Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon and 7.5 Miler NC

The Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon & 7.5 Mile is a must-run trail race in Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area - Pine Hill Trail Head in North Carolina, designed for runners, ruckers, and hikers looking to opt outside on Black Friday instead of fighting shopping crowds. Held at the scenic Cane Creek Mountains area, this late-morning trail event lets you sleep in, enjoy crisp fall air, and run off your Thanksgiving meal on well-marked single-track trails. Choose between a trail half marathon or trail 7.5 mile, with both run and ruck options available—making this race accessible to first-time trail runners and experienced trail athletes alike.

This North Carolina trail race has quickly become a favorite Thanksgiving weekend tradition. The course features groomed trails, clear signage at every turn, taped-off incorrect paths, and multiple aid stations to keep you fueled. Expect a mix of smooth single-track, moderate roots and rocks, and rolling climbs that provide challenge without being overly technical. Whether this is your first trail race or your goal event for the season, Black Toenail Friday delivers a fun, supportive, and scenic experience—without the stress of early alarms or crowded roads.

Why choose Black Toenail Friday

• Trail half marathon and trail 7.5 mile options
• Run, ruck, or hike categories available
• Late morning start so you can sleep in after Thanksgiving
• A perfect way to opt outside on Black Friday
• Ideal race to run off your Thanksgiving meal
• Clearly marked course with signs, tape, and blocked wrong turns
• Well-maintained single-track trails in Snow Camp, North Carolina
• Multiple aid stations throughout the course
• Suitable for beginners and experienced trail runners
• Custom race swag 
• Custom finisher medal, part of the North Carolina Trail Mega Medal Series
• A relaxed, community-focused race atmosphere
• A smart way to avoid black toenails with thoughtful course design and spacing

If you’re searching for a Black Friday trail race in North Carolina, a trail half marathon near Snow Camp, or a Thanksgiving weekend race with ruck options, the Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon & 7.5 Mile belongs on your calendar. Skip the stores, hit the trails, and start a new holiday tradition outdoors.

Who wouldn’t want to spend the day after Thanksgiving out on the stunning trails through Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area? This course is extremely well marked and offers beautiful views throughout.  All turns are marked with hanging tape and turn signs, and incorrect trail marked with Wrong Way Signs.  If you're looking for a new Thanksgiving weekend tradition, come out and run or walk with us!

7.5 Milers will follow the pink/red tape with the half marathon runners until the split approximately 1 mile from the finish.  Then you will follow the yellow tape.

• Aid Station #1 (Mile 1.8) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy
  Aid Station #2 (Mile 4.9) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy 
  Aid Station #3 (Mile 5.6) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Candy 

This is a course map on Strava. You are able view the course and elevation, as well as download a GPX file from this link to use with your running watch.

Most of the course winds along single-track trails, but don’t worry—there are plenty of spots to pass. The trails are semi-technical, with moderate root- and rock-filled sections, yet it’s the climbs that will really challenge you.

Hiking poles are recommended.

Michigan

Mega Medal Series

Prove It 5K/10K:  April 18, 2026 at the GM Milford Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan

Trenton Summerfest Half Marthon, 8K, & 5K:  June 27, 2026 at Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan

Dearborn Decades 5K:  August 9, 2026 at Ford Field Park in Dearborn, Michigan

Run the 313 5K:  August 22, 2026 at Palmer Park in Detroit, Michigan

Growler Gallop Atwater 10 Mile & 5K:  September 27, 2026 at Atwater Brewery in Detroit, Michigan

Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon & 7.5 Mile:  November 27, 2026 at Proud Lake Rec Area in Commerce Township, Michigan

 

Trail

Winter Trail Fest (WTF) East Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  February 14, 2026 at Island Lake Rec Area in Brighton, Michigan

Winter Trail Fest (WTF) West Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  February 21, 2026 at Yankee Springs Rec Area in Middleville, Michigan

Carpe Diem Carpe Noctem Morning & Evening Half Marathon & 10K:  April 11, 2026 at Proud Lake Rec Area in Commerce Township, Michigan

Summer Trail Fest Ultra (STFU) 50 Mile, 50K, Half Marathon, & 5 Mile:  June 13, 2026 Sleepy Hollow Rec Area in Laingsburg, Michigan

Moonlight Bootlegger 5k:  May 9, 2026 at Maybury State Park in Northville, Michigan

Wolverine State 100 100M, 100K, 100M Relay, & 50K:  October 10-11, 2026 from Petoskey to Alpena in Northern Michigan

