Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Trail Half Marathon & 5 Mile

The Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Half Marathon & 5 Mile is North Carolina’s wildest winter trail race, held every January at Northeast Park in Gibsonville. This unique trail race has built a reputation for unpredictable conditions—over the years it’s been 85 degrees and bone dry, while other times it’s been 35 degrees with extremely slippery trails and even an uncrossable river. No matter the weather, this race delivers adventure, camaraderie, and a true “WTF” attitude on the trails.

Whether you’re ready to take on the Half Marathon, with two epic river crossings at the Reedy Fork River, or you prefer the 5 mile run or ruck option, you’ll find a challenge worth bragging about. And at the finish line, participants are rewarded with the signature perks that make this race unforgettable.

Why Run the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Half Marathon & 5 Mile?

Here’s why trail runners and ruckers keep coming back year after year:

• January trail race adventure – A mid-winter challenge that embraces all kinds of weather.
• Reedy Fork River crossings – Half Marathon participants cross the river twice for a true WTF moment.
• Options for all levels – Choose the Half Marathon, 5 Mile, or ruck division and take on the trails your way.
• Hoodie swag – Every participant gets a cozy race hoodie, perfect for those chilly NC winter mornings.
• Finisher medal – Part of the North Carolina Trail Mega Medal Series—collect them all!
• WTF bumper dticker – A badge of honor you’ll want to display.
• Fun prizes & giveaways – Because who doesn’t love surprises?
• Post-race food & beer – Refuel, relax, and celebrate your muddy accomplishments.

Race Experience

The Whiskey Tango Foxtrot trail race isn’t just about the miles—it’s about the stories you’ll carry with you. From slipping through icy mud to charging across rivers to laughing with fellow runners about the “WTF” moments, this race is built for those who love adventure and community.

Add in chip timing, live results, and on-course support, and you’ve got a professionally organized trail race with a personality unlike any other.

The WTF 5 Mile is a great intro to trail running race, or a great early season short course trail race. Athletes will complete 1 loop around Northeast Park on the gorgeous and well maintained hike/bike trails. This course is extremely well marked with trail intersections taped off, and turn signs at every turn. Athletes will not cross the Reedy Fork River in the 5 mile event. Runners will have access to aid stations at 2 locations and bathrooms at 3 locations on course.

This is the course mapped out on Strava. You can view the course and elevation, as well as downloading a GPX file of the route to use on your watch. 

Michigan

Mega Medal Series

Prove It 5K/10K:  April 18, 2026 at the GM Milford Proving Ground in Milford, Michigan

Trenton Summerfest Half Marthon, 8K, & 5K:  June 27, 2026 at Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Michigan

Dearborn Decades 5K:  August 2, 2026 at Ford Field Park in Dearborn, Michigan

Run the 313 5K:  August 22, 2026 at Palmer Park in Detroit, Michigan

Growler Gallop Atwater 10 Mile & 5K:  September 27, 2026 at Atwater Brewery in Detroit, Michigan

Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon & 7.5 Mile:  November 27, 2026 at Proud Lake Rec Area in Commerce Township, Michigan

Trail

Winter Trail Fest (WTF) East Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  February 14, 2026 at Island Lake Rec Area in Brighton, Michigan

Winter Trail Fest (WTF) West Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  February 21, 2026 at Yankee Springs Rec Area in Middleville, Michigan

Carpe Diem Carpe Noctem Morning & Evening Half Marathon & 10K:  April 11, 2026 at Proud Lake Rec Area in Commerce Township, Michigan

Summer Trail Fest Ultra (STFU) 50K, Half Marathon, & 5 Mile:  June 13, 2026 Sleepy Hollow Rec Area in Laingsburg, Michigan

Moonlight Bootlegger 5k:  May 9, 2026 at Maybury State Park in Northville, Michigan

Wolverine State 100 100M, 100K, 100M Relay, & 50K:  October 10-11, 2026 from Petoskey to Alpena in Northern Michigan

Road

Thumb Coast Ultra & Relay 50M, 50K, & 50M Relay:  April 25, 2026 from Harbor Beach to Caseville in Michigan's Thumb

Rock CF Thumb Coast Marathon, Half Marathon, & 5K:  November 8, 2026 from Caseville to Port Austin in Michigan's Thumb

North Carolina

Road Mega Medal Series

Only Fools Run Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K:  March 28, 2026 at Jaycee Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Pig Pounder Brewery 5K:  April 12, 2026 at the Pig Pounder Brewery in Greensboro, North Carolina

