Events
Top Two Finisher Awards
Event Description
LABOR DAY TRAIL CHALLENGE
RUN FREE: RETURN OF THE BULL
The gates are open. The bull is loose. Run Free. Conquer the Lost Pines on single-track trails along the Colorado River
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TRAILS
Single-Track & Fire Roads
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ECOSYSTEMS
4 Unique Biomes
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SETTING
Colorado River
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About the Race
You’ve been penned up all year. It’s time to break the fences. Kick off your Labor Day weekend with an unforgettable trail running experience at McKinney Roughs Nature Park, a stunning 1,140-acre preserve just 13 miles east of Austin along the Colorado River. Choose from seven events that wind through the park's rolling box canyons, wildflower meadows, and towering loblolly pine forests.
This is Central Texas trail running at its finest. You'll traverse four distinct ecosystems. Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairie, East Texas Piney Woods, and a lush riparian corridor, all in a single race. Expect technical single-track, scenic river overlooks, and the kind of terrain that makes every mile an adventure.
THE RIO COLORADO 250
The river you run above on Saturday is the one the series is named for.
Two hundred fifty kilometers with Fit Foundation in a calendar year earns the Rio Colorado 250 buckle. Not instead of your race hardware. On top of it. Every kilometer counts, including the ones you cover in the timed events.
That last part matters. The 8-Hour Solo doesn't credit you a fixed distance. It credits you what you actually walk, run, and grind out between seven in the morning and three in the afternoon. Some of you will put more on the board in one day than a 50K would give you.
Here is the calendar. Autumn Harvest on October 10. Fields of Gold on October 24. The Colorado River Run on November 27. Star of Texas on December 13.
Four events in nine weeks. September 5 is the last quiet place to start.
The count begins at McKinney Roughs.
Return of the Bull marks the second chapter of the Rodeo Trail Run Series, following the inaugural Austin's Rodeo Trail Run at Grelle Recreation Area. All half-marathon, marathon, and 50K finishers receive a custom rodeo-style belt buckle and event shirt, the signature swag of the series.
Whether you're an ultra-distance runner chasing your first 50K, a seasoned marathoner ready to go the full 26.2, a veteran racer tackling the half, or a newcomer lacing up for your first 5K off-road, the Labor Day Trail Challenge has a distance for you. Unleash the grit. Master the Roughs. Run Free.
Choose Your Distance
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5K
3.1 Miles
Beginner Friendly
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10K
6.2 Miles
Intermediate
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POPULAR
🔥
HALF MARATHON & RUCK
13.1 Miles
Intermediate
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MARATHON
26.2 Miles
Advanced
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ULTRA
🐂
50K or 50 Miles
Ultra Distance
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⏱️ 8-Hour Solo Run or Relay Challenge
Choose-Your-Own-Adventure: Run or walk for 8 hours. You can also grab your favorite running partner, build your duo, and take on the 8-Hour Relay Challenge! This high-energy format strips away the pressure of a fixed distance and replaces it with a fast-paced, strategy-driven race against the clock.
Course Highlights
| Lost Pines Forest Run through towering loblolly pines and eastern red cedars, an isolated pocket of East Texas ecology | River Overlooks Scenic bluff-top views of the Colorado River from the Ridge and Bluff Overlook trails | |
| Rolling Elevation Up to 469 ft of elevation gain on technical single-track through box canyons and ridgelines | Aid Stations Fully stocked with water, electrolytes, snacks, and encouragement | |
| Wildlife Corridor Four ecosystems converge here, home to 250+ bird species and diverse Central Texas wildlife | Rodeo Series Buckle Every half-marathon, marathon, and 50K finisher earns a custom rodeo-style belt buckle from the Rodeo Trail Run Series | |
Race Swag & Awards
| TRAIL RUN RODEO SERIES
Rodeo Series Buckle
Custom belt buckle, signature of the Rodeo Trail Run Series. Every half-marathon, marathon, 50K & 50 miles finisher.
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Event T-Shirt
with rodeo series branding
| LOST PINES
Finisher Medal
Custom Lost Pines design for all finishers
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Awards
Overall WinnersCowboy hat or plaque award for top male & female finisher in each distance event | FINISHER RODEO TRAIL RUN SERIES • 2026
All FinishersEvery half-marathon, marathon, and 50K runner who crosses the finish line within cutoff earns a Rodeo Trail Run Series buckle. Medals for other distances. |
Race Details
| Date | Saturday, September 5, 2026 |
| Day | Labor Day Weekend |
| Start Time | 7:00 AM |
| Location | McKinney Roughs Nature Park |
| Address | 1884 State Hwy 71 West, Cedar Creek, TX 78612 |
| Surface | Dirt / Single-Track Trail |
| Chip Timed | Yes |
| Stroller Friendly | No (trail course) |
Nearby Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa is adjacent to the park. Additional hotels available in Bastrop (8 miles east). Make a weekend of it, race Saturday, relax Sunday and Monday.
Rodeo Trail Run Series
The Labor Day Trail Challenge is the second event in the Rodeo Trail Run Series. Ran the Austin Rodeo Trail Run at Grelle in March? You're a series veteran. New to the rodeo? Welcome to the herd. Either way, you'll earn one of the two signature series buckles and shirt when you cross the finish line.
