Likewise, the Bemis Forslund Pie Race, the oldest footrace of any distance on the continent, has been held since 1891, but was canceled in 1936 due to a scarlet fever epidemic,[2] and thus the Buffalo Turkey Trot has had the longer continuous run.

[1] It was an all-male race from its founding through 1971; its first female contestant, Mary Ann Boles, ran the 1972 competition, in which there were 169 racers.

[10] For the 2020 event, the YMCA reduced the field to 125 runners, but added a virtual race that will allow other participants to choose any 8-kilometer path of their choosing during Thanksgiving weekend; the limited field allowed the race to continue to claim a continuous streak of operations, while at the same time maintaining social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

[1] Concurrently, the race has a substantial fun run component; participants in the Turkey Trot have been known to wear unusual costumes (comparable to those used by the contestants in the game show Let's Make a Deal) such as turkey suits, hockey uniforms with mullets, Chewbacca outfits, or formal wedding wear while racing.

Former Headmen from Camp Pathfinder have portaged 16 foot wooden and canvas canoes the entire length of the race.