Everyone’s battling through the same heat and humidity, making for a challenging summer for those training or showing up in this week’s TVO Roundup.
It’s been a scorcher this year, hasn’t it? Jeepers. Southeastern summers never have been enjoyable, though. Four decades ago temps were higher than they are this week. Two years earlier, I was in football two-a-days when August temps topped 100 degrees for three days, only one day was less than 90 and most of July topped that mark.
None of these high temps and humidity percentages are new. It’s been going on forever. You make the most of it, train and ride and run and swim when you can, and move ahead. Eat well, stay hydrated, get your rest … all the things. Be smart about it and stick with it.
If you’re looking for a race this weekend, be sure to check out our TVO Calendar. We have a couple of road events and the third Wild Thangs trail runs at Monte Sano. Jump in, get sweaty, have fun!
On to the roundup:
Last Annual Vol State
Erin Dupey of Huntsville finished the Last Annual Vol State 500K on July 20, her second finish in three years the legendary journey run across Tennessee.
LAVS participants start in northwest Tennessee by crossing the Mississippi River via a morning ferry. They have 10 days — not a second more — to complete the 314-mile trek across Tennessee to the finish line at Castle Rock, Ga. The route changes each year. It involves backroads and highways, road angels, sore feet, lots of Dollar General visits and more. It’s a journey. It’s part of the yearly events put on by Gary Cantrell, who concocted the Barkley Marathons, Strollin’ Jim 40-miler and Last Annual Heart of the South journey run.
Think about it … a 50K is 31ish miles, so the LAVS crew is doing 10 of those. At least 10, since some folks miss a turn, get off course and double back, and it might end up being 320 miles. Or 314 for those who can follow directions. LAVS runners must stay afoot with no motorized assistance, and have other rules to follow. They check in twice a day with race officials. It’s meant to be a test, among other things, of a person’s physical and mental willpower.
Dupey finished in 2023 but had a score to settle after dropping out in 2024. Dropping isn’t uncommon, as many in the LAVS fields have to do that. But it nags and persists, the thought of not getting to Castle Rock, especially when the event is chronicled in real time for 10 days on Facebook by Cantrell and the on-the-road runners.
“I finished in the dark (in 2023) and decided to return in 2024 with the goal of a daylight finish, so I could see the view from The Rock,” Dupey said. “Well, in 2024 the heat indexes were awful and I dropped at mile 125. I didn’t want to continue moving in 110+ degrees for another day.
“I had no intention of ever returning to the race, but I registered for the lottery as soon as it opened. The feeling of ‘quitting’ the race in 2024 really messed with my head. I wasn’t OK with having a successful finish in 2023, followed by a ‘quit’ the following year. I HAD to go back to have another successful finish. Thank goodness I finished this year. Otherwise, I’d have to go back and attempt it AGAIN in 2026.”
Registration opens in August for 2026, for those who have a notion to do a little journey run.
Da Doo Run Run 5K
FLORENCE — The W.C. Handy Festival Da Doo Run Run 5K, a beloved Tennessee Valley classic, made its long-awaited return on July 19 after a four-year hiatus.
The race began in front of the iconic W.C. Handy Museum, leading runners through the heart of downtown. Participants charged up historic Walnut Street, navigated turns through the University of North Alabama campus, and powered down the lively Court Street. The final sprint came on West College Street to a crowd-supported finish.
Josh Whitehead of Madison took the overall win with a course record time of 17:14. The standout performance came from 10-year-old Yate Hirbo. Running with her father, she claimed the women’s division with an impressive 19:19 finish and was fourth overall.
The Florence High School Cross Country team teamed up with Race Ready Events to revive the race, now held on a newly USATF-certified course.
See all of the results here.
— Submitted by Cameron Czerwonka
Scenic City Scorcher
CHATTANOOGA — Edimo Nintereste of Chattanooga won the Scenic City Scorcher 2-mile race on July 12.
Nintereste finished in 9:25 to take the top spot by more than 25 seconds.
Rachel Mason of Signal Mountain won the women’s division in 11:48. She was 18th overall.
The race was put on by the Chattanooga Track Club and had 127 official finishers.
See all of the results here.
Holcomb Valley 33-Mile
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Lindsey Shady of Huntsville completed the challenging Holcomb Valley 50K+ trail run on June 14.
Shady completed the 33-mile event in 8:22. She was one of about 20 runners not from California in the field of 197.
The course takes runners along portions of the Pacific Coast Trail and near Big Bear Lake. Chad Hall of Big Bear won the event in a course-record time of 3:50.
See all of the results here.
