Many runners sign up for a Turkey Trot 5K with no goal other than to enjoy the day and the company of their fellow trotters. Other runners take this annual race more seriously. Very seriously.
Either way, full support! But we have exactly what you need to rip a blazing-fast time this season, thanks to Jeff Gaudette, founder and head coach of RunnersConnect.
The key to running your fastest 5K? Structure the right workouts ahead of race day that will help you build and sharpen your speed. Gaudette shares the tune-up workouts that check both these boxes, plus he shares tips for racing your best Turkey Trot to date.
The Best Tune-Up Workouts for a Turkey Trot 5K
First, you’ll want to include a session that prepares you for what your goal 5K pace will feel like so you can maintain it through the finish. Next, as you get closer to race morning, you’ll benefit from some faster intervals that help sharpen the speed you’ll need to reel in competitors over the final stretch.
1. Speed Endurance Workout
Why it works: When November begins, you’re close enough to race day to get a pretty good sense of the fitness you’ll bring to the starting line. To gauge exactly where you stand, Gaudette recommends a dose of 5K-specific training with what he calls a “speed endurance” session. Aim to do this workout about two to three weeks before your Turkey Trot.
The number of 400-meter repeats you complete will depend on your current weekly training volume, Gaudette says. Higher-mileage runners should shoot for 12 reps, while lower-volume runners will want to aim closer to eight. And if you’re still out of breath when it’s time to start the next interval, don’t worry—that’s exactly the point.
“The rest is short enough so you are not going to be fully recovered before you begin every single interval,” Gaudette explains. “This trains your aerobic system and will give you a pretty good gauge of whether you’ll be able to maintain this pace for a 5K race.”
How to do it:
- Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running
- 8-12 x 400 meters at 5K race pace (7 to 8 RPE), with 30 to 45 seconds of rest between
- Cool down with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running
2. Speed Sharpening Workout
Why it works: The second workout adds some running at speeds faster than your 5K goal pace. But rather than “speed endurance,” the goal of this effort is “speed sharpening,” which is what helps you prime a strong finishing kick. Aim to do this workout either just before or during the week of your Turkey Trot.
Unlike the first workout, you don’t want to skimp on rest between intervals. Make sure that you allow yourself a full recovery, says Gaudette. “The purpose of the long rest is so we’re not producing any type of soreness or fatigue. This workout is more about getting a sense of what these paces feel like.” For example, the 400-meter repeats help get your legs turning over faster and make your goal 5K pace feel a bit more comfortable by comparison.
Keep in mind that these workouts get more challenging as you progress through them. “Runners will usually find that the first third of the workout feels pretty easy. The middle third is hard but comfortable, and then the last third reaches that RPE of 8 or even 9,” Gaudette says.
How to do it:
- Warm up with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running
- 2 x 1 mile at 5K pace (7 to 8 RPE), with 3 to 4 minutes of rest between
- 2 x 400 meters at 800-meter pace (8 RPE), with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between
- Cool down with 10 to 15 minutes of easy running
Tips to Race Your Fastest Turkey Trot
A seasoned trotter, Gaudette toed the starting line of some of the largest and most famous Thanksgiving races, including the Manchester Road Race and the O’side Turkey Trot. The most common mistake he sees? Runners sprinting right out of the gate.
“Really focus on your pacing,” he says. “Going out too fast is the mistake most runners make, especially in turkey trots, because these races tend to draw less experienced runners. These runners don’t yet have that sense of pacing, and they don’t realize how hard the 5K can get in the second half.”
So, if you’re new to the 5K, don’t hammer with everything you’ve got right off the starting line. And if you’re an experienced runner, don’t get rattled if you find yourself farther back in the field during the first mile.
“A runner who typically finds themself in the top half of most of their races might end up in the back third initially since the entire field has gone out so fast,” Gaudette explains. “Just stay focused on your own internal pacing and make sure that first mile is within range: either at your 5K pace or maybe even a little bit slower.”
Why? Because that controlled start sets you up for a huge advantage in a 5K. Conserving your energy over the first mile or so allows you to race hard in the second half. “It’s a double-whammy,” says Gaudette. “You get the benefit of feeling strong, plus the extra motivation that comes from catching a ton of runners through the finish.”
Morgan is a gear editor who has been with Runner’s World since 2017. She started as an intern ghostwriting The Warmup, a bygone version of the daily RW newsletter. Now, she tests and reviews anything you might find on runners’ feet-from crew socks and compression boots to carbon-plated super shoes.
A lifelong runner and shoe geek, Morgan has been chasing the perfect pair of kicks since she joined her grade school cross-country team. Since then, she ran as a Division I walk-on for the cross-country and track & field teams at the University of Delaware, where she studied English and Biology. She has one full marathon under her belt, and has raced more halfs and 5Ks than she can count.
