Your plan in four answers
Nashville Turkey Trot has not announced its next date, so we have estimated November. Change the date below once you know it.
- Distances
- 5K, 10 miles
- Sport
- Running
Course
The Nashville Turkey Trot course
The Nashville Turkey Trot is held on Thanksgiving morning at Wave Country, 2320 Two Rivers Parkway, with the 10 mile and 5K starting together at 8:30 a.m. after a Kids Dash at 8:15. Every course is entirely on paved road or trail, so road shoes are all you need.
Read the full course notes
The 10 mile has a 2 hour 20 minute limit and the 5K 1 hour 30 minutes, and walkers are as welcome as runners. Parking is on site, but cars cannot leave until 9:30 a.m., so plan to stay for the finish-line fun. The 2026 race was the 10th annual edition and supports Special Olympics Tennessee.
- Distances
- 5K, 10 miles
- Weather on race day
- Late November in Nashville averages lows near 39 °F and highs near 56 °F, so the 8:30 a.m. start is usually cool and crisp, which is great for running fast. Gloves and a light long-sleeve layer you can shed are smart choices. About three days in ten bring some rain at this time of year, so pack a dry layer for after the finish.
What to train for
For the 10 mile, build long runs to 10 or 11 miles so the distance feels comfortable well before the holiday.
A weekly tempo run of 3 to 5 miles at goal pace, on paved path or greenway like the race surface, is the most useful session.
If you are racing the 5K, short intervals of 400 to 800 meters at 5K effort will sharpen your speed. Since the start is at 8:30 on a cool morning, practice a short warm-up jog and strides so your first mile feels smooth.
Sample week
A sample Nashville Turkey Trot training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Intervals: 5 × 1 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 5–6 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 7 mi with 4 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 10–12 mi easy
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Taper
Tapering for the Nashville Turkey Trot
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp.
Also in Claude
Ask Claude for this plan
Add AthleteSpace to Claude once, then paste this prompt and put in your own numbers.
Build me a training plan for the Nashville Turkey Trot 10 Mile and 5K (10 miles) in November. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Nashville Turkey Trot training questions
How long should I train for the Nashville Turkey Trot?
Most runners give a 10-mile twelve to fourteen weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Nashville Turkey Trot course hilly?
The Nashville Turkey Trot is held on Thanksgiving morning at Wave Country, 2320 Two Rivers Parkway, with the 10 mile and 5K starting together at 8:30 a.m. after a Kids Dash at 8:15.
What is the weather usually like at the Nashville Turkey Trot?
Late November in Nashville averages lows near 39 °F and highs near 56 °F, so the 8:30 a.m. start is usually cool and crisp, which is great for running fast. Gloves and a light long-sleeve layer you can shed are smart choices. About three days in ten bring some rain at this time of year, so pack a dry layer for after the finish.
When should I start tapering for the Nashville Turkey Trot?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp.
Do I need an account to get a Nashville Turkey Trot training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.