So this is a race that seems to be primarily run by members of a running club near Fort Payne or Rainesville, AL. The production rating I gave it is … MORE
So this is a race that seems to be primarily run by members of a running club near Fort Payne or Rainesville, AL. The production rating I gave it is low, and that’s the way the race organizers like it. There are no chip timers, no start and finish line… you touch a mailbox at the end of a driveway on some back rural route, to start, and then finish whenever you feel like you are close enough to the mailbox to be done. I love it! This is an out and back course that has a single aid station at the turnaround point. The race organizer, Crazy Jerry, really is a personality and it’s easy to see how he gets his name. Super nice guy.
This is a race worth doing. In the last 15 years the races he has organized have donated $450k to local charities for abused or homeless women. I think there were less than 30 people running this race and I think I probably chatted with more people pre and post race at this race than at any other single race, even those with 5,000 runners.
The course is super rural and pretty. In the first 6.5 miles I think only five or six cars passed me. Someone asked about a port-a-potty and the answer was, “There are woods everywhere! You have 13.1 miles of port-a-potty!” That may turn some readers off but that gives you an idea how rural the course is. No turns at all. Just 6.6 miles out, and 6.6 back. It is pretty hilly though.
FYI, if you do this race in Mentone, stay at the Andiamo Lodge. This is the starting and finish point for the race. You have muffins at the lodge in the morning and the pre-race meeting is on the lodge back porch. After the race eat at Seabolt’s Taco Truck or Wildflower Cafe. And the cost is $100 for the trifecta of half marathons, three days in a row. Can’t beat that.
The course was actually 13.55 on my Garmin, but the other runners measured 13.74 or 13.75 almost to a person. Probably 1,000+ feet of ascent.
Absolutely zero frills at this race. Just friendly people which, imo, is the best frill of all. I had a nice conversation with a blind runner and her guide over the first three miles. We ran / walked together until I finally took off running because my wife was waiting for me at the finish line. You don’t get that sort of fun stuff at the much larger races, which I also love doing, but this was a special race.
Please login to reply to this review.
Super fun group to run with
So this is a race that seems to be primarily run by members of a running club near Fort Payne or Rainesville, AL. The production rating I gave it is … MORE
So this is a race that seems to be primarily run by members of a running club near Fort Payne or Rainesville, AL. The production rating I gave it is low, and that’s the way the race organizers like it. There are no chip timers, no start and finish line… you touch a mailbox at the end of a driveway on some back rural route, to start, and then finish whenever you feel like you are close enough to the mailbox to be done. I love it! This is an out and back course that has a single aid station at the turnaround point. The race organizer, Crazy Jerry, really is a personality and it’s easy to see how he gets his name. Super nice guy.
This is a race worth doing. In the last 15 years the races he has organized have donated $450k to local charities for abused or homeless women. I think there were less than 30 people running this race and I think I probably chatted with more people pre and post race at this race than at any other single race, even those with 5,000 runners.
The course is super rural and pretty. In the first 6.5 miles I think only five or six cars passed me. Someone asked about a port-a-potty and the answer was, “There are woods everywhere! You have 13.1 miles of port-a-potty!” That may turn some readers off but that gives you an idea how rural the course is. No turns at all. Just 6.6 miles out, and 6.6 back. It is pretty hilly though.
FYI, if you do this race in Mentone, stay at the Andiamo Lodge. This is the starting and finish point for the race. You have muffins at the lodge in the morning and the pre-race meeting is on the lodge back porch. After the race eat at Seabolt’s Taco Truck or Wildflower Cafe. And the cost is $100 for the trifecta of half marathons, three days in a row. Can’t beat that.
The course was actually 13.55 on my Garmin, but the other runners measured 13.74 or 13.75 almost to a person. Probably 1,000+ feet of ascent.
Absolutely zero frills at this race. Just friendly people which, imo, is the best frill of all. I had a nice conversation with a blind runner and her guide over the first three miles. We ran / walked together until I finally took off running because my wife was waiting for me at the finish line. You don’t get that sort of fun stuff at the much larger races, which I also love doing, but this was a special race.