You'll start in the chill of a March morning at the USA Baseball complex in Cary, where temperatures usually sit in the 40s and 50s. After about two and a half miles of paved Morrisville Parkway, you turn onto the American Tobacco Trail and the surface changes under your shoes to compacted crushed granite, a softer, quieter footing that carries you for more than twenty miles. The trail is wide enough to pass, mostly flat, with only gradual rises, so you can settle into an even rhythm and let the pines do the scenery. The marathon field turns north while the half turns south, so you'll have company without crowding. Save a little for the end: the last stretch is a gentle downhill back to the ballpark. Seven hours on the clock is generous if the late miles turn into a walk.
About 2.5 paved miles on Morrisville Parkway at each end with 20-plus miles of compacted crushed-granite American Tobacco Trail in between, mostly flat with gradual rises and a downhill finish. Course map ↗
2027 registration is already open (Oct 2026). Marathon $99 through 10/31/2026, $120 through 12/31/2026, then $140; half $90/$99/$120. Entries after Jan 31 are 'late' (shirt not guaranteed); no refunds; no deferrals after Jan 31, 2027; transfers allowed for a fee. Exact opening date and final close date not stated on site. Register ↗
- The inaugural race was held March 21, 2010; the 2027 race is the 17th edition. ↗
- More than 20 miles of the course run on the American Tobacco Trail, a wide rail-trail surfaced with compacted screenings, not single-track. ↗
- The course closes at 2:00 PM, giving seven hours for either distance. ↗
- Find My Marathon lists 722 ft of gain and loss and a 12.4% Boston-qualifier rate in 2026 (18.3% in 2023); the race itself says up to 20% of runners qualify. ↗
- The 2026 marathon winner, Juris Silenieks, ran 2:25:20. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.