There is a certain version of Thanksgiving morning that feels unmistakably like Marin. A cool, bright start, the smell of something already warming in the oven at home, and a crowd gathering on a hillside campus to move a little before the day slows down. Now in its 27th year, that gathering has a name: the Bank of Marin Turkey Trot, held every Thanksgiving morning at the College of Marin’s Indian Valley Campus in Novato.
We have a soft spot for this one. It asks little more than a pair of running shoes and a reason to be outside before the table is set, and for a few hours it turns a quiet corner of Novato into one of the most convivial places in the county. One thing worth knowing up front: it fills, and the organizers will tell you the same. Signing up early is the surest way in.
What the Morning Looks Like
The Turkey Trot is made for everyone, not only runners. There are three ways to take part: a one-mile route for the youngest trotters, a 5K, and a 10K for anyone wanting a harder effort before the afternoon gives way to the table. The course runs out and back along Ignacio Boulevard, winding through the Indian Valley campus and finishing on the fields. The one-mile loop is built for families, and the morning leans closer to a neighborhood gathering than a competition. After nearly three decades, it has become a fixture that regulars plan the rest of the day around.
Why It’s Worth Setting the Alarm
Beyond the fresh air, what gives this morning its weight is where it leads. The Turkey Trot benefits School Fuel, the foundation that supports Novato’s public schools, so each entry turns a run before dinner into something that stays in the community long after the plates are cleared. That is the part we keep returning to. A holiday built around gratitude pairs naturally with a morning spent among neighbors, giving a little back to the place you live. You finish with the rest of the day still ahead and the sense of having started it well.
The Details
When: Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving morning). Now in its 27th year.
Where: College of Marin, Indian Valley Campus, 1800 Ignacio Blvd., Novato, CA.
Learn more: https://www.marinturkeytrot.com/
Source: marinturkeytrot.com
