For only the second time in more than two decades, the famed Pill Hill 10K returns this weekend in Huntsville.
Hills, hillz and mo’hillszs await on the legendary Pill Hill course, which wends its way through the Thornblade neighborhood. Starting at Greenwyche Pool, runners take off and begin a mild incline before starting a hard climb of ultimately about 1,000 feet. From there, it’s a series of ups-and-downs before getting back to the flatland on the way to the finish line.
The race was a regular event in Huntsville until about 2002. After a two-decade break, it returned for one spin in 2022 in the current location. The one-off event drew a nice field of about 70 runners. Josh Whitehead won in about 36 minutes, the only runner to break 40, and only seven others broke 50 minutes.
The 2022 event raised $14,000 for the Huntsville Police Department Citizens Foundation Fund. The fund supports families of fallen officers, officers in need of medical or mental health issues, and the HPD Memorial. The goal of the Pill Hill 10K is to raise community awareness of the issues officers face on a daily basis in the line of duty and impacts on their mental health.
Check out finish times from the 2022 event to see how well the runners handled all the hillzzz.
River City Run
Over in Decatur, runners will enjoy the annual River City Run 10k and 5k races at Point Mallard Park and its adjacent neighborhoods.
The 10K finish and the entire 5K is run on the park and golf course perimeter road. This runs along the Tennessee River. The 5K course is an out-back. The 10K is a loop. The Fun Run is an out-back on the park perimeter road. The course is flat and fast.
The charity sponsor for the race is the Committee on Church Cooperation.
Get info here about the race or sign up on Saturday morning early before it begins.
HAMR Mountain Bike Skills Clinics
If you’re into mountain biking, want to get better, or want to learn about riding on trails, the upcoming skills clinics hosted by Huntsville Area Mountain bike Riders.
The clinic weekend is April 13-14 for beginners and intermediate riders. HAMR does a great job in the area supporting mountain biking, trail work, advocacy and more. Experienced riders who can show and relate the infomation to students will teach the courses.
Registration is required. It’d be a good idea to join HAMR, too, to be around like-minded people and to meet other riders. HAMR also does fun things, like its cool Fall Fest, along with getaway trips.
Get more info here about the skills weekend along with other info about HAMR.
Double Helix Dash
For a change of pace, head over to HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Cummings Research Park on April 2 — that’s a Tuesday, not a weekend — for the annual Double Helix Dash 5K.
The event starts at 6:30, and includes a 1-mile fun run, both in McMillan park at HudsonAlpha. The double helix is a sidewalk-park creation that looks like the DNA helix. The outer paved loop is 1.2 miles; runners wil be directed accordingly to have a 5K finish. More than 500 maple, cedar, dogwood, beech, tulip, oak, elm, cypress, ginkgo and linden trees have been planted in the park.
This event typically attracts upwards of 475-500 or more runners. If you’re interested in going, plan ahead and get there early. If you haven’t registered yet, check out the Double Helix Dash site for more info.
Tri Club Firing Up for Summer
Team Rocket Tri Club activities are hitting full gear for spring and summer, including the return of the Tuesday Night Brick rides at Redstone Arsenal.
These fun training rides have different routes and roll out at 5:30 p.m. from the Rocket City Tavern parking lot at Gate 9. Riders must be Team Rocket Tri Club members (for insurance purposes) and also have a Redstone Arsenal recreation pass. Those are easy to obtain after a quick background check at the Gate 9 visitor’s center. Find out more info here about the rec pass.
The next big club event is the Heel & Crank duathlon in Mooresville on April 27. This includes a 5K run, 16-mile bike ride and 5K run. The event is not USAT-sanctioned. Heel & Crank is run, fast and a great event with a cool vibe.
Longer Distances
If you’re in the mood for a half-marathon or full marathon, two popular ones are on tap that you may still be able to get into.
On April 7 you’ll find the Bridge Street Half-Marathon presented by SportsMed in Huntsville. The route winds through Cummings Research Park from and back to the Bridge Street shopping complex. It’s fairly flat, fast and a good chance for a PR. Numerous time-pacing groups are available, so if you’re wanting to hit a 10-minute or 12:45-minute pace, or some other, you can find one.
If you’re in the mood for something longer or a weekend getaway, head to Tennessee for the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon weekend. The slate includes everything from a kids’ fun run to the marathon, which definitely will not be flat. Knoxville has many hills, so this one’s a fun but challenging event.
