Notes on the upcoming 44th Cotton Row Run on Memorial Day in Huntsville:
More than 2,900 people are registered for the Cotton Row events this year, with about half expected to compete in the 10K. Registrations by midweek were about 1,570 for the 10k and 1,300 for the 5k. Another 260 were signed up for the 1-mile run. More will register before Monday.
Last year’s race had 1,431 official finishers cross the line at Big Spring Park. The 5K had 1,253 official finishers. Registration for this year’s events is only at Sunday’s packet pickup at Bill Penney Toyota from 1-5 p.m. Online registration has closed. There is no race day registration. Dogs, strollers and headphones are prohibited.
The 10K gets things kicked off Memorial Day morning with a salute to the fallen and those who still serve. The 5K starts at 9 a.m. followed by a 1-mile fun run. Runners wind through neighborhoods where residents cheer and support. The final quarter-mile goes past Gold Star Family members holding flags to honor fallen veterans. Runners’ bibs include a photo and name of a soldier, a tangible reminder of what Memorial Day should be about.
Volunteers Needed
As with any large event, including running events spanning multiple miles, volunteers are needed for myriad duties.
Volunteers help with everything from passing out water at aid stations to assisting with tasks at the start-finish line or other areas. Assistance is needed on May 26 with packet pickup at Bill Penney Toyota on University Drive and site setup at Big Spring Park. Multiple tasks need assistance on Monday, which is race day, between 5 a.m. and noon.
Huntsville Track Club will draw the names of five volunteers, who will win $50 each. To see the open volunteer positions and times, check here.
HTC Cleanup Day
Huntsville Track Club members will be cleaning up the club’s Adopt-A-Mile portion of Bankhead Parkway on May 25.
Club members are urged to attend, but anyone is welcome to join the cleanup. Attendees should meet at the bottom of the hill where Pratt Avenue and Maysville Road intersect.
The cleanup is from 9-11 a.m. You can sign up here.
New Race Director
Ran Crump of Madison is the new Cotton Row Runs race director.
Crump is a software engineer, endurance athlete and member of the Huntsville Track Club. He is a native of Jasper and studied at Georgia Tech.
Crump replaces Donna Palumbo, who stepped down as Cotton Row race director after six years. She was instrumental in securing Bill Penney Toyota as the presenting sponsor, along with navigating the rough period during the Covid pandemic.
Crump joins Jonni Smotherman as one of the two new race directors for the track club’s biggest events. Smotherman is in charge of the Rocket City Marathon, which consists of the marathon, two half-marathons, a 10K and 5K. All take place at the Von Braun Center, this year on Dec. 14-15. Smotherman has been on Cotton Row and Rocket City Marathon race committees for several years.
‘Ran All’ 10K is Cool
A group of runners have run every Cotton Row 10K — yes, 43 in a row — and turn in impressive times each year.
The “Ran All” group has a separate finish list each year, which is cool. All of the runners are in their 60s and 70s. Based on the 2023 final results the runners are:
— Don Hillis, New Market, 67
— Charles Van Valkenburgh, Key West, Fla. (formerly of Huntsville), 67
— Kevin Jose, Huntsville, 63
— Jon D. Turner, Ardmore, 76
— Bill Allbritton, Scottsboro, 69
— William McDowell, Huntsville, 70
Check out those finishing times! Very cool to see this tradtion.
Prize Money for the 10K
Runners have a shot at almost $30,000 in prize money in the 10K race, including record incentives in four categories.
Prize money will be awarded in these four 10K divisions:
- Male and Female Open – 1st $1,200, 2nd $600, 3rd $500, 4th $400, 5th $300, 6th $200, 7th $100
- Male and Female Masters – 1st $600, 2nd $400, 3rd $300, 4th $200, 5th $100
- Male and Female Alabama Resident – 1st $500
In addition to the $9,800 in prize money, the 2023 Cotton Row Run also will offer $5,000 for a race record in each of four divisions of the 10K race: Open Male, Open Female, Master Male and Master Female
Current 10K records are:
- Open Male: Linus Kiplagat, 2018, 28:39
- Open Female: Catherine Syokau Mwan, 2019, 32.51
- Master Male: Andrew Masai, 2000, 29:38
- Master Female: Ramilia Burangulova, 2003, 33:34
Prize money winners in the 10K race will receive Cotton Row Run awards, but are not eligible for Age Division Awards. The Overall Male & Female winners and the Master Male & Female winners will receive a special award and are not eligible for Age Division Awards.
The Top Three (3) Male and Female finishers in the following age groups will receive Cotton Row Run 10K or 5K awards.
00-10, 11-13, 14-16, 17-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-up
All top awards and prize money, including race record bonuses, will be based on Gun Time. All age group awards will be based on Chip/Tag Time.
Packet Pickup
Pickup will be May 26 from 1-5 p.m. at Bill Penney Toyota on University Drive, along with the race expo. It’s the only way now, too, for someone to register for any of the events. Online registration has been closed for two weeks.
Bill Penney Toyota is the presenting sponsor, among many who help put on the races, for the Cotton Row Run 10K, 5K and 1-mile events.
Packet-bib pickup on race day is from 6:15-9 a.m.
By the Numbers
Check out these cool statistics about the Cotton Row demographics:
- AGE GROUP COUNT PERCENTAGE
Under 18 — 398 13.71%
Ages (18 – 29) — 481 16.57%
Ages (30 – 39) — 674 23.22%
Ages (40 – 49) — 534 18.39%
Ages (50 – 64) — 576 19.84%
Over 65 — 240 8.27%
Total — 2,903 - GENDER COUNT PERCENTAGE
Males — 1,529 (52.67%)
Females — 1,374 (47.33%)
As of May 22, registered runners represented 23 states and Quebec. The majority are from Alabama (2,386), Tennessee (124) and Georgia (26). Other states include Texas, Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississppi, North Carolina, Hawaii, Washington, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Virginia, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Cotton Row Donations
Huntsville Track Club makes donations from the Cotton Row Runs proceeds to several local groups, including the Gold Star Families. These are among the people runners see in the final quarter-mile before the finish line with flags and posters of fallen loved ones. Also, each runner’s bib has a photo with a solder who died in action.
Other organizations receiving donations include Still Serving Veterans, Grissom ROTC and multiple local Boy Scouts of America troops.
Weather Outlook
It could be a rainy Cotton Row for the first time in years thanks to a forecast of scattered thunderstorms.
Temperatures in the 70s and humidity in the 90s along with scattered showers? Bring out your best rain jacket and cap to slog along. The races will go on as long as there is no danger to runners. Race officials will be watching the forecasts over the weekend and Monday morning.
We like the forecast from Eric Burke at WAFF-TV 48, though, which says, “Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible Saturday through Monday but shouldn’t be too impactful to your outside plans. These storms will be more of the “summertime” variety with spotty coverage, you will still have plenty of dry hours to enjoy some time outside for the holiday weekend.