Elm Street Run Festival:  May 9, 2026 at LeBauer Park in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro Distilling Speakeasy 5k:  June 13, 2026 at Greensboro Distilling Co. and SouthEnd Brewing in Greensboro, North Carolina

Greensboro Half Marathon, 5K, & 1 Mile:  November 21, 2026 starting at Battleground Ave in Greensboro, North Carolina

Trail Mega Medal Series

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Half Marathon & 5 Mile:  January 17, 2026 at Northeast Park in Gibsonville, North Carolina

Northern Trails 17 Mile, 10 Mile & 5 Mile:  March 7, 2026 at Northern Guilford High School in Greensboro, North Carolina

Owls Roost Rumble Half Marathon & 4 Mile:  April 25, 2026 at Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Triple Lakes Trail Race 40 Mile, Marathon, & Half Marathon: October 24, 2026 at Bur-Mil Park in Greensboro, North Carolina

Black Toenail Friday Half Marathon and 7.5 Miler: November 27, 2026 at Snow Camp, North Carolina

Multisport Mega Medal Series

Belews Lake Sprint Triathlon & Duathlon: April 18, 2026 at Belews Lake Marina in Stokesdale, North Carolina

Cammack Sprint Triathlon:  June 20th, 2026 at Lake Cammack in Burlington, North Carolina

High Point Sprint Triathlon:  August 8, 2026 at Oak Hollow Marina in High Point, North Carolina

Belews Lake Olympic Triathlon & Duathlon:  September 12, 2026 at Belews Lake Marina in Stokesdale, North Carolina

Nat Greene's Revenge Triathlon & Duathlon: October 3, 2026 at Lake Brandt Marina in Greensboro, North Carolina

Multisport

Northeast Park Duathlon:  February 28, 2026 at Northeast Park in Gibsonville, North Carolina

Trail

Groundhog’s Lap Race: January 31, 2026 at Haw River State Park, North Carolina

Moonlight Bootlegger 5K:  May 2, 2026 at Hagan Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

Carpe Diem Carpe Noctem Morning & Evening Half Marathon & 10K:  September 12, 2026 at Hagan-Stone Park in Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

Pilot Mountain to Hanging Rock Ultra & Relay:  September 19, 2026 in Danbury, North Carolina

Road

Running of the Lights:  January 1st at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, North Carolina

Blackbeard's Revenge 100 Ultra & Relay 100M, 100K, & 100M Relay:  March 21-22, 2026 in the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina

Pennsylvania

End of the Road Half Marathon & One Tunnel 4 Mile:  October 24-25, 2026 on the old Pennsylvania Turnpike in Waterfall, Pennsylvania

West Virginia

Highball to Thurmond Ultra & Relay 50M, 50K, & 50M Relay:  May 17, 2026 in New River Gorge National Park, running from Montgomery to Thurmond, West Virginia

Check out the 2027 comprehensive athlete guide to answer any nagging questions you may have about the race. If you can't find an answer here, shoot us a message! The Athlete Guide will continue to be updated as we get closer to race day. 

If your team has 10+ members registered two weeks before race day (end of day January 3, 2026), you’ll enjoy:

• A team tent set up by Trivium (no hassle for you!)
• Your registration packets, ready at the tent (skip packet pickup lines!)
• Food, drinks, and goodies waiting for your team.

Check the Groups/Teams tab and see how many people your team currently has registered!  Questions about Club Benefits? Reach out to Delaney at delaney@triviumracing.com.

Club Cup Competition

All clubs are automatically entered in the Club Cup Competition!  In addition to an overall season competition, each individual race will crown a Club winner, encouraging competition between clubs at each individual race and throughout the season.

• Scoring method and points to be announced later.
• The Overall season winner will still be treated to a club party!

Club Program

Love racing with your club/team with Trivium Racing?  Check out our Club Program!  Clubs receive a 10% discount code, a free race entry to raffle at run group, and can potentially partner to do more fun stuff!  Complete this form to request to participate.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Trail Half Marathon & 5 Mile offers a referral code program. This is a fun & easy way to get your friends to sign up to race with you, plus you get a little money back on your registration fee!

Referral incentives

• 5 Mile Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race and you get a $10 race registration refund
• Half Marathon Participants: Refer 5 people who sign up to race and you get a $25 race registration refund

How does this work? Share your specific referral code link that you were given when you signed up to race. Once you get the above-mentioned people to register using your code, you will get your registration refund. Start sharing your link today!

You can also locate your personal referral link by clicking this link for instructions.

