The morning chill is welcome now for all the events going on, with a few on the agenda along with some notes for this week’s TVO Roundup.
Last weekend saw the Wade Mountain Marathon, a testy trail doozy, and the 21st Liz Hurley Ribbon Run in Huntsville. The latter was huge, which is good since it raises money for cancer center equipment. James Ebert slapped around the Arkansas Traveller 100 trails, and we’re looking forward to seeing the costumes at Wednesday’s Huntsville Pub Runs.
On to the TVO roundup!
Sewanee Slammer
SEWANEE, Tenn. — Dylan Glass of Gurley finished fourth in the inaugural Sewanee Slammer 20-mile trail run last weekend.
Glass, 32, finished in 2:46:40.
Darby Calvin, 29, of Athens, finished in 5:20:12.
Runners started at the Mountain Goat Visitor’s Center in Sewanee Village. The Perimeter Trail took them through the University of the South and atop the bluffs of the Cumberland Plateau.
See all of the Sewannee Slammer results here.
Chatty Stage Race
CHATTANOOGA — William Sickenberger, 31, of Chattanooga, won the 18th annual Chattanooga Mountains 3-day Stage Race with a composite time of 9:19:10.
Sickenberger also won the 2023 title. Runners do 20 miles on Signal Mountain on Day 1, then 18 on Cumberland Trail at North Chattanooga Creek on Day 2. The final day is 22 miles at Lula Lake on Lookout Mountain.
Andi Abode, 32, of Chattanooga, was the only woman in the final 12. She finished 10th overall in 15:20:40.
See all of the daily stages and overall results here.
Seven Bridges Marathon
CHATTANOOGA — Eddie Bridges won the Seven Bridges Marathon on Oct. 20 in a time of 2:54:48.
The race had a field of 622 runners. Times still are listed as unofficial, and no hometowns/states are listed.
Audrey Carter was the women’s champion, finishing eighth in 3:03:50.
See all of the results here of the Seven Bridges Marathon.
Huntsville Half Sellout
If you wanted to get into the Fleet Feet Huntsville Half Marathon but were dithering, you’re out of luck.
The race, which is Nov. 9 in south Huntsville, is an official sellout.
Race director Kim Hanson optimistically planned for a 45 percent increase in registrations, the highest in four years. That was easily hit last week.
Race finish totals topped 900 for the event about 10 years ago but began an incremental, annual decline. During the 2020 covid lockdowns and cautions, race event registrations plummeted nationwide.
By 2019, the race had 427 finishers. The 2020 race was canceled. For the 2021 event only 257 finished. Then it was 230 in 2022 and 221 finished last year.
Registrations this year have topped 400, according to the race site, and that’s fantastic to see. Hopefully this upward trend will continue. The event is one of the oldest competitive racing events in the city.
Volunteers still are needed for myriad positions on the course and at the start/finish. Find a spot here and register.
Running Lane Moving Ahead
The new Running Lane store is in development as it speeds closer to a projected and hoped-for November-ish opening date. The owners are looking to hire employees, as well. They recently sent an email to RL newsletter subscribers with store times and dates:
Tentative store hours through Christmas will be:
Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
After the Christmas Holiday we will be opened from:
Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday: Closed
What’s Coming
There’s still time, probably, to get into these races in the next few weeks:
Nov. 2: Lobsterfest 5K run-walk, 7 a.m., on the Aldridge Creek Greenway starting at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in south Huntsville. Part of the 31st annual Lobsterfest to help First Stop Inc. of Huntsville, Sloan Medical Clinic in Honduras, and Patterson Place. Register here
Nov. 2: Cathedral Caverns Trail Run, 5k and 15k options, both finishing inside Cathedral Caverns. Both climb about 925 feet on Pisgah Mountain before returning to the cavern to finish the last mile-plus. Register here
Nov. 9: 44th annual Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon, Half-Marathon, 5K and Junior Marathon, at Chickamauga Battlefield NHS. Register here
Nov. 9: Upchuck 50 trail run, Chattanooga, not for the faint of heart. Register here
Nov. 9: Lula Lake 50K, Half, 10K, at the Lula Lake Land Trust in Lookout Mountain, Ga. Register here
