Firebird Trail Races

Event overview

Firebird Trail Races take place on Aug 22, 2026 in Windham, Maine, with distances of:

• 50K
• Marathon
• 13M

Registration opens Jan 1, 2026. Entry requires payment of the registration fee plus a donation of at least $20 to a non-profit chosen by the participant. Donations must be made between Aug 24, 2025 and Aug 21, 2026, and proof of donation must be submitted by Aug 20, 2026. The event is organized as a grassroots race benefiting local trail systems; organizers do not issue refunds under any circumstances and residual profits are donated to a local land trust.

Course, support and rules

All events start and finish in Lowell Preserve at the Windham Fire Station. The primary terrain is a technical 10-mile loop through Lowell Preserve and North Falmouth Community Forest with rocks, roots, and mostly single-track trails. Course layouts:

• 13M: one 10-mile loop plus an additional 5k loop in East Windham Conservation Area trails.
• Marathon: two laps of the 13M course.
• 50K: three 10-mile loops.

There are two aid stations: start/finish and a 5-mile turnaround. Both stations provide water, soda, chips, candy, and an LMNT electrolyte mix. Volunteers staff the aid stations and runners may leave drop bags at one or both stations. The course will be marked with high-visibility pin flags, LEFT/RIGHT/WRONG WAY signs, and directional arrows, with confidence flags along the route.

The 50K has an overall cut-off of 9 hours (17:42 min/mile pace); all distances must be completed within this time. Runners may drop to a lower distance before the start or during the day; mid-race drop-downs are not eligible for lower-distance awards and do not receive refunds. A pregnancy deferral is available for a subsequent year.

Awards

Each participant receives a wood carved Firebird medal. Top non-binary, male, and female finishers in each distance receive top finisher awards. Custom race swag is available for purchase. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.