2026 MRTC Frank Horton Memorial Winter Off-Road Series

Award Ceremony for the 2026 Winter Off-Road Series:

Sunday, March 1st
6pm - 8pm
High Point Climbing and Fitness Gym
RSVP HERE: https://runsignup.com/TicketEvent/mrtcclimbnighthp

The 5k has been rescheduled for February 15th.

Kick off the new year on the trails! The MRTC Frank Horton Memorial Winter Off-Road Series features four races on some of the Memphis area's best courses. Each race brings a new challenge, unpredictable winter weather, and plenty of trail-running fun.

There will be no onsite race day registration. You can register on race day but you will need to do that on your own device. 

Packet & Shirt Pick-up- 
January 10th from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Fleet Feet Memphis
4530 Poplar Ave., Suite 102
Memphis, TN

We will also have race day pickup available.

Like us on Facebook to keep up with any updates!

THE 2026 RACE DATES (Start time for each distance will be 2pm)

3K - Jan 11 - Overton Park

8K - Feb 8 - Nesbit Park, Bartlett (aka Stanky Creek)

5K - Feb 15 - Johnson Park, Collierville - new date

10K - Feb 22 - Shelby Farms

REGISTRATION FEES
Register for the series or any of the single races!
Remember all registration fees increase $10 on/after the first race of the series. 

Fees for individual races - members and non-members $22.20 ($2.20 Fee included)

REGISTRATION
If you register by December 21st, you'll be sent your chip and bib in the mail before the first race. Be sure to watch our website OR like us on Facebook for registration announcements. We will be mailing out packets in the first week of January.

We WILL NOT have our laptops set up for onsite registration this year as we normally do. The online registration site will remain open, so please register online before leaving your house or you can register on your own personal device at the race. 

All participants of the full series will receive a long sleeve t-shirt. Single race day registrants will not get a shirt.

AWARDS
Results will be posted via email and posted online and the awards will be distributed once the full series is complete.

A points system will be used for both Overall and Age Group awards for the 4-race series. There are no awards for individual races. To be eligible for an award you must run at least 3 of the 4 races. Those runners who complete all 4 races will receive an extra point. Age groups are calculated off the age at the last race of the series.
The awards go 3-deep in Overall Open, 3-deep in Masters, 1-deep in Grand Masters, 1-deep in Senior Master and 3-deep in age groups. Fast runners can miss a race and still (possibly) qualify for an award, depending on the competition. Anyone found sending a substitute to run for them will be completely disqualified from the series. Ties will be broken based on the best performance in the longest race. All decisions made by MRTC will be final.

The awards ceremony for the 2026 Winter-Off Road Series will take place a week or two after the last race. 
Contact information
Event contact Memphis Runners Track Club
Email aflanigan@memphisrunners.com

The history of the MRTC Winter Series goes all the way back to 1998 with Stan & Lauren Hollenbeck (Stan was a former coach at U of M) who put the races on for 2 or 3 years in a slightly different format and then handed it off to MRTC starting after the 1998 series when they were having their 1st child. Seems like they put on 2 or 3 races at shorter distances (several at Orgill Golf Course in Millington and at the soccer fields at Freeman Park in Bartlett) and then partnered with MRTC on the 10K at Shelby Farms the last year or 2 that they did it. Breakaway was their only sponsor and their shirts were more of a shoe brand sponsored theme more so than an actual race shirt.

In mid-1998, Harry Scott was president of MRTC and asked Rob Hunter to be the Race Director by promising to help by ordering the 1999 Winter Series shirts. That year, they were very plain with a small Winter Series logo over the left chest area. Rob worked with Bluff City Sports on the shirts starting with the 2000 series. Lizabeth Cartwright worked alongside Rob on several race locations during the 1st 3 or 4 years. Since her husband was into motocross, they tried out several pretty rugged venues before gravitating to the mountain bike trails. She also worked with Rob on results, the points scheme, etc. Stan & Lauren’s venues were more traditional X-country on grass. It was Harry’s desire that the series be an all metric distance series.

After paying all the bills in 1999, MRTC had about $2,000 left over and that became the scholarship fund - which was later supplemented by course measurement fees. The total $160,000 awarded to date (as of May 2014) has been mostly via the Winter Series.

In 2010, Michele Weir accepted the Race Director position and shadowed Rob Hunter during that race season to learn the ins and outs. In 2011, the race shirt was changed up a bit from the traditional solid color. In 2013, Michele changed the Winter Cross Country Series name to the "Frank Horton Memorial Winter Off-Road Race Series" to better represent the mostly trail running aspect of the series. The name change also polarized the series with the ever popular "E.J. Goldsmith Jr. Memorial Road Race Series", to reflect that the club offered both on and off-road racing events.

Kevin Raney took over the series in 2017. Within his years as Race Director, he directed that 50% of the income from the series go to the Memphis Youth Athletics to support young runners in the Memphis area. He also moved the location of the 5k from Stanky Creek in Bartlett to WC Johnson Park in Collierville. Kevin is passing the RD baton to Steve Spakes for the 2020 Winter Off Road Series. The Series directors for 2026 are John Payne and April Flanigan.

WORS POINTS
Scoring is based on a point system (developed in Excel Spreadsheet format by Pat Jorgenson and currently compiled by John Payne) whereby points are assigned based on each person's finish within their age group and the top 3 overall M&F finishers get bonus points in each race. You must complete 3 to be eligible for awards.

