I didn’t have high expectations for the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k. In fact, I didn’t really plan to race it hard until we started, and I realized I might be able to win.
It’s kind of comical—in the best way possible. While writing this recap, I got curious about my recent 10k times, and this 44:57 is actually one of my better recent performances. I ran both the Las Vegas and Richmond Half Marathons at a faster pace, but I haven’t been running many fast 10ks lately. Which is fine.
Before the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k
With any base race, I don’t put too much pressure on myself. I don’t have a fancy pre-race strategy, and I don’t go out of my way to fuel, taper, or do anything special. I want to support the installation races and try to attend as many as possible, but I don’t think, these are the races I’m going to PR at. In fact, about half the time, I end up jogging them with friends…LOL.
I was still on East Coast time and woke up at 3:30 a.m. I actually worked from about 3:30 to 7 a.m., then got ready for the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k at 8 a.m. It felt like a late start, but luckily, work is accommodating. I jogged the two miles to the race start. We had a quick animal safety brief, and then we were off.
The event is free, with no medals, bibs, or shirts. It reminds me of grassroots racing and why we participate in events like this.
Edwards Turkey Trot 10k
After the race started, I immediately found myself in first place overall. I hadn’t anticipated that because there are several fast runners on Edwards, just none of them happened to be racing that day. My guess is they couldn’t get off work at 8 a.m. for a 10k.
I knew the first mile was flat, followed by about a 100-foot climb at mile 2, then back downhill, with the rest being flat. I’ve run hundreds of miles on this course when I’m not tooling around in the desert.
I hit the first mile in 7:10 and was surprised. Between Richmond and the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k, I came down with some sort of sickness that left me very congested. Thankfully, it wasn’t COVID (I tested multiple times). I wasn’t even sure I could maintain an 8-minute pace.
The second mile went uphill, and I ran a 7:12. It’s my second-fastest time on that particular Strava segment, although I’ve only pushed hard there once before. I could feel my lungs working harder than usual because of the congestion.
There was a younger cross-country kid who seemed to be gaining on me. Since moving to the West Coast, I’ve become a stronger-than-average downhill runner, so I told myself to push the downhill. Never mind that it was only mile 3…I ran a 7:02.
We headed back toward the start line of the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k for mile 4. You pass the start line at around 4.6 miles, then double back for a little more distance. By this point, I was running alone.I cheered for friends and just focused on finishing,
After turning around, I realized, Man, it’s really windy. The next two miles were rough, and I ran 7:20 and 7:27.
I was not feeling great due to getting over the sickness and I crossed the Edwards Turkey Trot 10k finish line in 44:57, finishing as the first person overall.
Post-Race Surprise
I hadn’t anticipated winning first place and a turkey! They didn’t separate prizes by gender, so it was just first person overall. That left me jogging the two miles back home carrying a 12-pound frozen turkey. I averaged a 12:55 pace on the way home, and honestly, it felt like a harder workout than the race itself. I’m proud of that pace!
Edwards Turkey Trot 10k Thoughts
Overall, I’m happy with my effort, especially considering all the mucus in my lungs right now. It was essentially a solo hard effort, so I’m pleased to have run as fast as I did. I’m hoping to clear the congestion soon, with the marathon coming up in two weeks.
You can see my Strava activity here and more race recaps here.
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Questions for You:
Have you ever won a turkey at a turkey trot?
Do you have any free events near you?