Rootrock Trail Run - 5K/10K/Half Marathon

• 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, large, and hefty 3.5" finisher medal that doubles as a drink coaster (remove the Velcro ribbon).  See image for 2025 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)
• Awards ceremony with fun contests and lots of giveaways (see below for details)
• FREE photo downloads post-race (a professional photographer will be at the race)
• Lower pricing for Youth 17-U and Seniors 65+

SATURDAY, 10/18/25 (Race Day)

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

• 7:30am-9:45am:  Check-in / Packet-up
• 8:20am:  Half Marathon Pre-Race Brief
• 8:30am:  Half Marathon Start
• 9:20am: 10K Pre-Race Brief
• 9:30am:  10K Start
• 9:50am:  5K Pre-Race Brief
• 10:00am:  5K Start
• 10:15am-12:15pm:  Post-race Food/Beverage
• 11:15am:  FREE Kids Race for Treasure (kids 11-U)
• 11:30am:  Awards and Coastal Credit Union donation to Meals on Wheels
• 11:45am:  Contests and Giveaways

Briar Chapel has 20+ miles of AWESOME single-track.  There are some easy, flat mellow areas but most of the trails at Briar Chapel offer a fun challenge and include plenty of rocks, roots, and hills.  We would categorize the trails at Briar Chapel as moderately technical.  Each of the 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon, one-loop race courses, starts with .3 miles of downhill pavement running, perfect for separating the field or runners.  After that, runners hit the trails, and stay on the trails, except for a few road crossings and short paved sections. 

For more details on each individual course, click on the links below:

5K Course
10K Course
Half Marathon Course

Finisher medal to all participants.  Awards (1st-5th place tumblers) and prizes (Fleet Feet Gift Certificates) for top five overall M/F competitors in each distance. Awards (1st-3rd place pint glasses) 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+.

Racers and volunteers are invited to join the contests - fun stuff such as cornhole, push-ups, rock/paper/scissors, etc, etc.  Contest winners receive NICE swag like Goodr sunglasses or race merchandise and ALL who participate receive an item of swag.  After the contests, we randomly select winners of the rest of the swag - more great stuff such as Goodr sunglasses, gift certificates, running gear, and Roadless Races merchandise. 

Minimum Age for Half Marathon and 10K Races – 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 the 5K Race – Racers must be at least 10 years old to run unaccompanied in the 5K.  Racers 8-9 MUST race WITH (alongside) a registered parent or guardian, unless approved by the race director (email info@roadlessraces.com to request approval).  Racers 6-7 years old MUST race WITH (alongside) a registered parent or guardian.

At 11:15am, 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 course’ in the large field near the staging area.  After running, kids can grab a prize (toys from the dollar store:) from the Treasure Chest!    

Adventures are more fun with friends so create a team and invite your friends to join you in this race. Creating or joining a team is simple during or after registration.  NOTE:  This is not a relay so all team members will still be running their own race.     

Invite friends to join in the fun.  Every person who signs up using your unique referral link will help you earn rewards.  

• Receive a sweet Roadless Races Trucker Hat when you refer TWO (2) runners.  One hat/person.  Pick up your hat at check-in.
• Receive $25 cash back for EVERY FOUR (4) runners you refer.

Your referral link will be included on your confirmation email and we will also send you a separate email that you can forward to your friends.  Also, your referral link will be embedded in the social share buttons at the end of registration.  Plenty of ways to invite your friends and earn rewards.