WinterRock 25/12K

WinterRock 25/12K is a winter trail race in Independence, Kansas, on January 2, 2027. Two distances are offered: a 25K, roughly 15.5 miles, and a 12K, roughly 7.5 miles. Both are run off-road, and neither start time is published yet, so check with the organizer before race week.

Trail racing in January means soft, uneven footing, and pace per mile tells you less than effort does, so plan to run by feel rather than by watch. The 12K works well as a first trail race or as a hard training day inside a longer block, while the 25K asks for a genuine endurance base and is a reasonable stepping stone toward ultra distances. Ten to twelve weeks with a weekly long run on similar terrain, plus practice eating and drinking on the move, covers the demands of the longer option.