Salem Lake Trail Races
Winston-Salem, NC
- 30K, 7 Miler, 5K
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
Come join us for the 30K (18.6 miles), 7 mile, or 5K (3.1 miles) run on the beautiful, mostly shaded, wooded trail surrounding Salem Lake. Enjoy a well-organized event that is a great tune up for your fall marathon. The course has been listed as one of America’s best running … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Sep 26):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 81 | 76 | 72 | 77 | 76 |
| L (°F) | 69 | 72 | 63 | 56 | 55 |
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Good trail race for first-timer
Salem lake is a beautiful, serene lake adjacent to the town of Winston Salem. The local running club hosts a few races that use the trail around the lake and … MORE
Salem lake is a beautiful, serene lake adjacent to the town of Winston Salem. The local running club hosts a few races that use the trail around the lake and the adjacent walk/bike way for events.
Background
I signed up for the 30K trail race. I’ve been running 12 miles on weekends, and having completed a half marathon distances, I still felt apprehensive about jumping directly to a full marathon. I found this race which was 30K/18.3 miles, and that fits nicely between a half and a full marathon.
Shoes
Since this was going to be a trail run, I was concerned about my shoes. I have a selection of road running shoes, but did not have any trail running shoes. I deliberated a lot whether I should buy new trail running shoes or stick to ones I’ve worn in the past. I even went to Academy sports and bought myself a pair, but there seemed something wrong about that specific pair, so I felt uncomfortable wearing them when I tried them on for a bit at home. In the end, I decided to stick to my time tested Asic Gel Kayano 26s.
Although it is a trail run, most of the run is along the lake which is packed dirt. There are no roots or annoyances so it is mostly level ground. My road running shoes were fine for the loop around the lake. The spur is paved roads, so the kayano felt at home on that part of the route.
If you are debating whether to use trail shoes or not, fret not on this trail. You can certainly use regualr shoes without much of an issue on the salem lake loop.
Water
There were a couple of places where the creek overflowed on the road. While most of the regulars ran straight through it, I can only assume they were better prepared or had shoes that could deal with getting wet and dry out relatively quickly. I did not think I wanted to run in wet shoes, and so decided to take off my socks and shoes and walk barefoot on that part. Since I use compression socks, it took a bit of time to peel those off and put them on my damp feet, and I lost approximately 4 minutes each time (twice).
This was the first time I encountered such a situation, and I definitely would like to think and plan better the next time. If that means trying to get the right footwear that will dry off quickly, then I simply need to get that sorted so I can do similar trail runs going forward.
Weather
Couldn’t have planned a better day than today. 49 when it started and not windy. It warmed up as the day went by, but go no hotter than 67 by the time I was done with the race.
Swag
A finisher medal and an absolutely fantastic fitting full sleeves tech t-shirt. I had planned to wear a hoodie shirt, but since the day was warmer than I anticipated, I ran in the race t-shirt. That worked well for me.
There was Radar Brewing company pouring three different draft beers on the Marina porch after the race. The Oktoberfest was just what I needed to cool off, and the tangerine wit bier was good too.
Nice scenery
I've done this race 3 times because I love the scenery. It's a very simple race. Paid $25 i think for the 7 miler. No medals or food though. The … MORE
I’ve done this race 3 times because I love the scenery. It’s a very simple race. Paid $25 i think for the 7 miler. No medals or food though. The race is not crowded. The long sleeve shirts are great! They’re my go to running shirts when it’s cold. The volunteers and those running it are really nice. The course is not 7 miles though, closer to 6.75. There’s a hill on mile 2 and 7. The hill on mile 7 is a killer. But despite of it, I keep coming back.
In summary:
Nice scenery.
No medals/food.
Cheap.
Not crowded.
Long walk from parking- but there’s shuttles.
Mile 7 hill will eat you alive.
I need...water... (spongebob voice)
The most difficult race I have run in my nine year career. Maybe I am soft because I don't run trail races much, but water stops were every 3 miles … MORE
The most difficult race I have run in my nine year career. Maybe I am soft because I don’t run trail races much, but water stops were every 3 miles which was NOT enough for a September race in North Carolina. I actually finished the first 8 miles in an hour flat, but totally ran out of gas for the last six miles. I’ll never forget how hard the last mile or two was, just a nightmare. I’m grateful to the Winston Salem State track team for handing out water, but I really needed more aid stations, every 1.5 miles or 2 miles maximum. I could hardly stand after I crossed the finish.
The course looped around Salem Lake, and a little ways out into the forest. Definitely a scenic run, although parts of the trail were low-lying and one area was flooded by a foot of water. Some tough hills around miles 9-11, and dirt trails around the 7-mile lake which should be easy on the knees.
That downhill finish though...
This race was both a 7 miler and a 30K. Salem Lake has a 7 mile loop, so the 7 mile race=1 lap. It's a strange distance. Most of the … MORE
This race was both a 7 miler and a 30K. Salem Lake has a 7 mile loop, so the 7 mile race=1 lap. It’s a strange distance. Most of the first 6 miles is packed dirt trail near the lake, and then there is a MASSIVE hill in the last half mile that many people walk up. But if you survive that, the downhill will cannonball you to the finish line. It’s so satisfying to finish in an all-out sprint, and I overtook one woman in the last hundred meters when I ran this in 2017. In the heat of competition, I growled, “I’mma hunt you down” right before I passed her. Afterward, I cringed at my monstrous muttering. Adrenaline will make you say weird things.