From the Organizer
5K: Paved, rolling 5K among the Fall colors in the beautiful Cunningham Falls State Park. Includes "The Hill". (5K map COMING SOON)
10K: a challenging double-loop of the paved 5K course among the Fall colors and crisp air in the beautiful Cunningham Falls State Park. (10K map COMING SOON)
The Fun Run / Walk is an untimed, (1.4-mile) beautiful, family-friendly stroll on the pavement in Cunningham Falls Park, beside 'Big Hunting Creek Lake'.
NEW: View the Google race course map (includes parking, restrooms, mileposts) COMING SOON
The races start at 9 am. Sunday, November 1.
Be advised, registration ends at 9 PM on October 31. NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION.
Reminder: Savings Time ends Sunday at 2 AM. "Fall back"...more time to rest and prepare before the race.
DIRECTIONS FROM US 15 IN THURMONT: Take MD 77 west 3 miles, then turn left on to Catoctin Hollow Road. Proceed 1.3 miles, then turn right on to William Houck Drive. Just after the Entrance Station on William Houck Drive, turn right into the large parking area (South Beach Circle) and follow guidance for your parking spot.
Address: 14274 William Houck Drive, Thurmont, MD 21788.
Lat/Long: 39.6265, -77.4632
The race is NOT at 14039 Catoctin Hollow Road and it is NOT at the Manor Area. It IS in the William Houck (lake) Area.
PACKET PICK UPS:
1. Sat Oct 31 / Halloween. Charm City Run, 925 W. 7th Street, Frederick, MD 21702 (301) 620-8552.
2. Sun Nov. 1, (race day morning) 8:00 - 8:45 am, In the William Houck Area, 200' from the start line, South Beach Circle parking area. Coordinates: 39.6270, -77.4628
EVENT RECORDS:
5K Male: Zachary Newman: 17:33
5K Female: Helena Rachtan 21:54
10K Male: Daniel Lemen 35:18
10K Female: Erin Snyder 41:27
Proceeds benefit the Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to support and enhance the programs and recreational offerings of Maryland's Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks through charitable contributions and in-kind donations.
Friends of CFGSP's Website: www.cunninghamgambrill.org
Distances & Pricing
Race Location
About This Sport
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The 10K is the distance where running stops feeling like a starting point and starts feeling like a sport. Long enough to require a real training block. Short enough that race day is fully manageable for a first-timer who's put in the work.
Race day energy at a 10K is community at its best — strangers cheering you by name, people moving toward the same goal, an atmosphere that solo training can't replicate. It's fast enough that you'll spend the whole race pushing rather than managing your effort.
This is also the distance that builds the base for everything else. Most athletes who go on to run half marathons, do triathlons, or compete in HYROX started here. What you need: running shoes fitted to your stride, a training plan, and the race on your calendar. The registration is what makes the deadline real.
How long to train: 4–8 weeks for most fitness levels.
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Friends of Cunningham Falls and Gambrill State Parks 10K-5K and Fun Run/Walk
Nov 1, 2026