Dark Horse Race Series

Marathon - Half Marathon - 10k

Tryon Equestrian Center

Introducing our annual Dark Horse Ultra we are excited to bring runners to the amazing facilities that spread out over 200 acres of roaming land, trails, and equestrian activities. Escape your day-to-day life and enjoy a romantic getaway in South Carolina’s beautiful Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Indulge your senses with the natural beauty our lands have to offer while the normal hustle and bustle of your life fades away.

Tryon, North Carolina is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which provides a beautiful and diverse natural setting. The area features rolling hills, forests, and scenic views of the surrounding landscape, which are popular for outdoor recreation. The town is known for its well-developed trail system, which offers a variety of hiking, biking, and horseback riding opportunities. The trails range from easy walks to more challenging hikes, and they provide access to scenic vistas, waterfalls, and other natural wonders.

Tryon Equestrian Center is a premier equestrian facility located in Tryon, North Carolina. It is a world-class venue that features state-of-the-art facilities for equestrian events, including multiple indoor and outdoor arenas, stabling for horses, and a cross-country course. The center is well-known for hosting a variety of equestrian competitions and horse jumping. In addition to competition facilities, Tryon Equestrian Center also offers training and educational opportunities for riders and horses, as well as a range of amenities for competitors and spectators, such as dining and shopping options. The center is a destination for equestrian enthusiasts and competitors from around the world.

Referral Program

Invite your running buddies! When you register you will be assigned a link/code that you can share with your friends & family. The link will appear in your confirmation message, your email, and in your RunSignUp profile! Use your unique referral code to share with your running buddies! For every every 2 participants that use your referral code/link to register you will receive a $5 refund to your registration! Refer enough runners and RUN FOR FREE! 

• Share Your Referral Codes - HERE

Event Details

• When: August 24th

• What:

  • Marathon @ 7:30am

  • Half Marathon @ 7:30am

  • 10k @ 7:30am

• Where: Tryon Equestrian Center

• Address: 25 International Blvd, Mill Spring, NC 28756 

• Parking: When you enter the Equestrian Center stay to the left to enter the main gate. Let them know that you are here for the race and follow the driveway to the left which will lead you to participant parking adjacent to the start/finish line. 

• Packet Pickup will be held at the Start/Finish Line starting 1 hour prior to you event (address listed above)

• Amenities include: Breakfast Diner - Coffee Shop - Convenient Store - Bars/Restaurants - Indoor Bathrooms 

• Event Shirts - Our local apparel vendor (Graphic Cow) will be processing all shirt orders. Please follow the link below to pre-order a shirt from the list of races. All race specific shirts will be mailed directly to your home address after the event to commemorate your race experience! The store link will be open until the Monday after each race.

  • SHIRT ORDER FORM HERE

Participants Receive

Join our race for an unforgettable running experience! All participants will receive a handcrafted finisher medal to show off an unforgettable course and race experience. At packet pickup your swag bag will be complete with custom stickers, race bib, and crew socks. There will be music at both the start and finish of your event to energize your experience. Make sure to smile because all of our runners will receive complementary race photos along the course. 

Finisher Medal - Complimentary Race Photos - Custom Bib - Race Specific Crew Socks - Event & Upstate Race Series Stickers - Sponsored Giveaways - Raffled Items during the awards ceremony for both Age Group Awards and Overall Winners - Music and Post Race party at the equestrian center while you hangout and cheer on other runners! 

Course Description - Course Map

The course consists of a 6.5 Mile loop that rolls through the equestrian center and has a combination of wide packed dirt paths, single track trails, and grassy meadows! The course is very scenic and is constantly changing. The course has 600 feet of elevation gain per loop. 

Aid Station

There is one aid station at the start and finish line. Items may include: pickles, cookies, chips, Little Debbie snacks, assorted candy, chicken/veggie broth, fig newtons, & pretzels. Liquids will include water, Tailwind Nutrition, coke, and ginger ale. If you would like to donate an aid station supply of something that we do not offer or that is homemade feel free! Cup-less Event: Please provide your own hydration vessel for use at our aid stations 

Staging Area - Camping and Personal Aid Station

Camping is available for participants and crew members during registration. No water or power, but plenty of space to spread out along the course and right next to the course! Drop Bags can be placed at the start/finish line area.  Please label your drop bag with your name and BIB number. This ensures that your drop bag is at the finish line ready for you as soon as you finish. 

Race Awards, Age Group Point Series, Chip Timing

• Top 3 Male and Female Overall

• Top 3 Male & Female Age Group

• Age Group Categories

  • 0-9

  • 10-12

  • 13-16

  • 17-19

  • 20-29

  • 30-34

  • 35-39

  • 40-44

  • 45-49

  • 50-54

  • 55-59

  • 60-64

  • 65-69

  • 70-79

  • 80+

• Upstate Trail/Ultra Series - Age Group Point Series Standings - HERE