Dark Horse Trail Series (26.2 - 13.1 - 10k)

Brought to you by the Spindale Burrito League!

How many times can you run a 0.34 mile segment? How about if the time to complete gets shorter and shorter by the hour?

This race will be a modified version of a last man standing style race.

For the first hour, you will run the segment every 6 minutes. That time will reduce by 1 minute each hour. After the 4th hour the segment time will cap at 3:00 minutes. The race will end when there is only 1 person left.

Every two hours we will pause for 10 minutes for a bathroom break.

2025 was a RECORD BREAKING YEAR!!!

Registration for

Saturday June 13th, 2026

is now OPEN!!

Fun people + beautiful trails + good food = a great day. This is a clothing optional 5K trail run/walk through the woods, trails, and meadows of Carolina Foothills Resort. You may choose to run the 7.3K at no additional cost. If you run the 7.3k, you will also be entered into the 5K. Please choose only one race length.

This race is professionally chip timed! There is a chip embedded in an ankle strap to record the 5K finish times with instant results to displayed on a TV.

The Mike Ward Challenge: Go the Extra Mile, in the 7.3K Mike Ward Challenge honoring the man who inspired the event. Mike was a longtime member of CFR who passed away in 2017 at the age of 73, thus the 7.3k. His wish was for the race to continue annually and to introduce more people to the resort. We give awards in the 5k for the Overall Male and Female along with first and second place Male and Female winners in each age group as well as a special finisher's medal for those who complete the Mike Ward Challenge.

Registration by May 11 includes:

• Specialty Buck Creek Streak T-Shirt

• Delicious Lunch (additional charge for nonrunners)

• A Day Pass to Carolina Foothills Resort (additional charge for nonrunners)

Registration after May 11 includes (while supplies last):

• Specialty Buck Creek Streak T-Shirt (while supplies last)

• Delicious Lunch (while supplies last, additional charge for nonrunners)

• A Day Pass to Carolina Foothills Resort (additional charge for nonrunners)

Registration:

• $45 - June 23 – December 31

• $55 - January 1 – March 31

• $65 - April 1 – June 13 (Same day registration will only be available for returning guests)

Other notes of interest:

• Non-runners will have to purchase a resort day pass

• Meal tickets for non-runners will be available for purchase

If you have never been to Carolina Foothills Resort before, please call the CFR office at 864-461-2731 and get your background check completed prior to race day.

Coon Dog Day 2025 will be held in Saluda, NC on July 12th and the 5K will be better than ever!

PACKET PICKUP, Friday July 11: 🌭Free hotdog at packet pickup! Please pick up your race bib and tshirt at the Saluda Inn at 229 Greenville St., Saluda, 5-8 pm. Follow the packet pick-up signs.

SATURDAY MORNING, July 12: New Race Day Checkin Location- Looking Glass Realty at 108 East Main. St, beside the post office.

The start/finish line is on Main Street. Note: All registration will be online through the runsignup.com page. No paper forms for late/ walkup registration, so bring a phone. You can register until the race starts with a phone.

PARKING- 5K parking is available only until 9:30am at the First Baptist Church, the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration and Saluda United Methodist Church for the race only. If you want to stay for Coon Dog Day, please move your car out of those lots by 9:30am (the shuttle will bring you from the festival parking lot at that time). Parking is also available at the Saluda Elementary School back (bus) Parking Lot on Seminary Street (short walk to start line on Main Street) and there's no rush to leave the school lot.

The Coon Dog Day 5K is hosted by and is a fundraiser for Saluda Elementary School. The run begins in McCreery Park beside Main Street at 8am and follows the traditional Coon Dog Day 5k route.

T-shirts guaranteed if registered by Memorial Day, Monday May 26th.

Chip timing is back for the 5K for all participants to track their time for this annual festival run!

And new for 2025- Really Sweet🍯and Locally Made Awards 🐝! Award Categories: 9 and under, 10-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+.

The KIDS' Fun Run with clock timing and a new route for the kids is back.

Plan to stay for the daylong festival of crafts, food, music and quirky small town fun.

We sure do appreciate our 2025 Sponsors. We couldn't do this without our:

Top Dogs- Sandy Bee Mine Honey Company, Looking Glass Realty and Upland Orchard

Big Dogs- Don Mintz Builders. Saluda Outfitters, Mountain Sky Builders, Stepp Ditching, Adventure Cycles, Solstice Construction, Wakey Monkey, the Orchard Inn and the Saluda Inn.

Porch Pups- Jim Carson Gallery/Studio, Carolina Cottage Guest House and Kevin Burnett

Proceeds from the Coon Dog Day 5K and Kid’s Fun Run support Saluda Elementary School, with a primary focus on literacy and other educational resources that enhance teaching and student success.

It's Back!

The Slam the Dam 10K is back! As most of you know, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure were devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

While the area is slowly recovering, the Lake Lure Olympiad Committee is pleased to be able to bring back both the Slam the Dam 10K as well as the Race to the Rock 5K, as part of their "Race for Recovery" weekend. Unfortunately, the Lake Lure Triathlon will have to wait another year as the lake is still not up to proper standards for safe swimming.

NOTE: This is a difficult course with lots of elevation changes.

IT'S BACK!

The Race to the Rock 5K is back! As most of you know, Chimney Rock and Lake Lure were devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

While the area is slowly recovering, the Lake Lure Olympiad Committee is pleased to be able to bring back both the Race to the Rock 5K as well as the Slam the Dam 10K, as part of their "Race for Recovery" weekend. Unfortunately, the Lake Lure Triathlon will have to wait another year as the lake is still not up to proper standards for safe swimming.

If you're a veteran of the Race to the Rock 5K - welcome back! If you haven't done this race before, treat yourself to a challenging 5K course topped off by a spectacular finish at the top of Chimney Rock State Park with a stunning 75 Mile panoramic view of the Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure.

All spectators and participants will need to exit the mountain after the race and awards.

Participants will be allowed, at no charge, back up on the mountain after the park reopens.

All trails will remain CLOSED until the park reopens.