We Will Follow Ohio Governor DeWine’s and ProMedica's Request to Pull Back from Unnecessary Contact with Other People

Thanksgiving day’s annual Dave’s Turkey Chase 5K, presented by ProMedica in Downtown Toledo will no longer be held in person this year after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and ProMedica experts urge everyone to stay home and not to go out at this time of crisis.

VIRTUAL RACE

The Gobble Wobble is the virtual option for the annual Dave's Turkey Chase 5K. The window for completing and submitting your finish time and photos to be included in the online results is Saturday, November 21st through Saturday, December 5th. If you've enabled notifications, you've already received your first alert this morning, giving instructions on where and how to proceed. 

HOW THE VIRTUAL RACE WORKS

1. You've been transferred automatically.
2. Packet pickup remains as scheduled.At packet pickup, you'll receive your shirt, mug, BIB and hot chocolate, as well be able to participate in a drawing to take home one of 150 Schmucker's homemade pies when you arrive at packet pickup.
3. You'll want to enable notifications by managing your registration via your runsignup.com/profile.This will be how we'll send you instructions and links for where to post your results and photos, etc.
4. We'll send you a text or email with all of the instructions, and reminders.
5. Run 3.1 miles anywhere, anytime between Saturday, November 21st and Saturday, December 5th.
6. Submit your finish time and photos to the online results.
7. Download your custom finisher certificate.

WHY WE SWITCHED TO VIRTUAL

Covid cases in Lucas County and surrounding areas are trending upward at an alarming rate. The number of hospitalized patients in our system has increased dramatically. Our rate of hospitalized patients in the last three weeks has tripled. We expect that number to grow, unfortunately. There’s no doubt our hospitals and healthcare systems will become overwhelmed.

All current registrants for the in-person event will be converted to the Virtual Gobble Wobble and be notified via email and social media of what changes to expect.

Dave’s forty-seven year mission to facilitate a healthy lifestyle while giving back to our community is what drives our decision to transition from an in-person to virtual-only event and we view our responsibility as leaders in the community to heed the advice and guidance of the experts and voluntarily do what’s best for everyone.

More than ever, we need our community to come together to take the actions we know reduce transmission. Washing your hands, watching your distance and wearing a mask really do make a difference. It’s a minor inconvenience, but it actually saves lives.

Discounted family/group pricing remains available through Wednesday, November 25th.

The event still benefits Cherry Street Mission Ministries. Since 2015, over $93,000 has been donated to this, and other local charities through Dave’s Turkey Chase. Donations to Cherry Street Mission Ministries are being accepted via the online registration portal.

If you have any questions, please contact us by email.

Packet Pickup information will be published in advance. Check your email during race week for final details.

*Registration is available during packet pickup. 

MULTI-DAY & LOCATION PACKET PICKUP & REGISTRATION

Sunday 11/22 — 12:00pm to 4:00pm at Dave’s Running Shop, Perrysburg
Monday 11/23 — 12:00pm to 6:30pm at Dave’s Running Shop, Perrysburg
Tuesday 11/24 — 12:00pm to 6:30pm at Dave’s Running Shop, Sylvania
Wednesday 11/25 — 12:00pm to 6:30pm at Dave’s Running Shop, Sylvania

Each participant receives this custom designed, unisex, long sleeve, cotton blend shirt when registering ahead of the guarantee deadline. Cuddle up for a nap in this soft, comfy tee after you join us in Downtown Toledo and then fill up on Thanksgiving day.

Through coordination with the City of Toledo and the Lucas County Health Department, we're implementing safety procedures to allow for running in person on Thanksgiving day.

We will be running the Dave's Turkey Chase 5K events this year using wave starts. Choose your start time during registration, or update/confirm it by visiting your runsignup.com/profile and managing the registration for this event.

You are encouraged to carry your own hydration, as no water stops will be on the 5K course.

Face masks will be required to be worn over mouth and nose during all non-competition times — including at packet pickup, before the race, in corrals, and immediately after the race. If you do not feel comfortable following these guidelines, please refrain from attending.

Are you ready to race or volunteer to support the Cherry Street Mission Ministries again? We're ready to welcome you to a safe and enjoyable environment in Downtown Toledo.

Our permits are in place, we have approval, and we are planning to run this year's Dave's Turkey Chase 5K in person, as safely as possible. Registrants will be required to follow all of the event guidelines, without exception, in order to participate. Deferral and/or refund options are available prior to race day. Any failure to follow set rules during event will result in disqualification and removal from the event without a refund — no exceptions.

As we near the race date, we are prepared to react to any changing requirements from our local health department, or city and state officials.

PRE-RACE

• Communicate Safety Procedures
• Flexible Registration Options
• Screening & Declaration (to be completed at packet pickup)
• Multi-day (4) Outdoor Packet Pickup (face covering required)
• 2,600 Person Field Limit

RACE DAY

• No Registration
• Face Coverings (no exceptions)
  • Staff, Volunteers
  • Runners Pre/Post Race, Start Corrals, After Finishing
• Social Distancing (self & physical barriers)
• Sanitization
• Staggered Wave Start
• No Spectators at Start/Finish Line

START LINE

• 26 Wave Starts (60 seconds apart/maximum 100 per wave)
• Multiple Start Times
• Staggered Arrivals
• Separated, Safe Staging Zone
• No Anthem, or Announcements
• 6ft Self-spacing of Participants
• Face Coverings Worn Until Crossing Mat Onto Course

COURSE

• Runners Encouraged to Carry Own Hydration
• No Aid Stations/Water Stops on 5K
• Self-recycling / No Littering
• Face Covers Optional

FINISH LINE & POST RACE

• No Post-race Ceremonies
• Runners Must Exit Finish Area Immediately
• Results Published Live Online
• Individually Packaged Refreshments & Bottled Water Available Exiting Finish Area
• Face Covering Required Until Off Site

WAVE STARTS & CORRAL PLACEMENT

• 4 Waves with 6 corrals in each wave
• 1 wave stages on the road
• 1 wave stages in the parking lot north of the starting lot
• As one wave progresses through the corrals, the next wave is ushered into the road and the staging area is prepared for next wave.
• Attached is a rough draft of the start line area.
• We will run two arches — top lane is odd corrals, bottom lane is even corrals

Wave 1 (corrals 1-6) – Turkey Wave

• Arrive & Park Car By 8:15am
• Load Corrals at 8:25am
• Start Time is 8:30am

Wave 2 (corrals 7-12) – Yam Wave

• Arrive & Park Car By 8:15am
• Load Staging area at 8:25am
• Start Time is 8:40am

Wave 3 (corrals 13-18) – Corn Wave

• *Arrive & Park Car By 8:30am
• Warm up and Load Staging area beginning at 8:40
• Start time is 8:50am

Wave 4 (corrals 19-24) – Cranberry Wave

• *Arrive & Park Car By 8:40am
• Warm up and Load Staging area beginning at 8:50am
• Start time is 9:00am

* Wave 3 & Wave 4: Note that roads will be closed for the earlier waves, so parking will need to be on surface streets outside the course loop, or at International Park.

Additional race information can be found at https://runtoledo.com/daves-turkey-chase-5kthanksgiving-day/.

Refund Policy — There are no registration refunds. However, we do offer event transfers within the same calendar year to events owned and managed by Run Toledo. Transfers must be initiated and approved 14 days prior to race day of your registered event.
 
Due to the current COVID-19 uncertainty, scheduled events may be changed to a virtual race and/or postponed. If this becomes necessary, we’ll make every effort to notify registrants and outline all options thirty days in advance of the original date.