131st Annual YMCA Buffalo Niagara Turkey Trot

Get Ready to Gobble Up Some Fun at the 131st Annual YMCA Turkey Trot!

Lace up those sneakers, because it's almost time for a Thanksgiving tradition like no other! We're talking about the 131st annual YMCA Turkey Trot, a super fun 8K (4.97 miles) road race that takes over the streets of Buffalo every Thanksgiving morning.

Get this: it's not just any race, it's the oldest consecutively run footrace in the ENTIRE WORLD! How cool is that? This November, we're celebrating its incredible 131st start, and you won't want to miss out on the history (and the hilarity!).

Join us in the celebration. Your participation helps to fuel the Y’s work to empower youth, promote healthy living, and build strong, thriving communities across Western New York.

 

Full Race Information Packet Here

 

125th YMCA Turkey Trot

FUNDRAISING TIPS & TRICKS

Are you new to fundraising? Need some new ideas to help you reach and surpass your goal? You've come to the right spot! But if you still need some help or have some questions, please contact turkeytrot@ymcabn.org.

Here are some easy steps to get your fundraising started and remember to aim high!

1.  Personalize your fundraising page: You can do this by signing into your account with RunSignUp at https://runsignup.com/Login and then go to your Profile by clicking on icon in the upper right hand corner. From your Profile, scroll down to your Fundraising section of your profile. Click "Edit Fundraiser" next to the fundraiser to Manage.

Here you can do things like:

Add or update your photo
Create a slideshow for your page - Click here to learn how!
Tell your story of why you are participating
Set your goal
If you make changes, don't forget to click on "Save Fundraiser Changes".

2.  Ask, ask and continue to ask: Starting from the time you register for the YMCA’s 125th Annual Turkey Trot until the fundraising deadline, ask your family, friends, co-workers and others in your network for support as you run or walk to build a stronger, healthier and more connected Western New York community.

To find your custom fundraising URL and see what your sharing options are, you will need to be signed into RunSignUp. While signed in, scroll down to your Fundraising section of your profile. Here you will find your personalized fundraising URL.

If you are currently editing your fundraiser, or viewing donations, then you can simply click on the “Links/Sharing” button on the left frame main menu, and this will allow you to view the Fundraiser Sharing Options page.

From this page, you can:

Share you custom URL on social media including Facebook and Twitter
Copy and paste your custom URL for your fundraising outreach emails 
Consider asking family, friends, co-workers and others in your network to support you for a specific dollar amount such as $20, $50, $100. Every dollar makes a real and positive difference in the lives of children and families across Western New York!

 

3.  Social media: Post on social media to get the word out and encourage family and friends - in Western New York, across the country, and around the world to join the YMCA’s Virtual 125th Annual Turkey Trot.

Use the event hashtag #TURKEYTROT125 in your posts
Tag YMCA Turkey Trot on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram in your post
Make your post public - Click here for more details!
Leading up to the run/walk, here are some post ideas:

Share your personal story or reason why you are running/walking in the YMCA’s 125th Annual Turkey Trot 
Share what the YMCA and the YMCA Turkey Trot mean to you
Share photos or videos of yourself training for the run/walk
Encourage others to participate in YMCA’s Virtual 125th Annual Turkey Trot by sharing the event website (ymcaturkeytrot.org)

4.  Continue updating and thanking: Thank you notes are SO important! Make sure to thank people who are making donations in a timely manner (for example: don't wait until December when the event is over). Remember to also share updates on your progress with your supporters.

 

5.  Company matching gift program: Most employers have a matching gift program and will match donations made by their employees. Each company has its own approach to charitable giving, so please be sure to confirm matching gift program guidelines directly with your employer. 

 

 

Social Media: Making a Post Public

To reach as many people as possible, we suggest making your posts public. Follow the instructions below on how to make your posts public on different social media platforms.

Facebook

·Creating a new post

•      Write your post in the “What’s on your mind?” section

•      Click on the dropdown menu directly below your name to select privacy

•      You will see “Who can see your post?”

•      Select “Public” from the options

Instagram

·       On Instagram you must make your profile public for your posts to be public. You cannot edit the privacy on individual posts.

•      Navigate to your profile and click the three lines in the top right corner

•      Select “Settings” and then “Privacy”

•      Under “Connections” you should see “Account Privacy”

•      Make sure the “Private Account” is toggled so that it is switched off

Twitter

·  On Twitter you must make your profile public for your tweets to be public. You cannot edit the visibility on individual tweets.

•      In the top menu, click your profile icon, then select “Settings and Privacy”

•      Select “Privacy and Safety”

•      Under Tweets, make sure the “Protect your Tweets” is toggled so that it is switched off

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dates: Thursday, November 28th - Sunday, December 1st

 

Price: $39-$49

 

SWAG: 129th Annual commemorative t-shirt.  
Shipping Note: Shirts and keepsake bibs will begin shipping to virtual participants who elected to pay for shipping following the virtual event the week of 12/1. 

 

Where to Run?  Any 8k distance of your choosing. You can complete your course all in one day or over multiple days between November 28- Dec 1. Please abide by all pedestrian rules of the road at all times. Click here to learn about pedestrian safety.

 

Tracking/Results Submission: We encourage you to use RACEJOY, a LIVE GPS tracking app. RACEJOY will not only track your distance, but also place you on our historic Delaware Avenue course regardless of where you run.  (Tracking is for leaderboard entertainment only. No prizes will be awarded in the virtual race.)

 

Download the RaceJoy app here.

 

Use the RaceJoy app for advanced tracking of participants and show your support with cheer sending. Participants set up for tracking in RaceJoy and carry their phone as they complete the course. Spectators track participants’ actual location in a map view and can send audio cheers. GPS-based progress alerts are typically issued at every mile along the course. Participants need to opt-in for spectators to track them in RaceJoy. For full information on RACEJOY, please visit: Racejoy FAQ's .

 

Submit and Manage Virtual Results:  Once you've completed your Turkey Trot you can submit your race results here. 

Pre-Race packet pick-up is available Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26 (10:00am - 6:30pm) at the INDEPENDENT HEALTH FAMILY BRANCH YMCA, located at 150 Tech Drive in Amherst (off of Main Street and Wehrle Drive near the ECC North Campus).

 

Race Day packet pick-up is also available 7:00-8:30 am at the DELAWARE FAMILY YMCA, 2564 Delaware Avenue in North Buffalo.

8k Run/Walk: Preferred T-Shirt Size