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EVENT DETAILS

Course Highlights

1. Run past many historic sites in Hillsborough: Old Orange County Courthouse, Burwell School, Margaret Lane Cemetery, Occoneechee Indian Village, and many more
2. All runners will run one lap of the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Track, the only surviving dirt track from NASCAR's inaugural 1949 season
3. Enjoy running on Churton Street, and on Hillsborough's River Walk, part of the Mountains to Sea trail.

4. Faster second half of the race for the Half Marathon (all the hills are in the first half of the race (approx. total gain is 600ft). 5K is riverwalk and speedway track and very flat.

Packet Pick-up

Packet pick-up dates, times and locations are as follows.
4.00-7.00pm, Thursday, 28 September: Fleet Feet, Durham, 9th St. Store (not Southpoint store as per past years)

1.00-5.00pm, Saturday, 30 September: Eno River Farmers Market
5.30-6.30am, Race day

You may pick up the race packet for another participant.

Parking
Price Schedule

5K
Until Midnight 04 July, 2023: $25
05 July, 2022 until Midnight 03 September, 2023: $30
06 September 2022 until 5pm 01 October 2023: $35

Half Marathon
Until Midnight 04 July, 2023: $55
05 July, 2023 until Midnight 03 September, 2023: $65
04 September 2023 until 5pm 30 September 2023: $75


Online registration ends at 10pm Tuesday 26th Sept. After that in person at Thurs/Sat packet pick up is the only way to register (not on race day)
There will be no race day registration

Use link to parking map. Please refrain from parking in the areas marked in red, as these are either directly on the race route, or are reserved for event staff and emergency services. If you can carpool, that would be great. We recommend using the parking deck and River Park School lots first, as these are larger. Downloadable version via link above.

Awards

Unlike many other races, we have elected to reward runners in as many age categories as we can. We mirror the Got Grit? 5Ks (another fabulous Hillsborough race, held each May) award scheme, and try to be fair to runners under the age of 18 by offering many narrow age groups in the 5K, see below. We have also extended our upper age range past 70+, and now go up to 80+.

Awards to the overall top three male and female winners, top three masters (40+, male and female) and top three males and females in each of the following age groups.

Half Marathon age groups are as follows: 19 & 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+
5K age groups are as follows: 9 and under; 10-12; 13-15; 16-19; 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+

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Photographers

Photographers will be at multiple locations on the course. Photographs will be freely available for download after the event.

Beer Garden

We will have a beer garden located within the River Park at the finish serving beer from Eno River Brewing, which is now open in Hillsborough. This is free to runners (21 or over). Please bring your ID.

Race Time Limit

All participants will be expected to complete their distance by 10.30am (Half Marathon pace: 16:00min/mile, 5K pace: 67:45min/mile). Participants that cross the finish line after the 3 hour 30 minute cut off, may not receive an official time.

Certification

Both race routes have been accurately measured and marked. Both race routes have been USATF certified, effective date 22 September 2016. The certification codes are:
Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon: NC16049DF
Historic Hillsborough 5K: TBD

Aid Stations

There will be one aid station at the mid way point on the 5K course at the Occoneechee Speedway Track. For Half Marathon runners there will be aid at 6 points in the race. The exact locations are marked on the race route maps.

Aid stations will have GU gels (with and without  caffeine) and a sports drink (Glacier Ice Gatorade).

As always, we would advise you carry what you need, so you know what you can stomach.

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Party Aid Station at the Speedway track. Extra cheering at the Speedway aid station this year.

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If the weather forecast indicates a warm race day, we may add a further water stop between miles 9 and 11. To be confirmed race week.

Start Line Corrals and Paces

No start line mat (gun time), as the 5K and Half starts are now separate thus reducing congestion (in the past both races started together).

Strollers, dog walkers (5K), must start from the back, or to the side.

Bathrooms

There will be plenty of porta-johns at the start/finish area. There will be one at Kings Highway Park on Ben Johnson Road, and one unit at the entrance to the Occoneechee Speedway Track. These are marked on the Half Marathon map. There are also a toilet block within Gold Park (not right on the race route, but close), also marked on the map.

Accomodation
Race Policy

1. Bib transfers: Bib transfers are not permitted. Bib transfers will affect runner times and can spoil runner award assignments.
2. Given the nature of the race routes (some narrow bridges, mixed surfaces) baby joggers, strollers and pets are not recommended in the half marathon. If you wish to use a strollers or bring a dog please start from the back of the field. Wide strollers will not fit across the 'wobbly bridge', so no double strollers in the Half Marathon.
3. Headphones: It can be unsafe to wear headphones, we do not prohibit their use, but please ensure that the volume level is kept down. You must be able to follow the instruction from all course volunteers, and law enforcement officers during the event.

4. All registration fees are non-refundable and you may not defer to another year.  Registration transfers are not permitted.  You may change your race distance by contacting the race director.

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