Upgrade to Trails

Overview

Welcome to the 4th Annual Rootrock Trail Run!   Run 5K, 10K, or the Half Marathon on 10/19/24 at Briar Chapel in Chapel Hill, NC. Athletes will be treated to some awesome courses that include a mixture of smooth and flowing dirt trails, rock and root strewn single-track, and challenging hill climbs. After finishing the race, enjoy post-race food, great music, a free kids race, and a fun awards ceremony with fun contests and lots of giveaways. 

Sprawling over 900 acres and located on the south side of Chapel Hill, NC, Briar Chapel is a green community that boasts a vast 20+ mile network of forested hiking and mountain biking trails. In addition to fantastic trails, centrally located Great Meadow Park, with its beautiful lawn, stage, and pavilion, offers a perfect setting area to start and finish a race.

Course Maps and Description

5K Rootrock Course Description

The 5K is perfect for families with kids (aged 6+) and for those looking to get a small taste of trail running. The 5K course starts with .45 mile of wide-open pavement, followed by 3.0 miles of double and single-track.  The exact distance is 3.3 miles, with an elevation gain of 222’.  While there are some hills, rocks, and roots along the course, the majority of the terrain is less technical than the 10K and Half Marathon courses. Rootrock 5K Technical Terrain Course Rating:  Overall 2+ out of 5 – (1.8M of EASIEST/EASY and 1.5M of MODERATE) (This is a fun and fast course)

10K Rootrock Course Description

The one-loop 10K race course is a super-fun, tried-and-true loop that many Briar Chapel residents run and ride all the time.  It starts with .3 miles of wide-open pavement and .2 miles of double-track trail, perfect for establishing pace and position.  Other than a few road crossings and the last .3 miles of the course, this is the only pavement in the race.  After entering the single-track trails, 10K racers run along semi-technical terrain, up gradual hill climbs, and along relatively flat stream valleys before finishing in Great Meadow park, a large grassy community area.  The exact distance of the 10K course is 6.2 miles, with an elevation gain of 438’.  Rootrock 10K Technical Terrain Course Rating:  Overall 3 out of 5 – (1.0M EASY and 5.2M MODERATE) (An excellent, challenging, and very ‘runnable’ course)

Half Marathon Rootrock Course Description

The one-loop Half Marathon course is an AWESOME challenge, and includes all the terrain of the 10K course as well as many of the newer trails in the western portion of the neighborhood. These newer sections have some steep hill climbs with plenty of rock and root filled sections.  In addition to the challenge of the added length and elevation, the Half Marathon course has decidedly more technical terrain than the 10K course. The exact distance of the Half Marathon course is 13.2 miles, with an elevation gain of 1,144’. Rootrock Half Marathon Technical Terrain Course Rating:  Overall 4- out of 5 – (2.3M EASY, 7.4M MODERATE, 3.5M DIFFICULT) (varied, fun, and very challenging course)

Course Maps (click on map titles for course details and elevation profiles)

Registration Fees

• 5K: $37 by 1/24, $40 by 8/19, $45 by 10/17, $55 by 10/19
• 10K: $45 by 1/24, $50 by 8/19, $55 by 10/17, $65 by 10/19
• Half Marathon: $70 by 1/24, $75 by 8/19, $80 by 10/17, $90 by 10/19
• Registration fees are $2-$5 lower for Youth 17-U and Seniors 65+

Expect Excellence. Your Registration Fee Includes:

• Limited race entry to provide an intimate and friendly race experience and to prevent overcrowding on the trails
• Fun and challenging course design
• Professional race operations
• Superbly marked course – you won’t get lost
• Race tee that you’ll love and want to wear. Comes in men’s/unisex, women’s, and youth sizes (see link for sizing/specs).
• Beautiful finisher medal.
• Exciting atmosphere with great music
• Excellent volunteer support
• Frequent and well-stocked aid stations every 1-2 miles along the course
• Medical support
• Chip timing. Accurate and timely posting of results
• Abundant, varied, and tasty post-race food/beverage (including items such as sliders, fresh fruit, hummus/veggies, bagels/peanut butter, trail bars, chips, cookies, and a crowd favorite, little cups of M&Ms.  Beverages include water, Gatorade, soft drinks, and Honest Kids juice)
• FREE Kids Race for Treasure (see below for details)
• Push-up contest (top 2 M/F win prizes and all who participant get swag)
• Fun awards ceremony with lots of giveaways (see below for details)
• FREE photo downloads post-race (a professional photographer will be at the race)

Schedule of Events

STAGING AREA:  Great Meadow Park at Briar Chapel (161 Salt Cedar Ln, Chapel Hill, NC 27516)

THURSDAY, 10/17/24

• 4pm-6pm:  Optional Early Check-in / Packet Pick-up @ Fleet Feet Carrboro (310 E Main St #120, Carrboro, NC 27510). Fleet Feet is offering 10% off any purchase when you check-in on 10/19 and if you bring in your bib into their shop after the race on 10/19 or 10/20 – NICE and Thank You Fleet Feet!

