NC Local Trail Races - 2024 Calendar

Between coaching the local Fleet Feet trails program and chatting up anyone with half an interest in talking about trails (hiiii!), I’ve kept a mental list of local races that seem popular, as well as other races that seem promising. Last year I formalized the list and shared it whenever people asked for race recommendations. This year I want to continue that tradition, so here’s the latest list with updated dates for 2024!

2023 was a crazy busy year. To put it nicely, I “invested heavily in my career growth” but in reality work got crazy :) But I’m back with a fresh blog post to kick off the new year!

First up: a list of local (ish) trail races! These are races that have come up in trail groups and conversations year after year, plus a few others that I’ve found via searching for local beginner-friendly trail options. This list is focused on the greater NC area (basically anything within a few hours’ drive from central NC), mostly trails, with options from 5K up through 100 milers, plus the World Majors and a few tried and true popular road races. It’s sorted by date (though you’ll find a few “?” rows — these are races that, at the time I put this list together, hadn’t yet announced the 2024 race date), and includes rough location and distances offered at the race.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, nor is it an endorsement of any races listed here. Rather, this is a list of races I’ve seen pop up on local trail runner race calendars year after year, or other local races that give some variety to distance, terrain, and experience. I hope you enjoy! And if you sign up for any of these races or have other race recommendations please let me know in the comments!

