2026 Wade Mountain Marathon

Cooler weather finally arrived in north Alabama for the 11th Annual running of the Wade Mountain Marathon, Half-marathon and 10K. Training in the oven and racing in the refrigerator is rewarding. The opportunity comes around only once a year and the 3rd weekend of October in Huntsville, Alabama provides prime weather for a day on the rocks in the woods. A couple of races that I've run in years past have moved to this weekend. The Chattanooga Stages races were the first weekend of summer when I ran them in 2015. The Georgia Jewel was the last weekend of summer in 2016 and 2018. Both are on the 3rd weekend of October now.

Over one hundred participants arrived on a crisp, clear and cloudless Sunday morning at the Wade Mountain Nature Preserve, most remaining in their vehicles until start time. It was not exceptionally cold, but suffering three final days of 90 degree temps within the last week intensifies lower 40 degree temps. I had a thin layer of frost on the top of my windshield when I left home with my folding chair and my 2015 IRONMAN Chattanooga backpack full of running supplies. 

I arrived shortly before 7am to a mostly empty gravel parking lot where only a few friendly Running Lane associates were stirring around, setting up the grill for hamburgers and standing behind the packet pickup table. The comforting sight of dual yellow port-o-potties near the trailhead triggered nostalgic memories of port-o-potties of past endurance events. I popped the hatchback on my silver 2011 Honda Pilot and began removing supplies from my backpack and laying them out on the felted cardboard covering my spare tire. Before leaving home, I'd grabbed two perfectly ripe bananas from the fruit bowl plus a couple of vanilla Ensures to start the day. The rest of my run calories would be GUs, water + LNMT and a little Gatorade squeezed from my Amphipod 20 oz and the two aid stations on course. 

The only sound was upbeat music playing over the loudspeaker. It was a peaceful and still morning, the only interruptions being the sound of gravel crushed under tires entering the parking lot by drivers looking for one of the final open spots near the start. One driver pulled off the freshly paved asphalt up a slight hill on dry, hard packed lawn into the pole position of parking hardly making a sound. Is that a parking spot? I thought. It is now. Well done, sir. Early birds may get the first worm, but not always the best worm.

This would be my first marathon in 5 years, and I can't remember how many I've run overall since training for my first in 2011. I have them listed on Marathon Maniacs website but I haven't paid my dues since 2019. My last two marathons were on Wade Mountain in 2020 and 2021 where I finished slightly under 7 hours in both. This year's run would take me around an hour longer. My goals these days are reduced to "finish, don't fall down, no chaffing and no blisters" instead of what my finish time will be. I hoped to finish under 8 hours which I did. 

After a quick hour of quickly-arriving drivers passing by, the race began with a startlingly loud blast from a miniature cannon followed by a thinning out 1 mile section on new black pavement dipping down through a natural wash from the mountain. I've learned not to start too fast, because it's a long day, so after 3/4 of a mile I'm very near the back of the pack, but I'll pass more people than will pass me, so this momentary investment will pay dividends later. 

Checking my Garmin Forerunner 910xt frequently to make sure I'm not going out too fast, I settle for a 12:35 first mile and walk as soon as I can to get that out of the way. I've fully run only one marathon in my life at Rock N Roll New Orleans in 2012. That was enough. Walking is strategic and wise making the day far more enjoyable and using different muscles throughout the day while being more sensory and taking in more scenery. There are four major climbs during the marathon that must be conquered to claim the right to wear the medal and awesome hoodie. These four climbs are not only steep but rocky and twisting. The trail is not always evident, and while it was adequately marked with orange ribbons, I went off course very briefly a few times. 

Hopping back on I continued my run-walk strategy starting around mile 3. After an initial climb the course flattens out on Harris Trail, which is probably the most enjoyable portion of the course to run: slightly downhill and "smooth" for Wade Mountain. Only the loop of Devil's Racetrack would I consider smoother and it's less than a half mile, so rocky is the norm going both uphill and downhill. The ground is covered with leaves so slipping is constantly a possibility but the entire course was completely dry. 

The intersections at Devil's Racetrack afford for a centralized aid station which was the highlight of the course. George Hambrick had multiple tables stocked with water and Gatorade of course, but in top shelf fashion, he was cooking bacon, cheese quesadillas, and warming up vegetable broth in a pot on a gas burner. Anything you could need he had and his smile and encouragement each time we passed by boosted my run tremendously. Out on the lonelier parts of the course, I encountered friendly Sunday hikers walking their dogs responsibly with excellent trail etiquette.

And while everyone was kind, the mountain only cares about respect. I could never say Wade Mountain is unfriendly, but not recognizing it's quiet strength would be a mistake. The second and what I believe to be the toughest continuous climb is up the eastern side of Wade Mtn. trail. There are brief sections of rolling trail at points along the side, but mostly it's intermittent, medium-sized boulders and smaller, pointed stones on a twisting trail. 

Upward bound for a mile or so the mountain smooths near the top along with the relief of knowing your headed downhill for a while, but that downhill is tricky  since the amount of twists and turns and rocks only increase. There is an enjoyable and runnable section on the west side called Bostick Trail and also another runnable section for a mile or so parallel to it down below, but by and large the farthest and lowest point of the race from the start is daunting. Steep with large tree roots and jagged rocks, scurrying downhill tests your resolve, especially the second time around. There is one table aid station which was unmanned my first go round, but pleasantly on my second time around, attended by an encouraging couple rooting us on. 

One more climb from the lowest point to the highest point and it's all downhill from there. I'll also run out of water on my way back up and down the mountain like I did 5 years ago when Brian McNeese shared some of his hydration with me, without which I don't think I would have finished, but this year I'm more prepared and there's the opportunity for redemption. I texted Laura for some encouragement along the lower trail parallel to Bostick Trail above before the climb began. I was running alone for most of the race which is not unusual, but after 20 miles and some steep climbs, my mental strength was about to be tested severely again. 

By the time I get to the top of the mountain I'll need to sit for a moment. The breeze is stronger at the top, too, so I reward myself with walking while telling myself that I've earned the right to do it already. My spirits revive at the top since it's all downhill now and George will be at the intersection of Devil's Racetrack smiling and encouraging everyone. Some young Hispanic males are near the bottom talking as I walk by out in one of the extremely few openings on the course in a high tension power line area. I hear them running behind me soon after I pass them, so I step aside as many had done for me during the day. I'm hurting but happy.  
 
The second loop of the marathon is shorter than the first loop since we do not run the section of road as at the beginning. The course is one half mile longer than 26.2, but the last half mile is on Piney Loop which is mostly smooth and you can hear the loud music playing again by then. So many Sunday family hikers asked me how I was doing near the end, and I told them: "I'm about to be doing great!" I was very happy to be near the end of my first marathon in five years. 

The gravel parking lot was nearly empty at 3:49 P.M. when I finished. Laura had texted me many times during the race encouraging me while cooking supper for the kids and a local family before playing tennis herself, so when I finished, I popped the hatch on my Pilot, set up my chair, grabbed a hamburger and chips and enjoyed myself. My mom texted me around that time, as well, so I sent her my finish time provided instantly by Running Lane to my phone upon finishing. 

The 2026 Wade Mountain Marathon was somewhere between, "We had to walk to school barefoot in the snow uphill both ways," and a perfect day on the trails. 

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