Northern Trails Trail Race

The Northern Trails Trail Race returns to Greensboro, North Carolina, offering distances of 5 miles, 10 miles, and 17 miles. This early spring trail race challenges participants to run, ruck, or hike through the scenic trails along Lake Brandt and Lake Townsend. Over the years, racers have experienced it all—snow flurries, rain, and sunshine—making Northern Trails one of the most unpredictable and exciting trail races in the Piedmont. No matter the weather, this race is the perfect way to kick off your season and test your limits.

Whether you’re a first-time trail runner, an experienced rucker, or a seasoned endurance athlete, Northern Trails offers a challenge for everyone. Many runners use the 17 mile distance as the perfect prep race for an upcoming ultra or as a spring A race to push for speed on the trails. Others enjoy the 5- or 10-mile distances as an approachable way to get into trail running or to enjoy the camaraderie of the trail community.

Finishers receive a custom spring-themed medal, part of the North Carolina Trail Mega Medal Series, making it a must-do for anyone chasing the full 4-race collection. Participants also get a custom race shirt (available in unisex and women’s sizing), designed to reflect the rugged beauty of the trail.

 
Why runners and ruckers choose the Northern Trails Trail Race

• Unique distances – 5 mile, 10 mile, or the one-of-a-kind 17 mile race
• Run, ruck, or hike – Options for both runners and ruckers to take on the course
• Unpredictable weather – Past races have seen snow, rain, and sunshine—it’s always an adventure
• Scenic course – Trails wind along Lake Brandt and Lake Townsend, showcasing Greensboro’s northern trail system
• Exclusive medal – Earn the second medal in the North Carolina Trail Mega Medal Series
• Perfect ultra prep – The 17-mile distance is an ideal training race for upcoming ultras
• Spring tradition – Celebrate the season on the trails with a vibrant community of athletes

 
Who Should Race Northern Trails?

• New Trail Runners – The 5- or 10-mile options are a great introduction to off-road racing
• Ultra Hopefuls – The 17-mile distance is the sweet spot to test endurance before tackling a longer ultra
• Competitive Racers – Chase a fast spring trail time on a rolling course
• Ruckers – Take on the trails with weight in your pack and grit in your stride

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this spring trail race tradition. Register now and claim your place on the start line of the Northern Trails Trail Race.

The Northern Trails 10 Miler is a tamer version of the 17 mile distance. Mostly on Greensboro’s most scenic trail for an out and back course, this is a great event for athletes looking to start racing longer, walkers looking to complete a challenge, shorter distance trail racers and anyone looking to get out and enjoy some early spring trails. Athletes will get aid at two aid stations on the course, and will be treated to a well maintained, well marked race course.

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

Runners will enjoy a well marked and maintained trail while they travel around the Greensboro watershed area. On any trail, weather and conditions drastically effect the difficulty level of the course, but this course is scenic, fun and achievable. 

Find the course on Strava here! 

Whether you are just starting trail running or you don't have time for more miles, you will enjoy this scenic out and back trail. Athletes will have a well maintained, well marked course and have one aid station during their race. 

Find the 5 Mile course here!

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

Check out this comprehensive athlete guide!

Friday - Early Packet Pick Up

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Early Packet Pick Up at Fleet Feet Greensboro

Saturday - Race Day

• 7:00 AM - 8:45 AM | Race-Day Registration and Packet Pick-Up at race site
• 7:30 AM | 17 Miler Ruck Start
• 8:00 AM |17 Miler Race Start
• 8:40 AM | 10 Mile Race/Ruck Start
• 9:00 AM | 5 Mile Race/Ruck Start 
• 1:30 PM | Course Closes

Course Cutoffs

• 9:40am - 17 Mile @ Mile 5.2
• 11:28am - 10 Mile @ Mile 5.75
• 12:07pm - 17 Mile @ Mile 12.75 

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.
• Food, drinks, and goodies waiting for your team.

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.
 

Northern Trails Trail Race 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 Northern Trails Trail Race

• 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.

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.

Save time on race day, plus get any last minute items you need to have a successful race when you pick up your packet early!

• Date Friday, March 6, 2026
• Time 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
• Location Fleet Feet Greensboro, 3731 Lawndale Dr, Greensboro, NC 27455

Present your bib at check out & receive a 10% discount! 

Northern Trails Marathon & Ten 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

• 17 Mile Participants: Refer 4 people who sign up to race, and you get a $25 race registration refund
• 10 Mile Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race, and you get a $15 race registration refund
• 5 Mile Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race, and you get a $15 race registration refund

How does this work? Share the referral code link you were given when you signed up for the 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.

*Referrals apply to those who sign up for in-person racing, whether running or rucking.

Testimonials from past participants

"Great day on Saturday!!! Thank you to everyone who put it all together so we could play in the woods!!!" - Mike D

There is no preview run scheduled for the 2026 race.

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.

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

1. Run your 17 Miler, 10 Miler, or 5 Miler at a place and time of your choosing.
2. Track your time with a watch or fitness app.
3. Report your time on our results page by clicking "Submit Virtual Results". Results can be submitted anytime between February 1st and March 7th. Don't forget to share your virtual race selfies too! If you have trouble, here's a step-by-step guide!

Shirts and finisher medals will be mailed within 10 days of the in-person race day. Please double check that your mailing address is correct on your registration before race day.

Virtual participants are not eligible for awards. 

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

Parking for this event will be onsite at Northern Guilford High School. Even better, you don't need to worry about your bags or keys because Fleet Feet will be there to provide bag check while you race!

Regular Registration

• Custom race shirt (shirts are only guaranteed for registrations made more than 2 weeks before race day)
• Medals: This race is the second race in the Trail Mega Medal series!  All medals will connect to make one giant medal!
• Chip timing with splits on the race course and fast finish results
• Live tracking for participants and spectators through RaceJoy app
• Race photos
• Aid along course at multiple aid stations
• Post-race food and beverages
• Points towards The Trivium Running Series
• Points towards The Trivium Club Cup Championship

Economy Registration

• Custom race shirt
• Medals
• Chip timing with splits on the race course and fast finish results
• Live tracking for participants and spectators through RaceJoy
• Aid along course at multiple aid stations
• Race photos
• Post-race food and beverages
• Points towards The Trivium Running Series
• Points towards The Trivium Club Cup Championship

Virtual Registration

• Results included in virtual race leaderboard
• Custom race shirt
• Medals: This race is the second race in the Trail Mega Medal series! All medals will connect to make one giant medal!
• Packet available for pick up locally or mailed for $10 (international shipping requests will incur additional shipping charges

2026 Custom Race Shirt

2026 Custom Medal + Mega Medal

This race is chip timed by Trivium Racing.

• Awards to the top 3 overall males and females in the trail marathon and ten miler
• 17 Miler: Awards to the top 3 males and females in the following age groups : 19 and under, 20- 29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80+
• 10 Miler: Awards to the top 3 males and females in the following age groups: 19 and under, 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+
• 5 Miler: Awards to the top 3 males and females in the following age groups: 19 and under, 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+
• Ruck (both distances): Top 3 overall male and female Ruckers (See ruck rules by clicking here)
  • Ruckers will be pre-weighed prior to the race.
    • Ruckers Under 150 lbs must have a backpack with 20 lbs
    • Ruckers Over 150 Lbs must have a backpack with 30 lbs
• 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.