Upcoming running, biking, triathlon, duathlon, runs and other events in the Tennessee Valley Outsider footprint. The calendar is updated periodically several months out for planning:
FEBRUARY
Feb. 8: Eagle Ridge 50K, Half-Marathon and 5K, at Guntersville State Park. The 50K runners make two loops of the challenging course. Register here
Feb 8: Rabid Raccoon 25K, Raccoon Mountain at Laurel Point in Chattanooga. Various trails, fun event. Moved from original Jan. 11 date due to weather conditions. Register here
Feb. 8: Mardi Gras 5K, Huntsville, fun course through downtown Huntsville. Register here
Feb. 9: Winter Winds 2- and 4-Mile races and Kids Fun Run, 2 p.m., south Huntsville at the Sandra Moon Community Center (old Grissom High) on Bailey Cove Road. The 2-mile starts at 2 p.m. and the 4-mile at 2:30 p.m. with the fun run afterwards. Course routes through neighborhoods, with some gentle hills. Register here
Feb. 15: Pill Hill 10K, Huntsville starting and ending at Greenwyche Pool. Proceeds benefit the HPD Citizens Foundation Fund. This revived race, returned after a 20-year gap, has a challenging, hilly course. Register here
MARCH
March 1: 9th annual Carnival Frolic Half-Marathon and 5K, Decatur, taking runners through historic districts, along the Tennessee River and through Point Mallard Park. Register here
March 1: Gurley Lions Club Challenge 5K, 8 a.m., in Gurley east of Huntsville. Proceeds help Gurley Lions Club support charities including eye exams and glasses, HEALS Clinic, CASA, Gurley Police Department, prescription drug assistance, Gurley Public Library, college scholarships and more. Register here
March 1: Race to the Cave half-marathon, 10K and 5K, at Cathedral Caverns State Park in Woodville. Rolling, scenic course with a tidy climb to the cavern and then a finish inside the stunning Cathedral Caverns. Register here
March 2: UAH Spring 8K Road Race, at the UAH Fitness Center in Huntsville, 2 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Huntsville Dialysis Center. Solid course for a PR or state age record. Register here
March 2: Race to the Cave half-marathon, 10K and 5K, at Cathedral Caverns State Park in Woodville. Rolling, scenic course with a tidy climb to the cavern and then a finish inside the stunning Cathedral Caverns. Register here
March 8: Run the Cove Half-marathon, in Hampton Cove east of Huntsville. Flat, fun, fast course with a couple of fun hills. Register here
March 8: 19th annual Delano Park 50-mile Solo, 12-hour Solo and 12-hour Relay, Decatur, Ala., on a certified 1-mile course. How many miles can you accumulate in the time you choose? Register here
March 8: DMR Glow Run, 6 p.m., starting at Adtran in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville. Benefits the Downtown Rescue Mission. Register here
March 8: Stump Jumper 50K and 10-miler, at the Prentice Cooper WMA near Chattanooga. Event is moved to March to not conflict with autumn hunting seasons on the WMA. Register here
March 15: Rocket Run 10-Miler, 8 a.m., Mooresville starting at the old church. Flat, fast course good for PR or state age record. Register here
March 22: 18th annual McKay Hollow Madness 25K and 12K, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Monte Sano State Park. Challenging event on some of the most popular trails including Sinks, Panther Knob, Stone Cuts, Mountain Mist, Goat, Warpath Ridge, McKay Hollow, Arrowhead and Natural Well along with a climb up Death Trail to the finish line. This is a technical race. Register here
March 29: MarMac River City Run 10K and 5K, to benefit the Committee on Church Cooperation. Route takes runners through residential streets and then finishing in Point Mallard Park along the backwaters of Flint Creek on the Tennessee River. Register here
March 29: Blue Heron 100s at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, with 100 mile, 100K, 40 mile and marathon options. All races start at 6 a.m. Flat course of crushed gravel/dirt. A donation from the race will be made to Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association. Cool event with laid-back old school vibe, aid stations, unique finisher medals. Register here
APRIL
April 1: 14th Double Helix Dash 5K, 5:30 p.m. at Hudson-Alpha in Huntsville. Note this is a midweek evening event. Fun course on the Hudson-Alpha campus including the cool DNA double helix. Register here
