5 running events in Thurmont, Maryland

Join us for this beginner-friendly low-key trail race at beautiful ThorpeWood in northern Frederick County.

Thorpewood is private property - so this event is your one and only chance to access this beautiful course.

Our low-key races are FREE for Steeplechaser members, so YAY!

Have you ever accidentally gone out for a run and showed up 5 minutes late with a slightly moldy water bottle, or oh no a totally mismatched running outfit?

Have you ever missed a turn and run extra bonus mileage during a training run or a race?

Have you ever skipped a run and shown up at the after party to celebrate?

If so, you too might a trail runner!

If your initial response was, "No way, I don't know the first thing about trail running!" don't worry, we're here to help! Click the sign-up button and we'll walk you through it - no special shoes, gear or clothing required. Just a smile. And being "okay" with a little mud on your shoes. Join us for a wild and crazy idea - mixing running with nature!

You must be a club member on race day in order to be eligible for the free race entry.

• If you’re not a club member, you can join at https://runsignup.com/fsrc.

• To look up your membership by name and/or email and to renew see: https://runsignup.com/fsrc and click Membership Lookup. If your membership has expired, click the Renew Now button next to your most recent membership. We have no idea why they have Renew Now next to older memberships, so please click the right one.

• If you think you are a paid member of the club and you still can't register, please check that the spelling of your name and your birthday match the information in your RunSignup profile.

• If this still doesn't offer the ability to register for the race for free, email [email protected] for assistance.

Finally - if you currently have an individual membership and would like to upgrade to "Two-In-Household" or "Family" membership in order to get the free race entry for family members, contact our membership committee at [email protected].

Race-Day Registration - You may sign up on race day, but you'll need to do it online on your own device. We will not have paper forms or registration kiosks.

Competition

Both the 5k and the 10k races are part of the FSRC Grand Prix.

Special Thank You

This FREE event is made possible by a partnership between the FSRC and the Merle Thorpe, Jr. Charitable Trust (MTCT), owner of ThorpeWood, LLC. MTCT’s mission is to serve our local and regional non-profit community by offering our property for exploring and recreation and our facilities for meetings, retreats, and Equine Assisted Learning opportunities.

The MTCT is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that accepts charitable contributions to continue their mission.

Please consider visiting the ThorpeWood website and learning more about their history and programs.

Logistics

Parking: Car pooling is recommended and encouraged. As this event is held on private property, please follow the directions of the parking attendants and only park in designated spots.

Course: There is no formal course preview as the event will be held on private property.

Please don't attempt to "preview" the race on your own. We will post a map of the course just prior to the event, with some additional details. The course will be marked with flags/ribbons so you don't need to worry about memorizing the course or getting lost. This is a beginner-friendly event and we will work to ensure everyone to feels comfortable on race day!

The 5k is one single loop, and the 10k will include the 5k loop and a separate, second 5k loop.

We plan to have a volunteer work day at Thropewood a few weeks before the event. If you'd like to get the "lay of the land" this would be a great opportunity to support the Merle Thorpe, Jr. Charitable Trust (MTCT) which has generously donated use of the private property to us on race day!

Timing/Scoring: The race will be chip timed but please make sure that you stay in order as you cross the finish line where a volunteer will scan your bib. We do this as a backup to the chip system.

Water: Water will be provided.

Welcome to the 2026 Central MD SwimFest brought to you by French Creek Racing!

This SwimFest event at Cunningham Falls State Park in Thurmont, MD has three distances (plus options to combine events for longer distance) including:

800 meter swim (1 loop)

1600 meter swim (2 loops)

2400 meter swim (3 loops)

For an extra challenge, race in all 3! Get 30% off your 2nd race and 45% off your 3rd race when you add more races now.

Register today for your choice of races!

Online Registration Closes Thursday, May 7 at 12 midnight.

Check-in is available from 7:30AM to 10:30AM on Saturday May 9. All racers should check in when they arrive.

NO REFUNDS and no rain date. In the event of inclement weather, entries will roll into next year's race, or you may defer to another FCR event. A registered athlete may request a deferral to next year's event if they do so at least 14 days prior to the event. A nominal fee shall apply.

Historical water temperature varies, but we expect water temperature to be between 62-70F for this date. Wetsuits will be allowed with water temps below 78.0 degrees.

We always need volunteers, lifeguards, and other helpers to run successful events. To volunteer, please check out our volunteer link at www.frenchcreekracing.com/volunteer