We’ve enjoyed seeing all the events in the latest TVO Roundup, with solid finishes in races big and small throughout the area.
It’s not too early to begin planning for events later this year. Bikers should take note of the Cheaha Challenge Gran Fondo in May, down around Jacksonville. That’s a super cool weekend with different events. Registration is open, too, for the Rocket City Marathon weekend in December. We’ll have more soon on both of these events.
It’s fun, too, when you find a cool event out of the area to go do. Visiting new towns and running or riding on new courses can be a hoot. You might even find a cool event to go back to each year.
On to the roundup!
The Notebook
— The 45th Cotton Row Run 10K on Memorial Day attracts a top field from throughout the Southeast, along with being an incredibly fun course. The first three miles are flat(ish) before you hit Tollgate and Mountain Wood, which give a little elevation. Then you can bomb down Bankhead back into downtown and wend your way to the rousing finish at Big Spring Park.
This legendary race is put on by Huntsville Track Club, with a host of sponsors including Bill Penney Toyota, TOC and TOC Sports Medicine, Fleet Feet, Swift Recovery, Return2Sport, Running Lane, Marco’s Pizza and others. Support the sponsors, tell their volunteers thanks for being out there, enjoy the goodies and tell ’em thanks again. If you have a niggling pain or injury, visit the folks who can help figure it out. And take a moment to cheer on the others finishing behind you because that last dash to the clock is fun.
If you don’t want to do the 10K then check out the 5K or 1-mile options. Or, if you’re feeling good, sign up for all three. Yes, be a big dog and do all three. You can do it. The 10K starts at 7 a.m., the 5K at 9 and the 1-mile at 10. Knock out 10 miles before 10:30 a.m. and then go enjoy Memorial Day.
Registration fees increase May 1, so save a few bucks and get registered here now.
— The second Run the Cove half-marathon and 10K will be March 28, 2026, and registration is open.
Fields in both events this year had super-flat courses, with the half-marathon runners finding a few gentle hills in the final couple of miles. Nothing terrible, though. The 10K folks doodled along the greenway at Hays Nature Preserve, then up the roads by the Hampton Cove sports fields and RTJ golf course to the finish.
Register here for either event.
Swampers 5K
MUSCLE SHOALS — Josh Whitehead of Madison won the 21st annual Swampers 5K to set another Alabama age record.
Whitehead, who is 46, finished the event in 16:01. He holds numerous age records for different distances.
Yate Hirbo, 10, of Florence, won the women’s title in 19:42. She was seventh overall.
The Swampers 5K had a field of 424 finishers, typical of this popular spring events. See all of the results here.
Salmon Run 5K
Steven Decker Jr. of Huntsville finished in 18:14 to win the Salmon Run 5K on April 12 at Big Spring Park.
Melissa Miller of Huntsville won the women’s title and was fourth overall. She finished in 20:39.
See all of the results here.
First Priority 5K
DECATUR — Jeremy Miller of Decatur grabbed top honors in the First Priority 5K on April 12, finishing in 18:47 to win by almost a minute.
Elena Johnson of Hartselle won the women’s division and was fourth overall, finishing in 20:56.
See all of the results here.
Stillhouse 100
SODDY DAISY, Tenn. — David Hager of Chattanooga ran a course-record 11:34:14 to win the 8th annual Stillhouse 100K on April 19.
According to the Bad Beard Events description, the course “consists of 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. This course has huge climbs and descents into Soddy Creek, Possum Creek, and Rock Creek.”
Runner-up Mac Dean of Chattanooga finished in 11:50, which is second-best on the course record list.
Danna Baxley of Frankfort, Ky., won the women’s title in 17:13:33. She was 12th overall.
See all of the results here.
Chickamauga Chase
FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. — Adan Rodriguez and Andie Cozzarelli took top honors in the Chickamauga Chase 15K on April 12 at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park.
Rodriguez, of Dalton, Ga., won the race in 45:05. Cozzarelli, of Chattanooga, won the women’s title in 54:20.
Tyler Nunley and Jennifer Huwe took top honors in the Chickamauga Chase 5K
Nunley, of Soddy Daisy, won overall honors in 17:55. Huwe, of Hixon, won the women’s title in 19:21.
See all of the results here.
Crescent City Classic 10K
NEW ORLEANS — Alan Anderson of Huntsville finished 12th in the Crescent City Classic 10K on April 19 in the Big Easy.
Anderson finished in 32:42:49, with Hunter Nails of Madison not far behind. Nails finished 15th in 33:05.
See all of the results here and all of the Alabama finishers here.
Rose City Run 10K
THOMASVILLE, Ga. — Lesley and Billy Carroll of Decatur finished the Rose City Run 10K on April 19.
Lesley finished in 52:36, fourth in her age group, and Billy finished in 56:48 and was fifth in his age group.
The event was established in 1978 and is one of the oldest road races in the Southeast.
See all of the results here.
Elkmont Red Devil 5K
ELKMONT — Jordan Anthony of Huntsville easily won the Elkmont Red Devil 5K on April 19.
Anthony finished in 20:55, with runner-up Caleb London of Athens coming in at 22:25. Jermaine Wade of Huntsville was third in 22:37.
Perla Nunez of Huntsville won the women’s title in 25:39 and was fourth overall. Cassidy Ridgeway of Elkmont was second (8th) in 26:50 and Julia Bradford of Elkmont was third (11th) in 28:07.
See all of the results here.
Ladiga 100K
HEFLIN, Ala. — Zack Jordan of Ball Ground, Ga., won the Ladiga 100K on April 12 with a record time.
Jordan finished in 14:57:45, breaking the existing record by more than an hour. Runner-up Matt Johnson of Birmingham finished in 17:19:27, which is fourth-best on the record list.
Emeterio Hernandez of Harvest was the top local finisher, crossing in 22:38:50 for 11th place.
Nicole Reed of Rainsville was sixth in the 50-miler, finishing in 12:22:53. Carrie Russell of Madison finished eighth in the 50-miler, in 13:46:46.
Linda Royce of Meridianville was third in the 50K, finishing in 4:37:43. Third overall sometimes means first in the women’s division, but not this time. The 50K podium was an all-ladies event: Alexandra Caminiti of Atlanta was first in a record time of 3:43:25. Jane Murawski of Idaho Springs, Col., was second in 4:37:16.
Caminiti, Murawski and Royce all logged Top 10 record times.
Lori Stephan of Huntsville also was among the Top 10, finishing seventh in 5:22:14.
See all of the Ladiga results here.