Rucking is covering ground with a loaded pack. Same course as the half marathon, same start, same finish line, same cutoff. The only difference is what you are carrying and who you are racing.
Ruckers are scored as their own division with their own results and their own awards. You are not competing against the runners and they are not competing against you.
- Weigh in before the start. Bring your pack to the start area at least 30 minutes before your wave. We weigh it, we tag it, you go.
- Water does not count. Your hydration, food, phone and layers are on top of the minimum. The weight is dry weight.
- Any weight is fine. Ruck plates, bricks, sand, books, dumbbells. It has to be secure and it has to stay in the pack for the whole course.
- You finish with what you started with. Weight is checked again at the finish. Anything under the minimum moves you out of the ruck division.
- Carry it yourself. No handing your pack off, no dragging, no wheels.
- Run, walk, or anything between. There is no rule about how you move, only about what you carry.
- Rucking counts toward your Run the River mileage exactly the same as running. Thirteen point one miles is thirteen point one miles.
A loaded pack on a trail is harder than the same distance on your feet, and most people go out too quick. A few things that help:
- Train with the weight before race day. Even two or three loaded walks makes a difference to your shoulders.
- Get the load high and tight against your back. Weight that sits low and swings will wreck you by mile six.
- Wear the socks and shoes you have already tested. Rucking changes how your feet hit the ground.
- Pack the weight so it cannot shift. Movement inside the pack is the most common reason people stop.
Course and Aid Stations
Course by distance
5K
3.12 mile lollipop, 1 loop.
10K
3.12 mile lollipop, 2 loops.
Half Marathon
4.5 mile loop, 3 loops.
Marathon
3 loops of the 8.20 mile course, plus a short 1.6 mile run to the halfway point of the 5K course.
50K
3 loops of the 8.20 mile course, plus 2 loops of the 3.12 mile lollipop.
8-Hour Solo
8.20 mile loops, then switch to the 3.12 mile lollipop for remaining time.
Aid stations
4 aid stations along the course
Mile 1.6
Manned
Mile 3.3
Unmanned
Mile 5.3
Manned
Mile 7.4
Unmanned
Note: Aid station placement is still being finalized, as LCRA permit requirements may require some adjustments.
5K (1 lap) and 10K (2 laps) Course
Half-Marathon (3 laps)
Marathon, 50K, 50M and 8 Hour Course
Packet Pickup
Date and time
Saturday, Sept 5
6:00 AM race morning
Location
McKinney Roughs
In front of the classroom building near the car park
What's included
- Bib number
- Timing chip
- Race shirt
- Course map
Important info
Parking
Onsite parking available. Follow the main road to the car park.
Picking up for someone else
Bring a letter of authorization from that person.
Race Cutoffs and Start Times
Labor Day Trail Challenge, September 5, 2026
Race start
7:15 AM
All distances
Course closes
6:30 PM
11 hour 15 minute window. 50 Mile course closes at 8:15 PM.
Short and mid distances
5K
Complete by 6:30 PM course close
10K
Complete by 6:30 PM course close
Half Marathon
Complete by 6:30 PM course close
Half Marathon Ruck
Complete by 6:30 PM course close
Marathon
Complete by 6:30 PM course close
50K Ultra
Based on 21 min/mile pace
Last 8.20 mile loop must start by
1:15 PM
Last 5K lollipop must start by
5:15 PM
Course closes
6:30 PM
50 Mile Ultra
Six 8.20 mile loops plus one 1.19 mile spur (50.33 miles). Based on 15:30 min/mile pace.
Loop 4 must start by (mile 24.6)
1:40 PM
Final 8.20 mile loop must start by (mile 41.0)
5:50 PM
Final 1.19 mile spur must start by
7:55 PM
Course closes
8:15 PM
Headlamp required after 7:00 PM
Sunset is approximately 7:50 PM. Any runner still on course for the final loop or spur must carry a working headlamp. No headlamp, no continuation.
8-Hour Solo
8.20 mile loops, then switch to 5K lollipop
Last 8.20 mile loop must start by
12:30 PM
Last 5K lollipop must start by
2:30 PM
Event ends
3:30 PM
A note on timing
All cutoffs are measured from the actual gun time, not the clock. If the start shifts because of LCRA park operations, every cutoff on this page shifts with it by the same amount. Listen for the announcement at the start line.
Cutoffs are enforced at the start/finish area. If you arrive after a cutoff you will not be permitted to begin another loop, and you will be recorded at the distance you completed.
Rio Colorado Ultra Buckle
Every Fit Foundation finish counts toward the Rio Colorado 250. Complete 250 km across our 2026 races and the buckle is yours, in addition to your individual race awards.
Timed events count the distance you actually cover, so the 8-Hour Solo, the 12 Hour at Fields of Gold, and backyardultras, including the Big Bastrop Backyard, can each put significant kilometers on the board.
Contact Form
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
Event Location
McKinney Roughs Nature Park
1884 State Hwy 71 West
Cedar Creek, TX 78612 US
View Location on Map
