A year ago, in December 2021, preparations in the Von Braun Center for the annual Rocket City Marathon were winding down other than the backroom stuff few people see. The scurrying about, the final things, the momentary hair-on-fire but not really an emergency kind of things. Scaffolding was up at the finish line to hold the clock, as you can see in the photo above. The monstrous, inflatable space shuttle was gorgeous. The store with all the RCM gear, from keychains and decals to apparel, was ready.
And then on Saturday morning it rained like an insane sumbitch and lightning streaked across the sky so badly that the event had to be called off. Canceled. Rain? It was a lot of rain. Too much rain. The lightning only made things worse. People can run in rain, even run a marathon on the roads in rain. But not this much rain. Flooding rain. Streets flowing with water rain. And, potentially deadly lightning. It rained early and hard to the point that eventually all the disappointment building up eventually flowed through tears falling like the rain as the decision was made to cancel.
But that’s in the past. The future is bright.
This year some rain is forecast. It’s been raining all week here in Huntsville. No lightning, thankfully. But rain. Every dadgum day and sometimes at night, since last Sunday night. We needed it. I’m thankful for it. We’re supposed to get more rain next week, too. But golly gee willikers, man, this week is when the Big Man decided to let that Gulf air suck up moisture and drop a load of rain on us? This week? Race week?
Yep. Race week. Rocket City Marathon race week! And you know what? We’re still blessed to have race week and the ability to do something we love.
This year’s Rocket City Marathon is on Sunday, along with two half-marathons. One is a “Front Half” of 13 miles and the other is the “Back Half” of 13 miles. I guess 13.1 miles, to be technical. Those in the Front Half and the Back Half will have different vistas in the city along their routes. They are new this year to the weekend festivities.
Also new this year are the 10K and 5K events on Saturday morning, and a Kids Fun Run after those two. That’s six events in total, with five of them new for the weekend. It’s a true festival weekend for runners and those who celebrate running.
Finally. It’s about time.
Our beloved marathon is more than 40 years old. I think a lot of folks in town took it for granted, to be honest, or just ignored it. They didn’t run at all. If they ran, they didn’t or wouldn’t run the marathon. They might run a half, or a 10K or a 5K, but those weren’t offered. And so they watched for the social media posts or volunteered or went shopping and somewhere else for the weekend.
Now, though, we have more events. More opportunities to celebrate and participate. I haven’t seen the numbers of entrants but I suspect with two half-marathons, the 10K and the 5K it’ll be quite high. Those are popular distances and will be fun. I’ll be doing the 10K-5K double on Saturday. Next year I’ll probably volunteer like I have a couple of times previously. The marathon weekend is a big undertaking, and volunteers always are needed. Heck, they’re needed for almost every runnin-biking-tri event around here (and elsewhere). Kudos to those who do. You’re appreciated more than you realize.
We’ll be doing no rain dances this year. If anything, we might lift a shot of Fireball and chant, “Rain, rain, go away! Come again another day!” Maybe two shots. Someone bring the Fireball!
RCM Notes
— Race officials announced in the runners’ email that they will be going green and mostly doing away with single use cups for the Sunday races.
Bravo! Kudos to them for making the move. Thousands of cups typically are used and thrown away. The silicone cups that will be used on Sunday at the aid stations are a great option to the disposable cups, and can be cleaned and resused. Glad to hear about this move and I hope it catches on at other events.
— The Health and Fitness Expo and Packet Pick Up opens at 11 a.m. on Friday at the Von Braun Center and runs through Saturday evening at 8 p.m.
— At 7 a.m. on Saturday is the walker-friendly 10K. It starts in front of the Von Braun Center on Monroe Street, winds through Old Town and finishes at the indoor finish line RCM has been known for the last several years. At 9 a.m., the walker-friendly 5K (aka the “Mural Run) will start. It winds past most of the wonderful “building art” that graces downtown, finishing at the same VBC indoor finish line. The Kids Marathon will be held later Saturday.
— Sunday morning the Front Half Marathon and Full Marathon will start from Monroe Street in front of the Von Braun Arena at 7 a.m. (with the exception of the early starters who require 6-7 hours for the Full Marathon or 3-4 hours for the Front Half Marathon, who will have started their races at 6 a.m.).
The course takes runners through Downtown, Old Town, the Medical District, Blossomwood, past Maple Hill Cemetery, through the old Train Depot, by the Veteran’s Memorial and past Campus 805, where the Front Half runners will have a fun finish party! The Full Marathoners will continue their quest and be joined at the University of Alabama at Huntsville Campus with the Back Half Marathon runners. The back half of the course takes runners over to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, through the Botanical Gardens, past Gold Sprint Coffee and Lowe Mill, and back to the VBC to the indoor finish line. Post-race food awaits along with complimentary post-race stretching provided by Therapy South.