 

Road

Thumb Coast Ultra & Relay 50M, 50K, & 50M Relay:  April 25, 2026 from Harbor Beach to Caseville in Michigan's Thumb

Rock CF Thumb Coast Marathon, Half Marathon, & 5K:  November 8, 2026 from Caseville to Port Austin in Michigan's Thumb

 

North Carolina

Road Mega Medal Series

Only Fools Run Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K:  March 28, 2026 at Jaycee Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Pig Pounder Brewery 5K:  April 12, 2026 at the Pig Pounder Brewery in Greensboro, North Carolina

Elm Street Run Festival:  May 9, 2026 at LeBauer Park in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro Distilling Speakeasy 5k:  June 13, 2026 at Greensboro Distilling Co. and SouthEnd Brewing in Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro Half Marathon, 5K, & 1 Mile:  November 21, 2026 starting at Battleground Ave in Greensboro, North Carolina

 

Trail Mega Medal Series

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  January 17, 2026 at Northeast Park in Gibsonville, North Carolina

Northern Trails 17 Mile, 10 Mile & 5 Mile:  March 7, 2026 at Northern Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina

Owls Roost Rumble Half Marathon & 4 Mile:  April 25, 2026 at Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Triple Lakes Trail Race 40 Mile, Marathon, & Half Marathon: October 24, 2026 at Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon and 7.5 Miler: November 27, 2026 at Snow Camp, North Carolina

 

Multisport Mega Medal Series

Belews Lake Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon: April 18, 2026 at Belews Lake Marina in Stokesdale, North Carolina

Cammack Sprint Triathlon:  June 20th, 2026 at Lake Cammack in Burlington, North Carolina

High Point Sprint Triathlon:  August 8, 2026 at Oak Hollow Marina in High Point, North Carolina

Belews Lake Olympic Triathlon & Duathlon:  September 12, 2026 at Belews Lake Marina in Stokesdale, North Carolina

Nat Greene's Revenge Triathlon & Duathlon: October 3, 2026 at Lake Brandt Marina in Greensboro, North Carolina

 

Multisport

Northeast Park Duathlon:  February 28, 2026 at Northeast Park in Gibsonville, North Carolina

 

Trail

Groundhog’s Lap Race: January 31, 2026 at Haw River State Park, North Carolina

Moonlight Bootlegger 5K:  May 2, 2026 at Hagan Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

Carpe Diem Carpe Noctem Morning & Evening Half Marathon & 10K:  September 12, 2026 at Hagan-Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock Ultra & Relay:  September 19, 2026 in Danbury, North Carolina

 

Road

Running of the Lights:  January 1st at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, North Carolina

Blackbeard's Revenge 100 Ultra & Relay 100M, 100K, & 100M Relay:  March 21-22, 2026 in the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina

 

Pennsylvania

End of the Road Half Marathon & One Tunnel 4 Mile:  October 24-25, 2026 on the old Pennsylvania Turnpike in Waterfall, Pennsylvania

 

West Virginia

Highball to Thurmond Ultra & Relay 50M, 50K, & 50M Relay:  May 17, 2026 in New River Gorge National Park, running from Montgomery to Thurmond, West Virginia

Please see our 2026 Athlete Guide below. 

If you can't find an answer here, email us!

Updated 12/08/2025

If your team has 10+ members registered two weeks before race day, you’ll enjoy:

• A team tent set up by Trivium, featuring a banner with your club's name/logo
• Your registration packets, ready at the tent (skip packet pickup lines)
  •  In order for your race packet (shirt, bib, etc.) to be pulled and available at your club tent, you must be registered as part of the club by the Monday before the race at 11:59 pm EST.
• Dedicated club porta potties!
• Food, drinks, and goodies waiting for your team.
• VIP Parking at Pine Hill Trailhead (All other participants need to park at Camp Frontier)
  • If your club has 10 participants signed up, the club will receive 5 VIP Parking passes.
  • If your club has 20 participants signed up, the club will receive 10 VIP parking passes.

Check the Club/Teams tab and see how many people your team currently has registered!  Questions about Club Benefits? Reach out to Delaney at delaney@triviumracing.com.
 

