Nail the Rail 9 Miler
Run the Rail 5 Miler

Saturday, February 28, 2026

It's Back!!!!!!!!!

Route Map

Run begins at 9:00am. Virtual Option is available.

The popular Nail the Rail 5 & 9 Miler - event is back for 2025. Runners attempt to NAIL the RAIL by running the 9 mile course in 60 minutes or less. A simple concept. Both races start at Virginia Ave Trailhead for the Dick and Willie Passage. -Runners of all abilities welcome. Whether you run 50 minutes or an hour and 50 minutes, you accomplish something that a majority of folks cannot. 5 mile course has one good climb before turn around, so the last 2.5 miles are downhill or flat. The 9 miler has a climb, descent, climb again and then finish the last 2.5 miles downhill or flat.

Nail the Rail Standards!

Runners meeting the standards set forth below will earn, in addition to traditional Overall and Age Group awards, a GOLDEN RAILROAD SPIKE.

Many older runners have observed that it is virtually impossible for them to run the race in 60 minutes or less! We hear you. So we have instituted age adjusted targets for “Nailing the Rail”. Each 5 year age group, beginning at age 40 will have adjusted targets based on USATF Age Grading tables. See chart below.

AGE GROUP BASED NTR TARGETS *APPROX BASED ON USATF AGE GRADE CALCULATOR
AGE RANGE	MEN	WOMEN

> 10 (based on age 9)	1:15:00	1:15:00
10-14 (based on age 12)	1:07:00	1:09:00
15-19	1:02:00	1:04:00
20-39	1:00:00	1:01:00
40-44	1:02:00	1:03:00
45-49	1:04:00	1:05:00
50-54	1:07:00	1:08:00
55-59	1:10:00	1:12:00
60-64	1:13:00	1:17:00
65-69	1:17:00	1:22:00
70-74	1:21:00	1:28:00
75-79	1:27:00	1:35:00
> 80	1:36:00	1:45:00

60 MINUTE EQUIVALENTS BASED ON AGE GRADE TABLES

The ultimate achievement will continue be to “NAIL the RAIL” by running 60 minutes or faster. That said, a 70 year old female running 1:30 is the equivalent of a 25 year old male running 60 minutes. Congratulations to both on a race well run!