Hunter Nails was cruising on the Aldridge Creek Greenway, as smoothly as the path the Ditto Landing 10K runners were pounding. He was in full control, no worries, blazing along before whizzing along the Tennessee River to the finish line.
Nails, 26, of Madison, finished in 32:26, the fastest time in event history. He threw up a fine 5:14 pace, holding off 19-year-old Jackson Howse of Huntsville and his 33:36 finish. Myles Scarano, 31, of Huntsville, was third in 34:51.
Scarano wasn’t the only podium snatcher, with Alana Scarano, 31, of Huntsville bebopping across the line in 35:59. Scarano was seventh overall and the final runner to finish in less than 36 minutes. She and Myles swept the Spooktacular 5K honors in October.
She was easily in the zone Sunday morning, too. Scarano was barely a minute behind her husband and ahead of women’s division runner-up Megan Allan, 40, of Huntsville. She was 10th overall, in 36:48.
About the Race
The Ditto Landing 10K benefits the Huntsville Track Club Scholarship Fund. The event began more than 25 years ago as a fun run. It has changed name, date and location over the years. Its current name has been in place for seven years, with Ditto Landing a fine location for the 6-miler.
Runners begin at the Ditto pavilion and head out to the Aldridge Creek Greenway. Scenic views of Green Mountain in south Huntsville await on the greenway, which gives up the first three miles. Runners return to Ditto, loop around the old tennis courts and get a view of Whitesburg Bridge and the Tennessee River.
The landing is almost 220 years old, from the establishment of a river ferry in 1807 by James Ditto. At the time, Ditto’s landing was important for commerce and expansion between Madison County and those across the river. The ferry reportedly was used in the War of 1812 by Andrew Jackson as he moved south. The area was incorporated in 1824 as Whitesburg.
Runners in the Ditto Landing 10K may not know of all this history, but the area has a solid, varied background. As runners leave the high ground east of Whitesburg Bridge, they return to hit the greenway along the river. That’s the final 1.5-ish miles, flat as a board and conducive to swift finishes.
The field of 423 official finishers came from 10 states and one country including Colorado, Ohio, New York and Germany.
Weather conditions were about 35 degrees at the 8 a.m. start, but no wind and the sun blazing. The race was put on by Huntsville Track Club and sponsored by Running Lane Events and Marco’s Pizza.
Photos of runners are available here from Spencer Cox Photography. See all of the results from the race here.
MAIN PHOTO: Myles Scarano of Huntsville (left) speeds along the Aldridge Creek Greenway on Sunday in the Ditto Landing 10K. He finished third overall. (Photo: Alan Clemons/TVO)
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