The Turkey Trot Race Courses

The SouthWood State Office Complex will once again be home to the Tallahassee Turkey Trot races. All four races start and finish on Esplanade Way. The finish line is the same for all four races. The start line for the 1 Mile Turkey Gobbler race is closer to Shumard Oaks Boulevard than the start line for the 5K, 10K and 15K. And, once again, the 1 Mile Turkey Gobbler will start at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K, 10K and 15K races will start at 8:30 a.m. We recommend you familiarize yourself with the courses ahead of time.

All the races will be chip timed and runners can change races among the 5K, 10K and 15K during the race, provided they run the correct course. All three races share the same course for approximately 2.3 miles. After splitting away from the 5K courses, the 10K and 15K courses remain the same for approximately another 2.3 miles.

One Mile Turkey Gobbler

Runners start on Esplanade and proceed to Shumard Oak where they turn left. Continue on Shumard Oak to Bald Cypress. Turn left on Bald Cypress. Continue to Merchants Row. Turn left on Esplanade. Finish is on Esplanade.

The Start - 5K/10K/15K

As noted above, the start of the 1 Mile Turkey Gobbler is on Esplanade Way at 8:00 a.m. When the gun goes off, runners (and walkers) should proceed south to Shumard Oak Boulevard. Turn left onto Shumard Oak Boulevard. Mile runners should stay to the left of the median on Shumard Oak Boulevard. Continue running past CEP Drive. When the 1 Mile runners reach Bald Cypress Way, they should turn left and continue running on Bald Cypress Way. Continue on Bald Cypress Way until reaching Merchants Row Boulevard. Turn to the left on Merchants Row Boulevard. Runners should stay on the left side of the road and run toward Capital Circle until they reach Esplanade Way. Turn left onto Esplanade Way and run through the finish.

The starting line for the 5K/10K/15K remains on Esplanade Way. Timing mats will be placed at the start line so that no matter where you start or when you cross the start line, your chip time will start when you cross the mat at the starting line. Runners should line up based on the pace they expect to run, regardless of which race they choose. Those expecting to run 6 minutes or faster per mile should be in the first section. Those who plan to walk or run slower than a 10 minute per mile pace and those who plan to push a stroller should start near the back. The rest should be in the middle. A guide post will identify each area. Patience is important and appreciated. After all, it is Thanksgiving!

The Beginning for the 5K, 10K and 15K

All three races will run the same route for a little over two miles. Runners will proceed south on Esplanade Way until they reach Shumard Oak Boulevard (less than a quarter mile). At Shumard Oak Boulevard, everyone will turn left and head east. Runners can run on EITHER SIDE of the median on Shumard Oak Boulevard. In fact, it is IMPORTANT that runners use both sides of Shumard Oak Boulevard for the first 15 minutes to avoid crowd backlogs. If you arrive at the corner of Esplanade Way and Shumard Oak Boulevard after 15 minutes have passed, we ask you to run on the left side of Shumard Oak Boulevard. The distance is virtually the same on both sides. We also ask that you watch for runners crossing Shumard Oak Boulevard coming from Bald Cypress Way. These runners are 10K and 15K runners who have already run 3 plus miles. Please yield the right-of-way to them. Runners on Shumard Oak Boulevard for the first time should continue on Shumard Oak across Four Oaks Boulevard until they reach the “T” at Grove Park Drive. Once there bear right at the “T” and then follow the Grove Park Drive loop around the lake in a counterclockwise (left) direction. On this first loop, all runners will stay on Grove Park Drive until they reach Mulberry Park Boulevard.

Before runners reach the water table, they will hear the drum beat from the Tallahassee Community College African Drum and Dance Ensemble. It is a great place to dance a step or two. Let the musicians know you hear them!

Just before Mulberry Park Boulevard and after the water tables at the golf club (just past the 2-mile mark), 5K runners will be directed to move to the right side of the road, and 10K and 15K runners will be directed to move to the left side of the road. Please keep an eye and an ear out for the split and run on the correct side.

Runners will continue on Grove Park Drive until they reach Mulberry Park Boulevard. 5K runners will make a sharp right onto Mulberry Park Boulevard and stay on the right side of the median. The 10K and 15K runners will also turn right, but they will stay to the left side of the median. Everyone will stay on Mulberry Park Boulevard until they reach Four Oaks Boulevard. Once there, all runners will turn left-- 5K runners will stay on the right side of the median and, again, the 10K and 15K runners will stay on the left side as they head up Four Oaks Boulevard.

At the top of the hill on Four Oaks Boulevard, all runners will turn right onto Merchants Row Boulevard. Again, 5K runners will stay to the right side of the road, and 10K and 15K runners will stay on the left side of the road. Stanchions will divide the two sides of the road.

The 5K Finish

The 5K runners will continue on Merchants Row Boulevard all the way to Esplanade Way, staying to the right side of the median. They turn left onto Esplanade Way at the end of the median, then run to the finish line on the right side of Esplanade Way. Congratulations to those who make it!  You are a 2024 Turkey Trot 5K FINISHER!

The Second Loop for the 10K and 15K – Starting together

While the 5K runners continue down Merchants Row Boulevard to Esplanade Way and their finish, the 10K and 15K runners should run down Merchants Row Boulevard to Bald Cypress Way staying on the left side of the stanchions and median on Merchants Row Boulevard until they reach Bald Cypress Way (two blocks before Esplanade Way). All 10K and 15K runners must turn left onto Bald Cypress Way the first time they reach this corner and proceed on Bald Cypress Way all the way to Shumard Oak Boulevard. About three fourths of the way down the road on Bald Cypress Way, runners will find the 3 mile and 5K marks. At the intersection of Bald Cypress and Shumard Oak runners should proceed past the median and turn left onto Shumard Oak Boulevard when they reach the right side of the road. Be aware as you cross over Shumard Oak Boulevard as there may be runners and walkers approaching this intersection from Esplanade Way who are still on their first loop. Runners who have completed a loop have the right-of-way, but those runners and walkers may not see you so please exercise care. 10K and 15K runners should continue on Shumard Oak Boulevard to Four Oaks Boulevard where they turn right, again keeping to the right side of the road. Runners should continue all the way to the turnaround just before Tram Road, circle the traffic cone in the middle of the road, and head back on Four Oaks Boulevard to School House Road.

All 10K and 15K runners should turn right on School House Road and continue to Terrebone Drive. 10K runners will turn left onto Terrebone Drive and head for Grove Park Drive. 15K runners, however, continue straight ahead on School House Road, which will become Biltmore Avenue.

The 10K continues

After turning left onto Terrebone Drive, the 10K runners head for Grove Park Drive and continue for a very short distance before bearing left onto Shumard Oak Boulevard. They will continue straight ahead on Shumard Oak Boulevard toward Four Oaks Boulevard. But before they reach Four Oaks Boulevard, the 10K runners must turn right onto Park Crossing Trail which ends at Grove Park Drive. At Grove Park Drive, 10K runners must turn left again and run clockwise around the lake until they reach Ivy Green Trail.

At Ivy Green Trail, 10K runners will turn left and head up the hill to the SouthWood Town Center. 15K runners will be merging onto the course on Ivy Green Trail (from the bike trail around the lake). Runners will climb until they reach Merchants Row Boulevard again. They will turn left on Merchants Row Boulevard, and this time, after crossing over Four Oaks Boulevard with the Boys and Girls Club Stick Patrol Drum Line playing, they will trek down the hill on Merchants Row Boulevard all the way to Esplanade Way. Runners finishing their second loop should run on the left side of the median, but to the right side of that half of the road to make it easier to go around the runners still on their first loop and getting ready to turn onto Bald Cypress Way. DO NOT turn on Bald Cypress Way the second time you reach this corner. Instead, head for Esplanade Way and take a left to cross the finish line. Congratulations 1OK runners!  You are a 2024 Turkey Trot 10K FINISHER!

The 15K continues

After the 15K runners split from the 10K runners, they continue on School House Road until it becomes Biltmore Avenue, familiar territory for experienced 15K runners. 15K runners should stay on the right side of the road and head north on the RIGHT side of the road until reaching the turnaround point on Biltmore Avenue. Runners must circle the traffic cone marking the turnaround and head back south on Biltmore Avenue to Hemmingway Boulevard, again staying on the right side of the road.

At Hemmingway Boulevard, runners turn right again, keeping to the right side of the road as they head toward the lake. Runners will cross Grove Park Drive and head toward the lake on the bike trail (do NOT turn right onto Grove Park Drive). About halfway down the bike path before it reaches the lake, runners bear right on the bike path as they approach the lake and continue in a counterclockwise direction around the lake. Runners should follow the markers, which will keep them on the bike path between the lake and Grove Park Drive until they reach traffic cones blocking their path and arrows pointing them to Grove Park Drive, which they cross and then run onto Ivy Green Trail. At this point, 15K runners will run up Ivy Green Trail, rejoining the 10K runners heading for the SouthWood Town Center. At the top of the hill, all runners turn left on Merchants Row Boulevard, run through Town Center, and head downhill (still on Merchants Row Boulevard) to the finish on Esplanade Way. 15K runners should stay on the left side of the median and dividing stanchions on Merchants Row Boulevard, but on their finishing loop they should also stay as close to the middle of the road as possible. When the 15K runners reach Esplanade Way, they will turn left (with the 10K runners) and head for the finish. Congratulations! You are a 2024 Turkey Trot 15K FINISHER!