Mountains-to-Sea Trail 13M & 50K Challenge 2027
- Date
- Sunday, April 11, 2027
- Start time
- 7:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Durham, North Carolina
- Entry fee
- From $50 · goes up to $90 on Feb 28, 2027
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50+-KM | 50K | Apr 11, 20277:00 AM | $80$90 after Feb 28, 2027 | 115 |
| 13-Mile | Half Marathon | Apr 11, 20278:30 AM | $50$60 after Feb 28, 2027 | 215 |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- 50+-KM: $80 until Feb 27, then $90 until Apr 11.
- 13-Mile: $50 until Feb 27, then $60 until Apr 11.
Online registration closes Apr 11, 2027, unless the race fills first.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 50K in North Carolina runs 6:15:33, about 12:05 a mile, based on 6 races with published results. Women typically finish in 6:30:33 and men in 6:09:21.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:49 AM, and the 50+-KM starts at 7:00 AM. The start sits about 460 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Riverside High School, Durham, NC 27712
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2026 results
All results (4 years)12-Mile
50-KM
Aggregated from official results (Bull City Running Company) for Mountains-to-Sea Trail 13M & 50K Challenge. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Mountains-to-Sea Trail 13M & 50K Challenge?
At the 2026 12-Mile, the fastest tenth finished in 1:56:33 or better, the top quarter in 2:13:52, and half the field in 2:31:04; the last tenth came in after 3:23:01.
At the 2026 50-KM, the fastest tenth finished in 5:13:09 or better, the top quarter in 5:46:07, and half the field in 6:23:40; the last tenth came in after 7:54:57.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 2:29:37 | 1:48:43 |
| 30-39 | 2:12:10 | 1:50:06 |
| 40-49 | 2:25:57 | 1:45:51 |
| 50-59 | 2:40:50 | 2:22:43 |
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 2026.
Finishers by year
Down 12 percent since 2023.
All events combined, from official results.
Mountains-to-Sea Trail 13M & 50K Challenge Other year by year
From 2023 to 2026, the field went from 149 to 130 finishers, and the median time dropped from 2:34:39 to 2:31:04.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 130 (-1%) | 2:31:04 | under 1:56:33 | 1:31:51 |
| 2025 | 131 (-10%) | 2:24:45 | under 1:54:59 | 1:38:35 |
| 2024 | 145 (-3%) | 2:34:30 | under 2:00:49 | 1:32:58 |
| 2023 | 149 | 2:34:39 | under 1:56:22 | 1:32:56 |
From each year's official results for the Other; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Faster than most US trail 50Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2026 50K field finished under 5:46:07, against 6:08:34 in a typical US trail 50K, so times here run 6 percent faster.
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 April 11 the day usually runs from 51°F at dawn to 74°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 20% of days. Cold snaps dip to 38°F and hot years reach 84°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
Race details
- Where
- Riverside High School, Durham, NC 27712Map
- Course
- Trail
- Start elevation
- About 460 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt
- Distances
- Half Marathon, 50K
- Editions
- 2027 (Apr 11, 2027), 2026 (Apr 12, 2026), 2025 (Apr 13, 2025), 2024 (Apr 14, 2024), 2023 (Apr 16, 2023), 2022 (Apr 10, 2022)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Mountains-to-Sea Trail 13M & 50K Challenge?
- Sunday, April 11, 2027, starting at 7:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $50 before processing fees, and rises to $90 on Feb 28, 2027.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Apr 11, 2027, unless the race fills first.
- 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.
- What distances can I run?
- Half Marathon, 50K.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2026, 130 runners finished the 12-Mile; the median finish was 2:31:04 and the winner ran 1:31:51.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2026 50K field finished under 5:46:07, against 6:08:34 in a typical US trail 50K, so times here run 6 percent faster.
- Where does it start?
- Riverside High School, Durham, NC 27712.
From the organizers
Join us for some beautiful spring single track trail miles along the MST!
The 18th annual trail race will follow the beautiful Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) as it winds through the woods along the Eno River towards Falls Lake.
Not planning to run?
PLEASE SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER! We need you! Thank you 🙂
**2027** Race will again be held at Riverside High School
MST 13 Miles
MST 50+ KM (Closer to 31 miles)