Yesterday I raced the Jones Racing Company Turkey Strut 5k in Winston-Salem, NC. This was my third time doing this race. We alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas between our two families, and 2020 was only virtual, so third race for an 8-year tradition 😂

Official time

23:44

Average pace

7:39 min/mi

VDOT

40.7

Splits

Mile 1

7:47

Mile 2

7:39

Mile 3

7:32

Final 0.1

0:44

Ranking

Overall

166/1845

Male

132nd

Age Group (M40–44)

6/68

Event Page

Turkey Strut 5K

Strava Activity

Turkey Strut

My goal was to negatively split the race. I have run positive splits for my recent races, dying in the final mile, and I wanted to change that. I wanted to take the first mile in 8 minutes and then run each subsequent mile faster.

In a general sense, I achieved my goal, but not in the specifics. About a hundred yards out from the start I checked my pace, and we were running low sixes. It took me about the first half mile to slow down to 8 minute/mile pace, but I never got my average down to that. I hit the first mile in 7:47. Given the goal to negatively split, I targeted 7:45 for the second mile, but hit 7:39. With those splits, I targeted 7:35 for the final mile. I hit 7:32 for that mile and then close to 6:00/mi pace for the final tenth of a mile with my kick.

I felt great for the whole race and ran faster than my recent 5ks. The 40.7 VDOT makes it my best race since August’s Decatur DeKalb 4 Miler. I’m very happy with my results.