Nail the Rail 9 Miler
Run the Rail 5 Miler

Saturday, February 24, 2024

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

Route Map

The popular Nail the Rail 9 Miler - Run the Rail 5 Miler event is back for 2024. Runners attempt to NAIL the RAIL by running the 9 mile course in 60 minutes or less. A simple concept. Start at milepost -0- at the Dick & Willie Passage’s Virginia Avenue Trailhead. Run to trail Milepost 4.5. Turn around and run back to milepost -0-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. You run 9 miles! The Run the Rail 5 Mile race will be run simultaneously with turnaround at trail milepost 2.5.

NEW for 2024!

NAIL the RAIL 9 MILER

CASH CHALLENGE AWARD

In addition to traditional overall top three and age group awards for the NAIL THE RAIL 9 MILER, if the overall first place male runs 50:00 or faster or the overall first place female runs 56:00 or faster, they will earn a $200 cash prize. Any other male runner finishing in 50:00 or faster and any other female runner finishing in 56:00 or faster will earn a $50 cash prize. Note the Miles in Martinsville and the NAIL the RAIL 9 Miler event are not responsible for effect of cash awards on school, scholarship, amateur or other eligibility for cash prizes. Runners should determine their personal eligibility for such awards and if in their best interest, refuse such award.

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!

Not up for 9 miles? We have the RUN the RAIL 5 Miler option. Start at milepost -0- at the Dick & Willie Passage’s Virginia Avenue Trailhead. Run to trail Milepost 2.5. Turn around and run back to milepost -0-. A fast 2 ½ mile downhill finish!