Black Toenail Friday Club Competition

• All clubs, regardless of size, are part of the club competition.
• Awards go to the winning club
• All finishes count toward the 2026 Trivium Club Cup Competition

How Club Scoring Works at Black Toenail Friday

• All finishers earn 1 point just for completing the race, so the more runners your team brings, the more you score.
• Age group placement earns additional points, with top finishers scoring up to 20 points (1st place) and down to 2 points (for 16th–20th).
• Overall podium winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd) earn double their age group points—for example, an overall 10K winner scores 41 points!
• Volunteers are a huge part of race day too, earning 5 points each for their club.
• And because BTNF has two distances, the Half Marathon is worth double points across the board—making it a huge opportunity to rack up a big score for your team.

2026 Trivium Racing Club Competition

• All clubs who compete also earn points toward the Overall, 2026 Trivium Club Competition
• The Overall season winner will be treated to a club party and receive the club cup to proudly display for the next year!
• Points will start at 500 for first place and decrease by 50 points for each placement. (1st = 500, 2nd = 450, 3rd = 400, etc.)
• Clubs placing 11 – 20 will receive 25 points.
• Club placing 21 and up will receive 10 points.
   

Check out the full club cup schedule and how points are earned here:  https://triviumracing.com/cup-challenge/

Club Program

Love racing with your club/team with Trivium Racing?  Check out our Club Program!  Clubs receive a 10% discount code, a free race entry to raffle at run group, and can potentially partner to do more fun stuff!  Complete this form to request to participate.

Who wouldn’t want to spend the day after Thanksgiving out on the stunning trails through Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area? This course is extremely well marked and offers beautiful views throughout.  All turns are marked with hanging tape and turn signs. As the park will remain open to hikers, no trails will be marked off rather we will use Wrong Way signs.  If you're looking for a new Thanksgiving weekend tradition, come out and run or walk with us!

All half marathon runners will follow the pink/red hanging tape.

• Aid Station #1 (Mile 1.8) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy
• Aid Station #2 (Mile 4.9) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy 
• Aid Station #3 (Mile 5.6) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Candy 
  • Note: AS #3 will be the soft cut off for Half Marathon participants starting at 12:30 PM.  
  • Note 2: Half Marathoners you will come back to AS after 2 miles making this AS 3.5
• Aid Station #4 (Mile 8.1) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy 
• Aid Station #5 (11.2) Water/Tailwind/Huma Gels/Coke/Pickles/Candy 

Course Cut Off

• Mile 6.3 at the HM/7.5 Mile split at 12:45pm

This is a course map on Strava. Half Marathoners complete two loops of this course. You are able to view the course and elevation, as well as download a GPX file from this link to use with your running watch. 

Most of the course winds along single-track trails, but don’t worry—there are plenty of spots to pass. The trails are semi-technical, with moderate root- and rock-filled sections, yet it’s the climbs that will really challenge you.

Hiking poles are recommended.

Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon and 7.5 Miler offers a referral code program. This is a fun & easy way to get your friends to sign up to race with you, plus you get a little money back on your registration fee!

Referral incentives

• 7.5 Mile Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race and you get a $15 race registration refund
• Half Marathon Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race and you get a $20 race registration refund

How does this work? Share your specific referral code link that you were given when you signed up to race. Once you get the above-mentioned people to register using your code, you will get your registration refund. Start sharing your link today!

You can also locate your personal referral link by clicking this link for instructions.

Those wishing to race in the ruck category must provide their own pack/vest and weight. Ruckers and their packs/vests will both be pre-weighed 20 minutes prior to the race at the starting line.

• Ruckers Under 150lbs must have a pack/vest with 20 lbs
• Ruckers Over 150lbs must have a pack/vest with 30 lbs

Additional Rules:

• Ruck weight must be on the athlete at all times.
• No specific pack is required.
• Ruck weight may be a combination of the pack and the weight.
• Ruck weight may not be consumable

If you would like more information about rucking, click here.

Race Day - Friday, November 27th:

• 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM - Packet Pickup, Registration & Bag Check
• 10:45 AM - Pre-race Meeting at the start line
• 11:00 AM - Half Marathon AND 7.5 Mile Start
• 12:45 PM - HM Cut Off at Mile 6.7
• 1:00 PM - 7.5 - Mile awards
• 2:00 PM - Half Marathon Awards
• 2:30 PM - Race Cut-off Time (If a half marathon runner has fallen far off-pace, they may be pulled off the course by event staff)

Spectators are encourage to come cheer on participants however due to parking limitations and the Cane Creek Natural Mountains Area being open to the public, we ask that spectators carpool with participants. ALL spectators must walk from Camp Frontier to the start/finish line area (due to limited space on the shuttles).  The walk from Camp Frontier is on an uneven path through the woods and it is not recommended for strollers or those who have limited mobility.  Walking on, or the shoulder of, Bass Mountain Road is NOT ALLOWED.

