Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K

About the Event

**For race info (parking, packet pick up, awards, the day's agenda), click on "RACE INFO" on the menu!!**

What is the Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K?

The Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K is the annual Thanksgiving Day race held in Garner’s White Deer and Lake Benson Parks. Family and friends, both human and canine, gather to enjoy a brisk holiday morning run or walk through the parks to help raise money in support of Freedom Ride Rescue's mission to help abandoned, neglected and abused animals in North Carolina.

Race options include 5K and a 1M Fun Run. Both the 5K and 1M courses are relatively flat paved trails and the seasonal beauty of these two parks is spectacular. Thanksgiving themed costumes, decorated wagons, strollers and baby joggers are encouraged. Well socialized dogs are welcome on a 6’ or shorter leash - retractable leashes are not permitted. Virtual 'racers' are welcome to support us from a far and will receive a race shirt whlle supplies last!

Since its inception, The Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K has been a very popular and well attended event. The first year was capped at 500 participants and we sold out. This year's race will be limited to 1,000 participants. Registration fees increase as race day approaches, so register early!

Races Offered

5K

Nov 26, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:30

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$25.00

1 Mile Fun Run

Nov 26, 2026

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Distance — 1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:40

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$15.00

Virtual 5K

Nov 26, 2026

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Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

12:00

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$20.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for November in Garner.

thermostat Temperature

6.9° / 17.4°

wb_sunny Feels like

3.6° / 14.8°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

8h 25m

water_drop Avg rainfall

1.9 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

—

air Avg wind speed

10.5 km/h (Light breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Low

terrain Course conditions

Firm and slightly soft

sunny Max UV Index

Low (2.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

66.5%

wb_twilight Sunrise

07:51

nightlight Sunset

18:07

About Garner

Learn more about the host city, Garner.

Garner is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 31,159 as of the 2020 census. A suburb of Raleigh, the city limits are entirely within Wake County, though portions of unincorporated Wake County, as well as the Cleveland community in northern Johnston County, have Garner mailing addresses. It is part of the Research Triangle region of North Carolina and serves as a bedroom community for the region.

Hotels & Places to Stay

Race Results

Official finishing times from previous editions of Freedom Ride Rescue Turkey Day 5K.

Place	Name	Gender	Age	City	Time
🥇	Kalli Unthank	F	28	Raleigh, NC	—
🥈	Chris Sturgill	M	36	Apex, NC	—
🥉	Jacqueline O'Brien	F	69	Garner, NC	—
4	Crystal Sturgill	F	38	Apex, NC	—

Place	Name	Gender	Age	City	Time
🥇	Ashton Olmstead	M	19	Garner, NC	18:51.09
🥈	Parker Wood	M	15	Katy, TX	20:01.34
🥉	Kyle McCarthy	M	28	Raleigh, NC	20:24.6
4	Tina Walkowski	F	37	cary, NC	20:30
5	Luis Tejerina	M	42	Falls Church, VA	20:38.42
6	Stephen House	M	39	Falls Church, VA	21:09.13
7	Logan Salter	M	20	Clayton, NC	21:36.38
8	Quinn Spesshardt	M	15	Raleigh, NC	21:42.28
9	Kyle Vetter	M	19	Apex, NC	21:46.68
10	Trevorr Lewis	M	44	Raleigh, NC	21:49.86
11	Tim K	M	32	Raleigh, NC	21:55.73
12	Mathiew Lewis	M	15	Raleigh, NC	22:02.71
13	Kara O'Briant	F	46	Garner, NC	22:20.12
14	Cody Schoonover	M	28	Greenville, NC	22:36.95
15	G. Johnson	M	11	Arlington, VA	23:02.28
16	Max Hoover	M	15	Westerville, OH	23:08.12
17	Delaney Bundy	F	16	Cary, NC	23:20.74
18	Brandon Purdeu	M	34	Fayetteville, NC	23:24.61
19	Sarah Roberts	F	13	Middlefield, CT	23:38.76
20	Michael Tarokh	M	16	Cary, NC	23:46.58
21	Quinn McLaney	M	43	Raleigh, NC	23:48.42
22	Clayton Gladieux	M	31	Raleigh, NC	23:49.27
23	Ryan Dunkle	M	31	Benson, NC	24:10.53
24	Jacob Bowes	M	28	Garner, NC	24:17.53
25	Jonathan Wegleitner	M	23	Durham, NC	24:24.1
26	Wyatt Williams	M	19	Clayton, NC	24:40.28
27	Jason Williams	M	33	Garner, NC	24:44.79
28	Sam Hartzell	M	35	Raleigh, NC	24:46.99
29	Richard Sweetman	M	43	Narragansett, RI	24:47.91
30	Ethan Carpenter	M	19	Garner, NC	24:49.08
31	Erin Harris	F	37	Spring City, PA	25:06.3
32	Palmer Laughridge	M	15	Garner, NC	25:13.56
33	Ashley Seekins	F	35	Fuquay Varina, NC	25:15.96
34	Christine Wood	F	41	Katy, TX	25:20.7
35	Ian Ellis	M	38	Nashville, TN	25:34.87
36	C. Lyon	M	9	Garner, NC	25:37.34
37	Dean Self	M	45	Raleigh, NC	25:45.32
38	Patrick Connelly	M	37	Willow Spring, NC	25:56.98
39	Jimmy Konowski	M	35	Fuquay Varina, NC	26:10.45
40	Caleb Auer	M	25	Holly Springs, NC	26:10.47
41	Tyler Jennings	M	23	Raleigh, NC	26:20.5
42	Reuben Tart	M	14	Cary, NC	26:23.18
43	Brady Ball	M	14	Raleigh, NC	26:24.71
44	ANGELA TOWN	F	51	Gastonia, NC	26:33
45	Leah Wiebe	F	17	Raleigh, NC	26:39.66
46	Matt Jassak	M	39	Winter Garden, FL	26:44.86
47	Benjamin Rose	M	37	Cary, NC	26:46.6
48	Noah Fox	M	14	Garner, NC	26:47.01
49	Scott King	M	49	Clayton, NC	26:51.97
50	Annette King	F	48	Clayton, NC	26:52.12