SATURDAY, 10/19/24 (Race Day)

• 7:15am-9:15am:  Check-in / Packet-up (check-in only if you did not pick up packet on Thursday)
• 8:20am:  Half Marathon Pre-Race Brief
• 8:30am:  Half Marathon Start
• 8:50am: 10K Pre-Race Brief
• 9am:  10K Start
• 9:20am:  5K Pre-Race Brief
• 9:30am:  5K Start
• 10am-12:30pm:  Post-race Food/Beverage
• 10:45am: Awards/Giveaways (5K/10K)
• 11am: FREE Kids Race for Treasure (kids 11-U)
• 11:15am: Push Up Contest (top 2 M/F win prizes. All who participate receive swag.)
• 11:45am:  Awards/Giveaways (Half Marathon)

FREE Kids Race for Treasure

At 11am, kids 11-under are invited to participate in the FREE Kids Race for Treasure.  All kids are welcome to participate and parents are encouraged to line the race course to cheer them on.  We will match kids in age groups (3-U, 4-5, 6-7, and 8-11) and start each group separately on a short out and back ‘race’ in the large field near the staging area.  After running, kids can grab a prize (toys from the dollar store:) from the Treasure Chest!    

Awards, Giveaways, and Age Groups

Finisher medal to all participants.  Prizes and awards for top five overall M/F competitors in each distance. Awards for the top three M/F competitors in each age group.

Age groups for each distance: 13-Under, 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.

We will randomly select winners of some great giveaways – includes gift certificates, running gear, and Roadless Races merchandise.  Racers and volunteers are eligible to win.

Venue

Rules and Policies

Rules:

• Earbuds and external speakers are not permitted in the race.  Wearing earbuds during a trail race is not safe and is frustrating for those trying to pass.
• Pets, pacers, and baby strollers are not permitted on the course. 
• Respect the environment.  No littering.
• Excellent sportsmanship is an expectation at our events. Respect other racers, volunteers, and race staff.  
• Follow the marked course and stay on designated trails. No shortcutting. 
• Please inform our timers if you drop out of the race.
• Bib numbers must be visible from the front at all times.
• Run at your pace.  There are no cut-off times.

Policies:

• Refunds – Receive a full refund (minus $10 and the runsignup processing fee) if you must cancel your race 14 or more days before the race. No cash refunds within 14 days. To cancel, email request to info@roadlessraces.com
• Credits – Receive a coupon code for future Roadless Races if you must cancel your race within the following time periods:  Cancel 14 or more days before the race to receive a 100% credit of your registration fee.  Cancel 4-13 days before the race to receive a 50% credit of your registration fee.  To cancel, email request to info@roadlessraces.com.
• Transfers – Transfer your entry to another racer if you are not able to attend the race (go to runsignup, input your confirmation code, and follow directions for bib exchange.)  Transfers must be initiated online at least 3 days prior to the race.  No race day transfers.  We do not allow transfers to another race, but you can cancel your race for full or partial credit. 
• Minimum Age for 10K and Half Marathon – Rootrock Trail Run 10K and Half Marathon racers must be at least 12 years old to race unaccompanied in the 10K or Half Marathon.  Racers 8-11 years old MUST race WITH (alongside) a registered parent or guardian, unless approved by race director (email info@roadlessraces.com to request approval).
• Minimum Age for 5K – Rootrock Trail Run 5K racers must be at least 10 years old to run unaccompanied in the 5K.  Racers 8-9 years old MUST run WITH (alongside) a registered parent or guardian, unless approved by race director (email info@roadlessraces.com to request approval). Racers 5-7 MUST run WITH (alongside) a registered parent or guardian.
• Cancellation/Postponement – Racers may choose between a full refund (minus runsignup processing fee) or a coupon code for 100% credit of the registration fee paid, should we need to cancel or postpone the event for any reason. Use credits for future Roadless Races events.

Sponsors

Win with Our Sponsors