Date Race Location Distance
1/6/2024 - Rescheduled to 1/27/2024 South Mountains Marathons South Mountains State Park, NC 1/2, Marathon, 50K
1/6/2024 Little River Trail Run Little River Regional Park, Chapel Hill/Durham, NC 7K, 10M
1/6/2024 Salem Lake Frosty Fifty Trail Races Salem Lake, Winston-Salem 25K, 50K, 50K relay
1/20/2024 Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF) Gibsonville, NC 5M, 1/2
1/20/2024 UGTB Grind'N Trail Run Harris Lake Park, Raleigh, NC 10M, 5M
1/21/2024 Occoneechee Speedway Relay Occoneechee Speedway (Hillsborough, NC) 13.5M relay
1/28/2024 Occoneechee Mountain Challenge Occoneechee Mtn State Park (Hillsborough, NC) 10M
2/3/2024 Frigid Trail Race & Plunge Whitewater Center 5K, 10K + polar plunge
2/3/2024 Uwharrie Mountain Run Uwharrie National Forest, Mt. Gilead, NC 8M, 20M, 40M
2/10/2024 Fellowship of the Idiots Albemarle, NC 19.7M
2/17/2024 Sandhills Trail & Ultra Festival Columbia, SC 5M, 25K, 50K, 30hr
2/17/2024 Pilot Mountain Marathon & 20K Pilot Mountain State Park, Pinnacle, NC Marathon, 20K
2/24/2024 Jordan Lake 20 Miler Jordan Lake State Park, Apex, NC 20M
2/24/2024 Black Mountain Marathon/Mt. Mitchell Challenge Black Mountain, NC (Camp Grier/Mt. Mitchell) Marathon, 40M
3/2/2024 Umstead Marathon Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC Marathon
3/2/2024 Conquer the Rock Table Rock State Park South Carolina 25K, 50K
3/2/2024 Tokyo Marathon Tokyo, Japan Marathon
3/9/2024 URE (Uwharrie) Marathon Uwharrie National Park Mt. Gilead, NC Marathon
3/9/2024 Northern Trails Greensboro, NC 10M, Marathon
3/9/2024 MST Endurance Falls Lake (Raleigh, NC) 50K, 50M, 100M
3/16/2024 Color Me Green Whitewater Center 5K
3/17/2024 Tobacco Road American Tobacco Trail 1/2, Marathon
3/22/2024 Dogwood Ultras Twin Lakes State Park (Green Bay, VA) 10M, 12Hr, 24Hr, 36Hr
3/23/2024 Sassafras Struggle Rocky Bottom Retreat, Sunset, SC 8K, 8M
3/23/2024 Mt. Mitchell Heartbreaker Black Mountain, NC (Camp Grier/Mt. Mitchell) 50M, 55K
3/23/2024 Blackbeard's Revenge Corolla, NC 100K, 100M
4/5/2024 Country Mile Slater-Marietta, SC 5K, 50K, 100K relay, 48hr, LRS
4/6/2024 Umstead 100 Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC 50M, 100M
4/6/2024 New South Trail Marathon Whitewater Center Half, Marathon
4/7/2024 Paris Marathon Paris, France Marathon
4/13/2024 Seven Sisters Montreat, NC 25K
4/13/2024 James River Trail Runs James River State Park, Gladstone, VA 10M, 50K, 50M, 50M relay
4/14/2024 MST 12 Mile & 50K Challenge Falls Lake (Raleigh, NC) 12M, 50K
4/15/2024 Boston Marathon Boston, MA Marathon
4/19/2024 Ragnar Atlanta Atlanta, GA Ragnar Trail Relay
4/20/2024 Tar Heel 10 Miler Chapel Hill 4M, 10M
4/20/2024 Promise Land 50K Bedford, VA 50K
4/21/2024 London Marathon London, UK Marathon
4/26/2024 Ragnar Richmond Richmond, VA Ragnar Trail Relay
4/27/2024 Owls Roost Rumble Greensboro, NC 4M, Half
4/27/2024 Run of the Mill 5K Whitewater Center 5K
4/27/2024 UROC (Ultra Race of Champions) Shenandoah Valley 100K, 50K, 25K
4/28/2024 Philosopher's Way Carolina North Forest, Chapel Hill, NC 7K, 10M
5/1/2024 Knock on Woodstock Marietta, SC 1M, 10M, 50K, 100M Relay, 48HR
5/4/2024 Zen Squirrel Briar Chapel (Chapel Hill) 2M, 5M, 10M
5/10/2024 Hellbender 100 Mt. Mitchell 100M
5/17/2024 Ragnar Kentucky Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area, KY Ragnar Trail Relay
5/17/2024 Time Laps Whitewater Center 24 hr
5/18/2024 Cedarock Trail Run Cedarock Park, Burlington, NC 5K, 10K, 1/2, 1/2 relay
5/19/2024 Highball to Thurmond New River Gorge, WV 50M (solo/relay), 50K
6/1/2024 Dam Yeti 50 Damascus, VA 55K, 50M
6/1/2024 Ridge to Rails Old Fort, NC 50K, Half, 10K
6/1/2024 Running of the Bulls Durham, NC 8K
6/5/2024 The Big Run Hillsborough, NC 5K
6/22/2024 Night Train High Bridge Trail State Park, Farmville, VA 5K, 1/2, 50K
7/4/2024 4 on the Fourth Carrboro, NC 4M
7/13/2024 Carolina Reaper Challenge Anderson, SC 10K, Half, Full, 50K, Relay
7/20/2024 Common Rush Trail Run Harris Lake County Park, New Hill, NC 5M, 10M
? - August? Grand-further Morganton, NC 25K
8/9/2024 Ragnar Appalachians Upstate WV Ragnar Trail Relay
8/31/2024 Iron Mountain Damascus, VA 16, 30, 40, 50 miles
9/7/2024 Lake Summit 10 Miler Lake Summit, Tuxedo, NC 10M (gravel)
9/14/2024 Jones Gap Trail Run Marietta, SC 9M
? - September? Table Rock Ultras Morganton, NC 50K, 30K
9/27/2024 Yeti 100 Damascus, VA 100M
9/28/2024 Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock Winston-Salem, NC 50M (solo/relay), 50K
9/28/2024 Hinson Lake 24 Hour Hinston Lake, Rockingham, NC 24 hr
9/29/2024 Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon
10/6/2024 Hillsborough Half Hillsborough, NC 5K, 1/2
? - October? Carrboro 10K Carrboro, NC 10K
? - October? High Bridge Ultra High Bridge Trail State Park, Pamplin, VA 50K, 30K
10/12/2024 Cloudsplitter 100 Norton, VA 100M
10/13/2024 Chicago Marathon Chicago, IL Marathon
10/19/2024 Medoc Mountain Race Medoc Mountain State Park 10M, 5M
10/19/2024 Uwharrie 100 Uwharrie National Forest 50K, 100K, 100M
10/19/2024 Rootrock Trail Run Briar Chapel (Chapel Hill) 5K, 10K, Half
10/20/2024 Bull City Race Fest Eno River State Park, Durham, NC 5M, Half
? - October? Eno River Run Durham, NC 6M, 11M
? - October? Fonta Flora Morgaton, NC 50K, Half
10/25/2024/td> No Business 100 Pickett CCC Memorial State Park, Jamestown, TN 100M
10/25/2024 Rim to River New River Gorge, WV 100M
10/26/2024 Sadlers Creek Stumble Anderson, SC 10K, Half, 50K, 30HR
10/26/2024 Triple Lakes Greensboro, NC 1/2, Marathon, Marathon relay, 40M, 40M relay
10/26/2024 Stides for Speech - Triangle Aphasia Project Wake Forest, NC 5K
11/3/2024 New York Marathon NYC Marathon
11/3/2024 City of Oaks Marathon Raleigh, NC 5K, 10K, 1/2, Marathon
11/9/2024 Prisoner of War Trail Race Camp Croft State Park, Spartanburg, SC 8M, 25K, 50K, 30HR
? - November? Shut-in Race Asheville, NC ~19M
? - November? Eastern Divide Blacksburg, VA 8M, 50K
11/16/2024 Richmond Marathon Richmond, VA 8K, 1/2, Marathon
? - November? Leaves to Leases Cary, NC 5K, 8K
11/28/2024 Gallop & Gorge 8K Carrboro, NC 8K
11/28/2024 HRC Turkey Trot Hillsborough, NC 5K
12/1/2024 Running of the Elves Hillsborough, NC 1M
? - November Chestnut Ridge Camp Chestnut Ridge, Efland, NC 4M, 8M
12/7/2024 Run at the Rock Cedarock Park, Burlington, NC 5K, 10K, Half
12/7/2024 Shakori 40 Shakori Hills, Pittsboro, NC 4M, 40K, 40M, 40M relay
12/7/2024 Freight Train High Bridge Trail State Park, Farmville, VA Half, 50K, 100K
? - December? Race 13.1 Durham, NC 1/2
? - December? Nutcracker Endurance Run Erwin, NC 3Hr, 6Hr, 12Hr
12/14/2024 Beast of the East Crowders Mountain State Park, NC 15M, 25M, 50M, 100M
12/21/2024 The Longest Night Greenville, SC Timed loops: 10K, Half, Marathon, 50K, 50M
? Pilot Mountain Goat Pilot Mountain State Park 3M, 7M
? Carolina Beach State Park Trail Half Carolina Beach State Park 5K, Half

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