Thank YOU 2025 Runners!

April 25, 2026...Registration Opens October 1, 2025!

What is the TOBACCO ROAD RELAY?

The Tobacco Road Relay is a tour of North Carolina's Triangle, its beautiful cities, historic and protected greenways, single track trails, roads less traveled and roads often traveled.  It's a day of challenge, adventure and memories for you and your best friends.

The Tobacco Road Relay is a one day, 75-mile relay-style running race.  Teams of 2-6 runners navigate the 75-mile course, which begins in Chapel Hill, runs through Durham to the finish in Raleigh.  The course is divided into 12 legs (6 runners = 2 legs/runner), with each leg ranging in distance from 4.2 - 9.6 miles.  Teams are permitted one team vehicle to navigate between exchange zones and to carry their inactive runners, food, water, sports drinks, first aid, ice and other needed supplies.

The diverse course showcases the Triangle:

• Residential neighborhoods of Chapel Hill

• Country roads as the race progresses from Orange County to Durham County

• Eno River State Park single track trails

• Ellerbee Creek Trail as the race progresses into downtown Durham

• Downtown Durham

• American Tobacco Trail from downtown Durham to Wake County

• White Oak Creek Greenway and Blackcreek Greenway as the race navigates through Apex and Cary

• Umstead State Park's dirt Old Reedy Creek Road

• Reedy Creek Trail and Rocky Branch Trail to navigate over and under the busy roads of Raleigh

• And... cap it all off with the Finish at the Tobacco Road Brewery in downtown Raleigh!
  

When is the TOBACCO ROAD RELAY?

Saturday, April 25, 2026

What time does the TOBACCO ROAD RELAY start?

Rather than a mass start like most races, the Tobacco Road Relay will start in waves.  Waves of approximately 10 runners (teams) will start every 10-15 minutes.  Using a staggered start will minimize the race impact along the course and will keep the event within an approximate 5 hour spread.  Start times may range from 5:00am - noon.