weather varies enormously across the country, so check the forecast the night before and dress for the conditions at the start, with a layer you are happy to leave behind. If the race has a gear check, note when it closes; at the NYC Turkey Trot it opens with packet pickup at 7:00 a.m. and closes at noon.
- Pin the bib on the outside. Put it on the front of the layer you will finish in, not a jacket you might take off.
- Keep pockets light. A phone, a card and a key are usually enough. A phone that bounces in a pocket tends to end up in your hand.
- Costumes are common. If you dress up, keep it simple and make sure you can still move.
If you wear glasses to run, they need to sit still and survive the weather. The M02C is rated IP65, which covers rain and water jets but not immersion. The M08 has no published water rating, so keep it out of heavy rain and spray.
4. At the start: corrals, waves and chip time
Your chip time starts when you cross the start line, not when the gun goes, so there is no reason to push toward the front. That is how the Dana Point Turkey Trot FAQ explains it (checked October 20, 2026): line up by your expected pace, faster runners near the front of the corral and walkers toward the back, with wave starts to move thousands of people across the line. Strollers line up at the back. The race is on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2026.
The NYC Turkey Trot explains chip timing the same way: the timing chip is built into your bib number and records when you cross the start and finish lines. One practical consequence: the bib has to be on you and visible, not in a pocket.
5. Should you bring music? Check the race rules first
Headphone rules are set by each race, so read yours before you pack earbuds. The NYC Turkey Trot says headphones and music players are allowed but strongly not recommended, and that each participant is responsible for being able to hear hazards around them (checked October 20, 2026). Other races restrict them more tightly, especially where the course runs on open roads.
Open-ear audio glasses are a middle option some runners consider. The speakers sit near your ears rather than in them, so your ear canals stay uncovered. That does not make them exempt from a race’s rule, and we make no claim that they make running in a crowd safer. If music is allowed, keep the volume low: open-ear speakers leak some sound at high volume and will not block out a crowd the way sealed earbuds do. Both OXIVUE frames here are rated for up to 7 hours of listening, far more than any 5K needs.
You may find you do not want music at all. A turkey trot is loud with spectators, bands and costumes, and that is part of what you came for.
6. Getting a finish photo without holding a phone
Race photographers are not guaranteed to catch you. The NYC Turkey Trot says so plainly, and asks runners to keep the bib number visible so photos can be found by number after the race (checked October 20, 2026). If you want your own picture, you have three options:
- A friend at the finish. Still the best photo, if someone is free to stand in the cold and wait.
- Your phone. It works, but it means running with the phone in hand or stopping to dig it out of a pocket in a crowd.
- Camera glasses. A touch on the temple takes a photo of what you are looking at, so you can capture the start-line crowd, the costumes or the finish arch while your hands keep swinging. You cannot frame the shot: you point your head, and each capture starts with a visible touch, never on its own.
Be considerate with any camera. Ask before you photograph or film other runners, and especially other people’s children in the family waves. Our guide to recording laws by state covers where audio recording needs consent. Photos and clips transfer to the HeyCyan phone app afterwards; there is no display in the lens.
7. Which glasses, if any, for a turkey trot
For a 5K the honest answer is that any comfortable frame works, and you do not need camera glasses to enjoy the morning. If you want one for the photos and the music, the M02C at $109 at checkout and the M08 at $99 are the two we would point a first-timer to. The M14 wrap is also in the table for comparison.
| M02C | M08 | M14 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| At checkout (one pair) | $109 | $99 | $149 |
| Weight | ~41 g | ~42 g | 52 g |
| Camera | Sony IMX219 8 MP, dual stabilisation | 8 MP | Sony IMX219 8 MP |
| Water rating | IP65 (water jets, not immersion) | No published rating | IPX4 (splash and rain) |
| Listening / calls | 7 h / 4 h | 7 h / 4 h | 4 h / 7 h |
| Lens | Sun, photochromic or clear | Sun, photochromic or clear | Fixed one-piece shield, four colourways |
| Display, GPS, pace | None | None | None |
Prices checked 2026-10-20; checkout price may change. The M02C is $109 at checkout ($159 list) and the M08 is $99 at checkout ($149 list). The current offer is $50 off one pair applied at checkout; two or more pairs are 50% off all eyewear, which suits a family running together.
- M02Cis the one to choose if the forecast looks wet, thanks to its IP65 rating, and it adds “Hey Cyan” visual AI that can describe what you look at.
- M08 is the same idea at a lower price, with no published water rating.
- M14 is the wrap shield we position for cycling and skiing. It is heavier at 52 g and has a fixed lens, so for a 5K most people will not need it.
