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8KOtherTrail
Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead 2026
- Date
- Sunday, December 6, 2026
- Start time
- 9:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Fairfax Station, Virginia
- Entry fee
- From $52.50 · goes up to $65 on Nov 7, 2026
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Register on RunSignup
Registration is open.
Likely to sell out. 234 finished the 8K in 2025, and this year's cap is 250.
We earn a small commission when you register through this link, at no cost to you. Details
Official race websiteAdd to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mile | Other | Dec 6, 20269:00 AM | $62.50$65 after Nov 7, 2026 | 165 |
| 5 Mile | 8K | Dec 6, 20269:00 AM | $52.50$55 after Nov 7, 2026 | 250 |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Register on RunSignup
The Other fee goes up to $65 on Nov 7, 2026.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- 10 Mile: $62.50 until Nov 6, then $65 until Dec 5, then $67.50 until Dec 6.
- 5 Mile: $52.50 until Nov 6, then $55 until Dec 5, then $60 until Dec 6.
Online registration closes Dec 6, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $52.50, entry is about 17 percent above a typical 8K in Virginia, which costs $45 right now.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:12 AM, and the 10 Mile starts at 9:00 AM. The start sits about 300 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Fountainhead Regional Park, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All results (5 years)5 Mile
234
finishers
54:32
median (11:22 /mi)
35:20
winning time
45% / 55%
women / men
10 Mile
120
finishers
1:58:00
median (11:14 /mi)
1:20:01
winning time
39% / 61%
women / men
Aggregated from official results (Andy Bacon) for Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead?
At the 2025 5 Mile, the fastest tenth finished in 43:52 or better, the top quarter in 49:11, and half the field in 54:32; the last tenth came in after 1:13:51.
At the 2025 10 Mile, the fastest tenth finished in 1:30:53 or better, the top quarter in 1:43:15, and half the field in 1:58:00; the last tenth came in after 2:28:41.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 57:12 | 49:28 |
| 30-39 | 47:45 | 41:49 |
| 40-49 | 48:57 | 41:23 |
| 50-59 | 53:01 | 42:52 |
| 60-69 | 53:43 | 48:25 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
Finishers by year
Up 158 percent since 2021.
137
2021
332
2022
341
2023
379
2024
354
2025
All events combined, from official results.
Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead 8K year by year
From 2022 to 2025, the field went from 200 to 234 finishers, and the median time dropped from 58:43 to 54:32.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 234 (-11%) | 54:32 | under 43:52 | 35:20 |
| 2024 | 262 (+24%) | 57:02 | under 44:09 | 32:49 |
| 2023 | 212 (+6%) | 56:39 | under 42:26 | 34:28 |
| 2022 | 200 | 58:43 | under 45:21 | 36:19 |
From each year's official results for the 8K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
About average for US trail 8Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 49:11, against 50:16 in a typical US trail 8K, so times here are about average.
- 10 Mile: Slower than most Virginia trail 10-mile races. The fastest quarter of the 2024 10-mile race field finished under 1:38:25, against 1:30:50 in a typical Virginia trail 10-mile race, so times here run 8 percent slower.
Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.
Typical race-day weather
Around December 6 the day usually runs from 32°F at dawn to 46°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 18% of days. Cold snaps dip to 26°F and hot years reach 61°F.
Based on 65 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
From the race's page
What the organizers of Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead cover on their registration page, in brief.
Race details
- Where
- Fountainhead Regional Park, Fairfax Station, VA 22039Map
- Course
- Trail
- Start elevation
- About 300 feet
- Included with entry
- Water Bottle OR T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 8K, Other
- Editions
- 2026 (Dec 6, 2026), 2025 (Dec 7, 2025), 2024 (Nov 24, 2024), 2023 (Nov 19, 2023), 2022 (Nov 20, 2022), 2021 (Nov 21, 2021)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Fall Backyard Burn Trail Run - Fountainhead?
- Sunday, December 6, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $52.50 before processing fees, and rises to $65 on Nov 7, 2026.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Dec 6, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Virginia?
- At $52.50, entry is about 17 percent above a typical 8K in Virginia, which costs $45 right now.
- Do runners get a shirt or medal?
- Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances can I run?
- 8K, Other.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 234 runners finished the 5 Mile; the median finish was 54:32 and the winner ran 35:20.
- Does it sell out?
- It can. 234 runners finished the 8K in 2025, close to this year's cap of 250, so register early.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 49:11, against 50:16 in a typical US trail 8K, so times here are about average.
- Where does it start?
- Fountainhead Regional Park, Fairfax Station, VA 22039.
From the organizers
Fountainhead Regional Park is situated along the banks of the Occoquan Reservoir in Western Fairfax County. This awesome race course is beautiful and consists of hiking trails and a few old dirt roads. We’ve been racing at Fountainhead for over 15 years…and it continues to be a racer favorite.
Race Date: Sunday December6, 2026
Course Length and Elevation Gain: 4.8 miles (450 feet) OR 10.5 miles (950 feet)
Charity partnership