The Age Group (AG) point system for each race is:1st place in the AG - 25 points
2nd - 18 points
3rd - 16 points
4th - 14 points
5th - 12 points
6th - 10 points
7th - 8 points
All other finishers in the age group get 6 points.

The bonus points for the top 3 overall M&F in each race is:1st place overall - 15 points (40 max)
2nd - 10 points (35max)
3rd - 7 points (32 max)

A separate point system is used for Masters (40 & above), Grand Master (50 & above) and Senior Master (Male 60 & above). Each of these 3 categories earns “Masters Points” in each race:

1st Master gets 5
2nd Master gets 4
3rd Master gets 3
4th Master gets 2
5th Master gets 1
Masters Points are kept separately and never combined with the age group points. Grand Masters or Senior Masters points cannot be added to Masters points although individuals in these categories can earn Masters points, effectively taking them away from slower runners in younger age groups. For all award calculations Masters points are never combined with Age Group points, Grand Masters points or Senior Masters points, etc. You get a bonus point for completing all 4 races.

RACE COURSE MAPS
RACE #1: 3K @ OVERTON PARK

RACE #2: 5K @ WC JOHNSON 

 RACE #3: 8+K @ STANKY CREEK
Nesbit Park in Bartlett (aka Stanky Creek or Bartlett Park) is home to our 8+K. Mountain bikers know Stanky Creek, but do you? Run through the woods on the trail that will take you up, down, and all around. The parking lot where registration and the finish line are both located is on Yale Rd. For your GPS, try using the address 5760 Yale Rd., in Bartlett.

RACE #4: 10K @ SHELBY FARMS PARK
Out of the woods and to Shelby Farms Park we go! The kind folks at Shelby Farms ask people to park between entry and exit gates 9 and 10 on the grassy area - park nicely! Additional parking is opposite the playground on Silo Road, where we have parked previously, and also at Beaver Lake Cove. Parking is not permitted at the stables as this parking is needed for the stables patrons only. 

TRAIL ETIQUETTE
Ever wonder if there are rules, or best practices, for trail running or races in general? Below are some of our favorite etiquette practices.

Ear phones / Ear buds / Speakers: Any of these items can be a hazard to you or other runners, especially on some of the more technical parts of the trails where our races are held.

LITTERING (Pack it In / Pack it out): It should go without saying that littering on the trails is a big NO-NO. If you need to take nutrition/hydration with you on a trail run/race, be prepared to pack it out with you. Do not litter the trails!

Stroller / Pets: Although we run with strollers and pets while training, our insurance policy does not allow that during races.

START LINE: This is relevant for any race or running event - at the start line gather with participants that are going the same pace/speed that you anticipate going. The front is for the faster runners (think 5-6 minute miles), while the back of the pack is for walkers. When in doubt simply ask the people around you what pace they plan to run/walk. We utilize corrals to assist in spreading out the field of runners since all of our race courses have some singletrack sections where a large group of runners could clog or cause injury. Pick a corral that is within your capability. If you don't know what your pace is, pick one of the slower corrals. We don't start your time until you pass over the timing mat at the start line.

PASSING: This rule can be applied to running or cycling on trails or rec paths, such as the Greenline, Greenway, etc. A faster runner/cyclist should be able to pass a slower person on the same path. To accomplish a successful pass follow these simple instructions:

1. Faster runner/cyclist must provide ample opportunity for the slower traffic to move and provide an audible warning. Whether that is simply shouting out “On your left!” or ringing a bike bell, etc...

2. The slower runner/cyclist must be able to have enough time to move as far to the right as is safely possible. Do not expect this person to jump off the trail for you, but they should provide space for you to pass.

3. Once the slower person is to the right of the passageway, the faster runner/cyclist should pass on the left-hand side of the slower person, doing so in a safe and controlled manner.

4. Faster person should complete the pass by going back into the correct position on the path. If it’s a path with two-way traffic (such as the Greenline) move to the right of the path.

On the trails, when not racing in an event, it is often seen as exceptional manners to step completely off the trail and stop to allow faster runners/cyclists to pass safely. Remember to allow enough time to allow the slower traffic to move to the side and provide an audible announcement. And as always, say “Thank you”.

BOTTLENECKS: Yes, it happens sometimes in races. What should you do? Wait your turn.

SINGLETRACK: Singletrack trail running/races should be run in a single line, not two abreast. There is usually room for just one person, hence the term "singletrack". If you have to pass, see Passing rule above, else just keep in a single line. If you've positioned yourself correctly at the Start Line (see Start Line etiquette best practice) you will be running with others who are going at your pace. You can still talk to your running buddy - they'll hear you.

GIVING/RECEIVING HELP: The question arose, "During a trail race, should I expect people to provide help to me, or should I provide help to someone?" The answer to this question depends on the answer to "Are they in danger?" If they are, then by all means YES provide help. If their situation is beyond your capacity, you can always find help by looking for the nearest volunteer. If it's an emergency, find the nearest volunteer immediately. If they're simply stuck in the mud, or need help getting up from a fall, use your own discretion. For most of us trail races are pure recreation and we're just out to have fun, not set the world on fire, or break any records.