None of these frames takes prescription lenses, and the app features need your phone nearby. For more on running specifically, see smart glasses for running and sports sunglasses with a camera.
8. After the finish
Results and official photos usually go up on the race website after the event, searchable by bib number or name. Collect your medal or shirt if the race gives one, pick up anything from gear check before it closes, and get warm. Then go home to the meal you earned the right to talk about.
If you are buying glasses for the race, allow for delivery: US delivery takes 5–9 business days; to have them by Thanksgiving, order by about November 13. A runner in your family might also like our gifts for runners guide.
Shipping, refunds and warranty. Free shipping from $99. US orders typically arrive in 5–9 business days; international orders take 9–14 business days after shipment, and recipients outside the US pay any import taxes on delivery. No refunds except transit damage (replaced or refunded); faults are repaired or replaced under the 2-year warranty; change of mind and unmet expectations are not refundable. See the shipping policy and return policy, or compare every model on the comparison page.
Frequently asked questions
How did turkey trots start?
In 1896. According to The Hustle (checked October 20, 2026), the first documented turkey trot was run in Buffalo, New York, on Thanksgiving Day 1896. The local YMCA put it on as an 8-kilometre race, just under 5 miles, with six competitors, and only four of them finished. Wikipedia (checked October 20, 2026) says that Buffalo race still runs every year, and that over 90% of turkey trots today are 5K races, citing Scripps News.
Why was the turkey trot banned?
The race was not; the dance was. According to Wikipedia's Turkey trot (dance) article (checked October 20, 2026), the turkey trot was also a ragtime dance of the early 1900s, and conservative critics tried to get it banned at public functions because they found its positions suggestive. The Thanksgiving footrace is a separate thing that dates to Buffalo in 1896.
Are turkey trots worth it for a first-timer?
Yes, for most people who want a relaxed, social start to Thanksgiving. Many turkey trots welcome walkers and families: the Dana Point Turkey Trot, for example, lists a 5K Family Walk/Run start and asks walkers to line up toward the back (checked October 20, 2026). Nobody expects a first-timer to race. Registration fees are often non-refundable, so check the date and the start time before you pay.
How long does a turkey trot take?
It depends on the distance and whether you run or walk, and most events publish a course time limit. The NYC Turkey Trot in Flushing Meadows, for example, lists a 1 hour 20 minute limit for its 5K (checked October 20, 2026). Add time for packet pickup, the walk to the start corral and the crowd at the finish, and plan on most of the morning rather than just the race.
Can you wear headphones in a turkey trot?
Sometimes, and the race decides. The NYC Turkey Trot says headphones are allowed but strongly not recommended, and that runners are responsible for being able to hear hazards around them (checked October 20, 2026). Other races may ban them outright. Open-ear speakers leave your ears uncovered, but they are not automatically exempt from a rule, so read your own race's rules and keep the volume low.
Can you take photos while running a turkey trot?
Yes, as long as your race allows it, but a phone in hand is awkward in a crowded start corral. Camera glasses let you take a photo with a touch on the temple while your hands stay free. You cannot frame the shot; you point your head. Ask before you photograph other runners or their children, and remember the race photographers are not guaranteed to catch you either.
Do I need to pick up my bib before the race?
Usually yes, or at least it is the calmer option. The NYC Turkey Trot offers a mailed packet for $19.99 per participant, and calls race-morning pickup not recommended, with a 15-minute wait to plan for (checked October 20, 2026). Pickup rules differ by race, so read the confirmation email. Pin the bib on the front of your outer layer so photographers can find you by number.
Do OXIVUE glasses track pace or distance?
No. There is no GPS, no heart-rate sensor and no display on any OXIVUE frame, so your watch or the race's chip timing keeps that job. The glasses are a camera, open-ear speakers and microphones. The M02C ($109 at checkout) and M08 ($99) both take 8 MP photos and play music for up to 7 hours of listening on a charge.
What these frames won’t do
- No prescription lenses yet, on any model. If you need vision correction all day, these can't replace your glasses.
- No display. Nothing appears in your view; you hear answers and capture photos and video.
- Open-ear speakers leak some sound at high volume and won't block out a loud train or a windy road the way sealed earbuds do.
- Translation, music, calls and the assistant need your phone nearby and connected. Translation pauses after each sentence, and only you hear the translated audio; the other person reads the reply on your phone.
- M02C: IP65 resists dust and water jets, not immersion. No swimming, no saltwater.
- M08: no published water rating, so keep it out of heavy rain and spray.
Check these before you order: see the warranty and refund policy.