I'm slow. Is that a problem?

No, and it's the question we get asked most. There is no time limit, no cut-off and no sweeper vehicle. A volunteer Tail Walker starts at the very back and finishes behind the last participant, every time. The finish arch stays up, the clock keeps running, and the satsumas stay out until everyone is in. A one-mile walk takes most people fifteen to twenty minutes; a 5K walk takes about fifty. Both are completely normal here.

Is this the Foley Rotary Oyster 5K?

No – and if you can only do one, do theirs. The Rotary Oyster 5K has been running downtown Foley for thirty-three years, it's in mid-November, and it finishes with raw oysters and gumbo. It's a great race that funds the Boys Ranch, the Jennifer Claire Moore Foundation, Ecumenical Ministries and the Literacy Council. We're eleven days later, on Thanksgiving morning, on a different course, for different charities. Run both.

Is there a hill?

No. Foley's highest point is sixty-two feet above sea level and the course never leaves the downtown grid. If you have been putting off a 5K because of hills, this is the one.

Can I bring my dog?

In the one-mile, yes – four-foot fixed leash, handler 18 or over, and you start in the dog and stroller wave at the front. Not in the 5K. Retractable leashes are turned away at the start. Every dog gets a bandana at packet pickup while they last.

Strollers?

Front wave of the one-mile, and welcome in the 5K if you line up behind the walkers sign. The rail-trail is smooth asphalt and the 5K is flat closed street – no curbs, no gravel.

Where do I park?

Free, downtown, within a few blocks. Thanksgiving morning is the emptiest downtown Foley gets all year. A parking map goes out with your registration confirmation and again the Monday of race week.

Can I pick up packets for my whole family?

Yes. Bring their names. One person, one trip, no forms. Early pickup is Wednesday, November 24 in downtown Foley; race-morning pickup opens at 6:45 at Heritage Park.

What if it rains?

We run. Lightning is the only thing that stops us, and if it does we hold, then start late, then cancel – in that order. No refunds, but your entry rolls to 2028 under the Gobble Guarantee.

What is the Gobble Guarantee?

Sign up now and something comes up – a work trip, a flu, a baby, a change of heart – and we'll roll your entry to 2028 for free. You keep the shirt. No doctor's note. Two conditions: tell us before race day, and it doesn't apply to entries bought at the packet-pickup-day price.

Is there a virtual option?

No. If your family is out of town and wants the shirt, buy the shirt.

Is the course certified?

Measurement is scheduled for spring 2027 with a USATF-certified measurer. Until the certificate is issued we'll say "certification in progress," not "certified."

Is the race capped?

One thousand. Shirts, parking and a six-block downtown grid all agree on that number. When it's gone it's gone, and there is no race-day registration.