Nearly 12,000 participants -- up from about 10,600 last year -- will have the opportunity to run, walk or even push themselves in wheelchairs in five events that begin at 6:30 a.m. at Guadalupe River Park.
The sixth annual Turkey Trot is sponsored by Applied Materials, a technology company, spokeswoman Patricia Vera said.
"A lot of the participants have made it a family tradition in the short amount of time we've been hosting it in San Jose," Vera said of the increasing number of trotters.
The program has raised more than $1 million for charities since it began in 2004. Organizers have a goal of raising $350,000 this year, Vera said.
Each event has an entrance fee, ranging from $10 for the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital "Kids Fun Run" to $500 for the "CEO/Celebrity 5K Challenge."
All proceeds beyond those needed to cover the Turkey Trot's organization expenses go to local charities.
Money raised will go to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County, and the Children's Health Initiative of the Santa Clara Family Health Foundation.