Spectators are welcome to bring LEASHED (6' leash max) and SUPERVISED dogs.  Please ensure the dogs are not obstructing trails from participants or others who are enjoying the park on race day.

Both the Half Marathon and 7.5 Mile events will be chip timed by Trivium Racing. Overall awards will be based on gun time and Age Group awards will be based on chip time. 

• Finisher medals to everyone who completes the trail half marathon and 7.5 miler.
• Awards for top three overall males, females and non-binary in the Half Marathon and 7.5 Mile events.
• Awards for top three overall males, females and non-binary in the Half Marathon Ruck and 7.5 Mile Ruck Events.
• Awards for top three males and females in the following age groups in Half Marathon and 7.5 Mile races– 14 & under; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80+

Virtual participants will not be eligible for awards.

Awards not picked up on race day will be subject to a $10 shipping fee. Awards will only be mailed 2 weeks from the event date.

To complete your virtual race and receive your finisher medal and shirt, follow these steps:

1. Run your half marathon or 7.5 mile race at a place and time of your choosing
2. Track your time with a watch or fitness app
3. Report your time here by clicking "Submit Virtual Results". Results can be submitted anytime between November 1st and November 27th

Once all results are submitted, shirts and finisher medals will be mailed out within 10 days after race day. Please double check that your mailing address is correct on your registration by race day! No packets will be available after December 9th. 

Changes to virtual on or after race day will be subject to a shipping fee and item availability.

 

Virtual participants are not eligible for awards.  

 

Any changes to virtual on or after race day will be subject a shipping charge.

Regular Registration

• Custom Black Toenail Friday long-sleeved shirt. Shirt size is not guaranteed within 2 weeks of race day. Shirt size availability is visible when registering.   
• Custom Black Toenail Friday finisher medal (The last medal in the Trail Mega Medal Series - all medals will connect to make one Mega Medal!)
• Awesome post-race food and drinks
• Cip timed with live Results
• Great Awards
• The greatest excuse to not be out shopping all day!
• Points towards the Club Cup Challenge
• Points towards the Trivium Running Race Series

Race hoodie: Hoodies will be available as an upgrade for $20. Pricing of hoodies has gone up and availability has gone down. Instead of upping the price of the event we decided to include a long-sleeved race shirt with registration, but give registrants the choice to upgrade to a hoodie. The last day to order a hoodie is Monday, November 10th by midnight! (See below for more info on the hoodies and design)

Economy Registration

• Custom Black Toenail Friday Shirt
• Custom Black Toenail Friday Finishers Medal
• Awesome post-race food and drinks
• Live Results
• Great Awards
• The greatest excuse to not be out shopping all day
• Points towards the Club Cup Challenge
• Points towards the Trivium Running Race Series

Virtual Registration

• Custom Black Toenail Friday long-sleeved shirt.  (note: hoodies will be available as an upgrade for $30. Pricing of hoodies has gone up and availability has gone down. Instead of upping the price of the event we decided to include a long-sleeved race shirt with registration but give registrants the choice to upgrade to a hoodie)
• Finishers Medal

 

2026 Race Medal & Megal Medal

 

 

2025 Race Shirt (Stay tuned for 2026 design)

The shirt comes in a women's (contoured) v-neck and men's (straight) crew cut. 

 

2025 Race Hoodie (Stay tuned for the 2026 race hoodie)

Hoodie features

• Gildan® Heavy Blend™
• 60% cotton / 40% polyester
• Heather Scarlet Red
• Double-lined hood with color-matched drawcord
• Pouch pocket

2025 Add-On Hoodies:
Participants who register and opt out of the race shirt can upgrade to the hoodie for a cost of $20.
Participants who register and want the race shirt and hoodie can pay an additional $30 for the hoodie.

 

Additional swag!

Participants can purchase this BTNF Buff for $5.00 during registration

 

 

 

 

 

Virtual 7.5 Mile: Race Shirts

7.5 Mile: Race Shirts

7.5 Mile - Ruck: Race Shirts

Virtual Half Marathon: Race Shirts

Half Marathon - Ruck: Race Shirts

Half Marathon: Race Shirts