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

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Race Day Details

Saturday, August 14, 2027 at Tryon Equestrian Center, 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC 28756. Get directions.

Course or Race Highlight

Choose your distance: the Dark Horse Marathon (26.2 miles), the Dark Horse Half Marathon (13.1 miles), or the Dark Horse 10K — all run out of the Tryon Equestrian Center, a working horse park in the foothills of Mill Spring, North Carolina.

The course consists of a 6.5-mile loop that meanders through the equestrian center, with a mixture of wide packed dirt paths, single-track trails, and open meadows, gaining 600 feet of elevation per loop. Your registered distance determines how many times around you'll go — the terrain doesn't change from lap to lap, but your legs will have an opinion about it by the last one.

Because every distance shares the same loop, you'll pass the start/finish area — and the aid station, and the crowd — every single time around, whether you're out there for one loop or four.

The Course

The course consists of a 6.5-mile loop that meanders through the equestrian center with a mixture of wide packed dirt paths, single-track trails, and meadows, offering 600 feet of elevation gain per loop. Marathon, half, and 10K runners all share the same terrain — just a different number of trips around it.

View the course map

Parking

Parking costs $5.00, charged as part of registration, and covers your event entrance for the day. Follow the posted parking signs to the General Store area, adjacent to the start/finish line.

Aid Stations

There is one aid station, located at the start and finish line — since every distance shares the same loop, you'll pass it every time around.

Available snacks

Hydration

Wildly Charged is our official hydration sponsor — look for the orange 5-gallon jugs at aid stations.

What's Included

Park Entry Included
Roll in ready to run — no gate fee to worry about. Custom Race Bib
Your badge of the journey. Chip Timing & Live Results
Splits and live results, loop by loop. Race Branded Finisher Medal
To commemorate the triumph. Custom Race Tattoo
Wear the moment proudly. Event-Themed Giveaways
A little extra swag for finishing strong. Race Stickers
Keep the memory riding shotgun on your bottle, cooler, or laptop. Post Race Vibes and Media Coverage
Complimentary professional race photos capture the grit and the glory — hang around at the finish line and celebrate every loop you put in.

From past races. See all race photos

Race Awards

Top 3 Overall (Male & Female)

The fastest three finishers will each receive a trophy to honor their achievement at the front of the pack.

Age Group Awards (Male & Female)

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers in each of 15 age categories will earn an age group medal — a custom piece to add to your finisher's lanyard at the end of the event.

Series Recognition

This race counts toward consistency and performance recognition across the season in these three series:

Giving Back

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Every Upstate Race Series event is part of the Upstate Giving Series, which connects our 30 races with 30 nonprofit organizations serving communities across the Upstate. Your registration and any donation you add at checkout go to work close to home — you are not just running a race, you are funding the work of a neighbor. Upstate Giving Series.

Groups & Teams

The Upstate Running Club welcomes all local and regional running clubs to our events — the more the merrier. Calling all running clubs and social run groups: Upstate Race Series welcomes crews of all kinds to join the fun. Whether your squad is full of weekend warriors, sunrise chasers, or runners motivated by the promise of a cold drink at the finish, we've got an event for you.

Sign up, share with friends and local running clubs, and cash in on race discounts and refunds when your team, run club, or band of misfits hits 5 runners or more.

Good to Know

Managing Your Registration

Everything about your entry lives in your RunSignUp profile. Sign in, find this race under your upcoming events, and make the change yourself — there is no need to email us first. From there you can:

Manage my registration