On Your Mark

Turkey trots, 5Ks, fun runs + marathons in Dallas-Fort Worth this November

Race with your pup at the Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot.

YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas/Facebook

November can mean different things to different people. For some, it's a chance to eat carbs and turkey until we pass out. For others, it's time to lace up your sneakers and fit in a casual 3.1 miles before the pie ever passes your lips. And for a special few, it means both.

18th Annual Fort Worth Marathon, November 10
Walk the marathon course, gather a team for a marathon relay, or go solo for the 5K, half marathon, 20-mile race, or full marathon. Either way, you'll leave Farrington Field feeling very accomplished.

Girls on the Run DFW 5K, November 23
Volunteer coaches for this nonprofit lead third to fifth-grade girls in sessions that blend physical activity with life-skill development, including managing emotions, fostering friendships, and expressing empathy. Each season comes to an end with a celebratory 5K where you can run alongside these accomplished young women at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie.

Pumpkin Spice Races, November 23
It's giving gourds, guts, and glory. The half marathon, 10K, and 5K courses cruise along the Trinity River with shady paths and wide streets. Stay and play in the Shack at the after-party, complete with pumpkin spice coffee, hot chocolate, free ice-cold beer, Mindy Lu Pies, and even a pumpkin pie-eating contest.

Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot, November 28
On your mark for this Thanksgiving tradition, which has been drawing families out for more than 55 years. Expect a 5K run/walk and a 8-mile race, plus a junior trot, family fun area, and the option to dash with your dog (the first 750 dogs across the 5K finish line win their own medal!). Virtual options are also available, and don't forget to dress up for the costume contest.

CRC Thanksgiving Day Run, November 28
Kick off your Thanksgiving with runners and race walkers from all over the community at the half marathon, 10K, 5K, and 1-mile fun run at the Trinity Trails Zero Mile Marker. Whether you are a competitive runner, mid-pack runner, jogger or walker, everyone has a good time.

Scheels North Texas Turkey Trot, November 28
Go on a turkey trot before you gobble 'til you wobble in downtown Frisco. Choose from a one-mile fun run, a 5K, and 10K, and each race also has a virtual option. All entry fees benefit the Miracle League of Frisco.

Irving Turkey Trot, November 28
Sign up to run or walk the 5K or 8-mile distance around the scenic Las Colinas Urban Center at Toyota Music Factory. Hurry — prices increase after November 24. The races benefit the Irving Schools Foundation.

Bad Donkey Night Run, November 29
Find a moment to go with the flow in the midst of a holiday weekend with this laid-back sunset run along the Trinity River Trail. Each wave is capped at 15-20 runners, and distances span 13.1 miles, 10K, 5K, and a one-mile fun run.

And it's not until the second Sunday in December, but the BMW Dallas Marathon is coming up quick. Established in 1971, it has the distinction of being Dallas’ largest and Texas’ longest-running marathon. Several other running and walking event round out the weekend, including a half marathon, 50K ultra marathon, the Shell Energy Relays, a 10K, a 5K, a 5K team challenge, the Friday Night Lights Mile, and various kids races.

holidays turkey trot 5k marathon thanksgiving run promoted

Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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