Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: a giant chicken, purple octopus, yellow ducks, T-Rex dinosaurs, somewhat scary cookie man and a slimmed-down Mr. Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man walk into a bar. No worries. It’s just one of the weekly Huntsville Pub Runs.
And unicorns. Several unicorns. They exist.
If you were anywhere around the Von Braun Center or Big Spring Park last Wednesday night, you weren’t hallucinating. Your late-afternoon cup of coffee or Monster tallboy wasn’t jacked. Yes, you saw maybe 40-50 runners wearing inflatable costumes whoosh-whoosh-whooshing their way along sidewalks and through the park. If you looked closely, you probably saw a bunch of smiles and laughs, and maybe some expressions of, “Dang, this is a little tougher than I thought.”
It was all in fun during the Wednesday evening Huntsville Pub Run, which departed this week from the Hampton Inn across from the VBC. They’re put on by Jeff and Gerri Plain. The pub runs bounce around town to different locations. One week it might be the Hampton Inn at the VBC. The next it might be at Big Ed’s Pizza on Pratt Avenue, Melt on Jefferson, The Nook on Bob Wallace or Das Stahl Beerhaus on South Parkway. Green Bus Brewing just off the courthouse square is a hotspot, too, among others. It’s not alway held at a pub, but that’s a cool name and easy to remember.
Eighth Anniversary
The Huntsville Pub Runs will celebrate eight years on Nov. 6, with minimal interruptions due to the covid lockdowns or weather. Eight years is a long time for a free, weekly running group. Some groups have started and lasted barely a few months. Others take time off for winter or holidays. The WRDH group goes each week whether 10 or 200 runners show up.
“The easy way to remember the anniversary is we just say it’s the first Wednesday in November,” Jeff said after Wedneday’s saunter. “I think maybe we’ve had about 25 cancellations in eight years, and 11 of those were for covid. So, maybe 15 others for the weather? That’s not too bad in eight years. We’ve had a lot of fun with it.”
Wednesday night’s outing had about 130 runners, and then the four dozen or so with inflatable costumes. A free run on Wednesday evening with 180 folks? That’s more than a lot of established events around here get. Back in February at Back Forty Brewing on Leeman Ferry, more than 140 ran in fairly nippy temps. It’s been that way for years.
After the Daylight Savings time change in autumn, the Plains encourage all runners to have some kind of light or reflective apparel. Safety is strongly encouraged no matter what. They occasionally have discounts on Noxgear, which has some super items for night rides and runs.
“I’m always amazed at who comes because we’re seeing new people all the time,” Jeff said. “Earlier this summer we had a couple of guys from England and one from Scotland, who were in town. A few weeks ago we had a woman who had just finished the Chicago Marathon and was here with her husband, who was on business.
“We have people from Scottsboro, Guntersville, Decatur, Madison, all around here. Some of them we know and see regularly, and others show up that we’ve never seen. But we’re glad they’re hearing about it and coming. I don’t know what it is, but it’s working.”
Here’s What it Is
The pub runs are free, in multiple ways, and that’s what makes them a success.
There’s no entry fee or financial involvement. You don’t have to sign up, join, give a hair sample, wee into a cup, get into a special club or have a super-secret handshake. The T-Rex runners couldn’t do the secret handshake with their tiny arms, anyway. Booo. But, the runs are free. Show up and toodle.
The events are free from sponsorship or political garbage. Whatever is believed by Robby Runner or Susie Sprinter or Wilma Walker, the politics don’t erupt at the pub runs. The runs also are not sponsored by Big Company or TeenyBiz or anyone else. There’s no influence or anything.
They’re free from pressure to perform or do anything at a certain pace. Directions for the 3- and 5-mile routes are provided, but that’s it. Walk, run, sprint, saunter, jog, wear $200 elite shoes or high heels … whatever you want to do is cool. The speedier runners take off and the others do their thing. It’s all good, and then those who want to chill for a bit to visit can do so.
“We have some who just come and hang out,” Jeff said. “And that’s fine. We want everyone to feel welcome whether they’re running after work and need to get home, or run and stick around to visit, or whatever.”
The runs also are free from drama. Mystyie isn’t gettin’ sideways with Mykayel about last weekend, Bobby Joe is fine with Betty Sue being there. Everyone gets along. A lot of folks at the pub runs are the same ones you’ll see at other races and free group runs around town. It’s a chill vibe.
“We really want to be inclusive, open and have everyone feel welcome when they are with us,” Gerri Plain said. “That’s important, because you don’t want to be somewhere that you don’t feel welcome. We want those who join us to think, “Hey, these are my people” and to have a good time.”
The Oct. 30 outing will be the halloween costume run, which the Plains say usually brings out a solid array of fun sights. Run locations change weekly. Check their Facebook page here to find the locations, photos and other news.