April 5: Bridge Street 5K, at Bridge Street in Huntsville. Flat, fast course perfect for a PR. Register here
April 5: Shamrock 5K, at Big Spring Park in Huntsville, to raise money to fight child abuse. Register here
April 6: Bridge Street Half-Marathon, in Cummings Research Park and Bridge Street in Huntsville. Flat, fast course perfect for a PR and (hardly any, probably) traffic. Register here
April 12: Dueling Banjos 10k & 5k trail run challenge, Gurley, pairing an extremely hard uphill 5K trail race with a net-negative downhill 10K trail race. Registration for both events required. Register here
April 12: 21st Annual Swampers 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk, Muscle Shoals, proceeds benefit the Shoals Civic League. Register here
April 12: Salmon Run 5K, Huntsville, to benefit Russell Hill Cancer Foundation and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Register here
April 12: 2nd Annual Owens Cross Roads Police Department Reserve Units 5K and Fun Run, starts at 7 p.m. Register here
April 12: 3rd annual Devil’s Racetrack Backyard Ultra, Wade Mountain Preserve, Huntsville. Challenging trails. Each loop is exactly 4.167 miles and must be completed within an hour if you wish to continue. Runners must be in the starting corral when the horn sounds. Register here
April 19: 6th annual Stillhouse 100K by Bad Beard Events, Chattanooga. An out-and-back of the cult classic, point-to-point, Upchuck 50k that runs on the technically challenging single track of the Cumberland Trail. Register here
April 19: 11th Annual Slawburger Chase 5k/10k, kicking off the Fayetteville MainStreet Slawburger Festival. Overall, masters and age group awards. Register here
April 19: Mustang Mud Run 5K, at Madison Academy in Madison, includes 18-22 obstacles along and through Indian Creek and the adjacent wooded areas of the MA campus. This family-friendly, fun mud run is open to anyone over the age of 10. Register here
April 26: National Cornbread Festival 5K, South Pittsburg, Tenn., starts in front of Lodge Cast Iron. Race entry gets you into the cornbread festival. Register here
April 26: Lost Falls Half-Marathon and 10K, at DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne. Stunningly cool, scenic and challenging course. Pro tip: get a room at the lodge the night before and wake up refreshed. Register here
April 26: David McKannan Memorial 5K, 7 a.m. at Ditto Landing in Huntsville. Proceeds benefit ALS research. Course is flat and fast. Fun run at 8 a.m. Register here
MAY
May 10: Smoke Rise Half-marathon, 10K and 5K, at Blevins Gap Nature Preserve at Land Trust of North Alabama site in south Huntsville. Stiff climbs, challenging trails and scenic views of east and west Huntsville. A few rocks, too. Register here
May 10: Taco Trot 5K, at Civitan Park in Guntersville, with a taco and mimosa-maragarita bar afterwards. Proceeds benefit Family Services of North Alabama, which provides aid in Victim Services & Prevention and Workforce Development & Education. The course is beside Lake Guntersville. Register here
JUNE
June 4: The Big Run 5K, 6 p.m. at John Hunt Running Park, Huntsville, includes a cookout, ice cream and live music. Pre-registration is required; no on-site registration. Register here
June 7: Heel & Crank Duathlon, Huntsville, tentatively at Columbia High School and Cummings Research Park. Participants will do a 3-mile run, roughly 15-mile bike ride and finish with a 3-mile run. Course shifts this year from Mooresville and with a new date. Run course is Indian Creek Greenway and cycling course is the US Paralympics championship course. Register here
June 14: 24th annual Wet Dog Triathlon, at Point Mallard Park in Decatur. Wet Dog is a 400 meter open water swim, followed by a 15k bike ride and a 5k run. Wet Dog is a fundraiser for Mosaic Mentoring of North Alabama, a non-profit child and family mentoring organization. Register here
Send information to TVO at info@thetvo.com
TRIATHLONS: Chattanooga Triathlon Club has an extensive list of tri, sprint-tri and other events in the region. Look Here
LOCAL GROUP RUNS
Our thanks to Jeff Plain and We Run Downtown Huntsville for this list of free, inclusive group runs in Huntsville and Madison. Search for We Run Downtown Huntsville and these other run groups on Facebook for more information:
