Growing together

1 year ago, I wrote a newsletter on how I like to grow with races. I won’t repeat what I shared (the original post is here along with a photo from when I ran the 5K in 19:37 with long hair).

But the thing about growth is that it’s not just a one time thing. It actually never stops.

That’s why I loved seeing the Wayne Turkey Trot achieve another impressive year of growth. From 2021 to 2025 the race has grown 8X - that’s 69% annually for math nerds like myself.

Not that any of this is about me, but I was a bit bummed to not be at the Wayne Turkey Trot this year. I was at the race in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and it’s cool to experience such great growth in person.

The reason I couldn’t be there? I was in Thousand Oaks, California at the Five07 Turkey Day Dash, which hit a new record of its own when more than 3,000 participants registered for the event. Here is a photo of me with family at the finish line.

— Ian

Haku vs. Run The Day

Haku was built by technical geniuses for massive events like the Chicago Marathon with 53,000 runners.

So it’s technical complexity can feel overwhelming for races that don’t need to manage lottery systems, expo booths and race logistics for 50,000+ runners.

Resources for Race Organizers

• Timing a 5K Race: DIY vs. Chip Timing Systems

• How the Jenkintown Sunset 5K consistently grows

• 5 Reasons to Organize a 5K Race