9th Annual Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K - 2026

Event Overview

The 9th Annual Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K will take place on October 4, 2026, at the Eno River Farmers Market, Hillsborough, NC. This race showcases the history and scenic beauty of Hillsborough, North Carolina.

For more details about the race, visit: Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K.

Race Highlights

• Historic Sites: Run past many historic sites in Hillsborough: Old Orange County Courthouse, Burwell School, Margaret Lane Cemetery, Occoneechee Indian Village.
• Unique Route: Both half marathon and 5K runners will run one lap of the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail, the only surviving track from NASCAR's inaugural 1949 season.
• Scenic Paths: Enjoy running on Churton Street, and on Hillsborough's River Walk, part of the Mountains to Sea trail.

Merchandise

• Finishers Medals: There will be custom medals for all finishers in both the half marathon and 5K.
• T-Shirts: T-shirts (male and female cut) and youth sizes will be available if registered before the t-shirt deadline.
• Sizing Note: For female sizing, you may want to order a size or two larger than you would normally wear.

Anyone needing to change their t-shirt size should come to the t-shirt table at the pavilion after the race.

Packet Pick-up

Packet pick-up will be available on the following dates, times, and locations:

• Thursday, October 1: Fleet Feet Durham (Southpoint Store), 4-7pm.
• Saturday, October 3: Hillsborough, Farmers Mkt Pavilion (race finish area), 1-5pm.
• Sunday, October 4: Race morning, 6:00-7:00am.

Awards

Awards will be presented to the following:

• Overall Winners: Top three male and female winners.
• Masters Division: Top three male and female masters (40+).
• Age Groups: Top three males and females in various age categories for both distances.

Age Groups

Half Marathon age groups include: 19 & under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-80, 80-84, 85-90, 90+.

5K age groups include: 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, 75-80, 80-84, 85-90, 90+.

Cut-off Time

The end of the race is at 11am for both races: 3.5 hours for the half marathon and 3 hours 20 minutes for the 5K.

Parking

Parking details will be emailed to all participants during the week of the race. In summary, parking is available at the deck by Weaver Street Market and at River Park Elementary School.