MCRRC Seneca Slopes 9K

MCRRC Seneca Slopes 9K is a club race held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on December 6, 2026. The single format is a 9K (about 5.6 miles) starting at 9:00 AM, organized by MCRRC. The 9K is an unusual distance, sitting between a 5K and a 10K, which makes it a refreshing change from the standard calendar of holiday races.

As the name suggests, expect a course with slopes rather than a pancake-flat road, so hill strength will matter as much as raw speed. If you have been running 10Ks this fall, your fitness transfers directly; if you are stepping up from 5K, add a longer weekend run of five to seven miles for four to six weeks and include one hilly workout per week to get comfortable with the climbs and descents. A December morning start in Maryland calls for layers you can shed after the first mile, and a solid warm-up before the gun.