Read Testimonials from past participants

"The new January addition of WTF was quite an adventure and a lot of fun as are all the races you put together!!! Thank you and the Trivium team, volunteers, sponsors, and race directors!!! Looking forward to the next one in the 4 series!!"  -Matt F

"You guys always have the BEST races, thank you!" - Beth H

Our team will be offering a Preview Run for those interested in checking out the course before race day

Details for the Preview Run

• When January 2, 2027
• Time 10:00 AM (arrive by 9:45 AM to be ready to run by 10:00 AM)
• Location Northeast Park, 3421 Northeast Park Drive, Gibsonville, NC US 27249
• RSVP We request that all participants register for the preview run. Click this link to register
• No aid stations will be on the preview run. It is up to each participant to pack enough hydration & nutrition to complete the distance they choose.
• Preview run WILL NOT be marked. The participant is responsible for reviewing the Strava maps and/or downloading the GPX files to their watch to understand the course they want to run.
  • Half marathon information
  • 5 Mile information

We will provide light snacks before & after the run.

Picture from the 2025 Preview Run

Those wishing to race in the ruck category must provide their own pack and weight. Ruckers will be pre-weighed before the race.

• Ruckers Under 150lbs must have a backpack with 20 lbs
• Ruckers Over 150lbs must have a backpack with 30 lbs

Ruck weigh in of packs will be 20 minutes before the race at the starting line. Ruck weight must be on the athlete at all times. No specific pack is required.

If you would like more information about rucking, click here.

Friday, January 15th

• Packet Pickup: 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at Fleet Feet Greensboro, 3731 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro

Race Day: Saturday, January 16th

• 7:45 AM - 9:15 AM | Packet Pickup: 
• 8:30 AM | Half Marathon Early Start (must register in this category to start early)
• 8:30 am | Half Marathon Ruck Start
• 9:30 AM | Half Marathon Race Start
• 10:00 AM l 5 Mile & 5 Mile Ruck Race Start
• 10:53 AM | 5.2 mile cutoff (before 1st creek crossing)
• 12:40 PM I 10.9 mile cutoff (2nd creek crossing)
• 1:15 PM | Course Closes

Parking will be available in various parking lots around the park, except for the one at the pool. Signs and volunteers will be able to direct you to parking on race day.

Regular Registration

• Custom race hoodie (not guaranteed if you register less than 2 weeks before the race)
• Custom WTF Finishers Medal (This race is race number 1 in the Trivium Trail Mega Medal Series - all medals will connect to make one Mega Medal!)
• Chip Timing with live results
• WTF Bumper Sticker
• Race photos
• Post Race food and a beer
• Points towards the Club Cup Challenge
• Points towards the Trivium Running Race Series

Economy Registration

• Chip Timing with live results
• Post Race food and a beer
• Points towards the Club Cup Challenge
• Points towards the Trivium Running Race Series
   

Virtual Registration

• Custom race hoodie
• WTF 13.1 or 5 Finishers Medal
• Packet available for pick up locally or mailed for $10 (international shipping requests will incur additional shipping charges)

2026 Custom Hoodie 

Hoodie features

• Gildan® Heavy Blend™
• 50% cotton / 50% polyester
• Indigo Blue
• Double-lined hood with color-matched drawcord
• Pouch pocket

2026 Custom Medal + Mega Medal

To complete your virtual race and receive your finisher medal and shirt, follow these steps:

1. Run your Half Marathon or 5 Mile at a place and time of your choosing.
2. Track your time with a watch or fitness app.
3. Report your time on our results page by clicking "Submit Virtual Results". Results can be submitted anytime between January 1st and January 16th. Don't forget to share your virtual race selfies too! If you have trouble, here's a step-by-step guide!

Once all results are submitted, shirts and finisher medals will be mailed out within 10 days after race day. Please double check that your mailing address is correct on your registration by race day! No packets will be available after January 27th.

Any changes to virtual on or after race day will be subject a shipping charge.

Virtual participants are not eligible for awards. An extra charge will be applied for international shipping. 

• Awards for top three overall males and females in each race distance.
• Awards for top three males and females in each race distance in the following age groups -14 & under; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74, 75-79, 80+
• Top 3 overall male and female Ruckers for the Half Marathon and 5 Mile.
  • Ruckers will be weighed prior to the race.
  • Ruckers under 150lbs must have a backpack with 20lbs, ruckers over 150Lbs must have a backpack with 30lbs
• Virtual participants will not be eligible for awards.
• Half Marathon Early Start will not be eligible for awards.
• Awards not picked up on race day will be subject to a $10 shipping fee. Awards will only be mailed 2 weeks from the event date.
• This race is chip timed by Trivium Racing.