9th Annual Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K - 2026
Sun, Oct 4, 2026, 3:30 AM EDT
- Type
- Run
Sign up and verify details on the organizer's official page.
Race feel
Run through three centuries of history and scenic beauty on a course designed to showcase Hillsborough's unique charm and historic sites.
- Scenic
- Competitive
- Quirky
Scenic
Competitive
QuirkyDiscover the charm of Hillsborough, NC, at the 9th Annual Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K. This event invites runners to explore a town rich in history and natural beauty. The carefully designed courses showcase scenic routes and significant historic sites, including the Old Orange County Courthouse and the unique Occoneechee Indian Village. Both distances offer a memorable journey through Hillsborough's past and present, culminating in a rewarding finish.
What to expect
Experience a course winding past numerous historic landmarks. Run a lap on the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail, a unique piece of NASCAR history. All finishers receive a custom medal, with race shirts available for those who register by the deadline.
Standout details
- Run past historic sites
- Lap on Occoneechee Speedway Trail
- Custom finisher medals
- Hillsborough's River Walk segment
Perks & features
- Medal
MedalFrom the public listing; confirm on the official site.
Course feel
A practical read on terrain, elevation, footing, and typical conditions.
Solid Challenge
Typical course trends
- Typically rolling
- Mostly paved footing
Distances & registration
4 optionsUse the official signup link above for all distances.
Half Marathon
2 options · closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT
5mo 5d 22h 17m leftRegistration
Closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT · From $64.85
Registration - No Shirt
Closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT · From $54.25
5K
2 options · closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT
5mo 5d 22h 17m leftRegistration
Closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT · From $33.05
Registration - No Shirt
Closes Oct 3, 2026, 7:00 PM EDT · From $22.45
Built from public event details. Confirm schedule, fees, and rules on the official event page before signing up.
From the organizer
Hillsborough, North Carolina is no ordinary small, southern town. Its scenic beauty and graceful architecture spanning three centuries, provide an incredible location for a road race. Hillsborough continues to host numerous successful races, including the Little River Trail runs, Got GRIT 5K race, and the Camp Chestnut Ridge Trail races.
Hillsborough Running Club is very pleased to present the 9th Annual Historic Hillsborough Half Marathon and 5K races. Both the half marathon and 5K routes have been designed to showcase many of Hillsborough’s historic sites, and scenic routes.
Course Highlights
1. Run past many historic sites in Hillsborough: Old Orange County Courthouse, Burwell School, Margaret Lane Cemetery, Occoneechee Indian Village 2. 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 3. Enjoy running on Churton Street, and on Hillsborough's River Walk, part of the Mountains to Sea trail
Merchandise
There will be custom medals for all finishers in both the half marathon and 5K T-shirts (male and female cut) and youth sizes if you registered before the t-shirt deadline Note: for female sizing - you may want to order a size or two larger than you would normally Anyone needing to change t-shirt size needs to come to the t-shirt table at the pavilion after the race
Packet Pick-up
Packet pick-up dates, times and locations are as follows:
Thursday 1st October Fleet Feet Durham (Southpoint Store) , 4-7pm Saturday 3rd October, Hillsborough, Farmers Mkt Pavilion (race finish area), 1-5pm Sunday 4th October, Race morning, 6.00-7.00am Awards
Awards to the overall top three male and female winners, top three male and female masters (40+), 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; 75-80; 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; 75-80; 80+
Cut off time
End of race is 11am for both races, which is 3.5 hours for the half marathon, and 3 hours 20 mins for the 5K
Parking
Details will be emailed to all participants during the week of the race, in short, parking is at the deck by Weaver Street Market and at River Park Elementary School