Ready to run? Here’s your September guide
Even though summer is not technically over until Sept. 22, the weather has cooled down and events are revving up. If you’re looking to get outside and get active this fall, make sure to check out these runs around Hoover.
Ross Bridge 8K and Health Expo
Alabama Teen Challenge is moving its Ross Bridge 8K and Health Expo back to Labor Day weekend this year, after what organizers said was lackluster attendance last year.
The 4.97-mile race formerly was held on Labor Day weekend, but organizers thought they might be missing potential runners who traveled for the holiday, so they moved it to the second Saturday in September last year, said Rachel Roberts, an Alabama Teen Challenge life coach who serves as race and expo coordinator.
However, they had only about 250 runners and about 500 people in total attendance, Roberts said. “We’ll never do that again,” she said.
This year’s race is Sept. 2. Labor Day weekend is the opening weekend for college football, but the race and expo is in the morning and should be over by the time games get started, Roberts said.
On-site registration starts at 7 a.m., and the 8K begins at 8 a.m. People can register in advance at active.com under the key words “Ross Bridge.”
The race starts in the Ross Bridge Village Center and winds through six of the Ross Bridge neighborhoods. The course includes some trails and ends at the vintage train station in the village center.
Medals will be given for the top three finishers in each age group, plus grand prizes for the top male and female. The event also includes entertainment, inflatables and games for kids, and health and wellness vendor booths.
Roberts said this is the largest fundraiser for Alabama Teen Challenge, which provides residential low-cost drug and alcohol recovery programs for people of all ages. Last year’s race and expo raised more than $20,000, she said. This is the ninth year for the event.
Head Over Teal 5K/10K
The eighth annual Head Over Teal 5K and 10K races and family fall festival are coming back to The Preserve subdivision on Sept. 23.
But this year, there won’t be a 1-mile fun run due to limited interest in past years, said Mary Anne King, executive director of the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation, the charity that organizes the event.
Organizers last year saw a spike in attendance, with about 740 runners and walkers taking part in the races, King said. The amount of money raised increased about 30 percent to $65,000, she said.
Because of the huge jump last year, organizers set a goal of $66,000 this year, King said.
The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation uses the proceeds to increase awareness of gynecologic cancers, fund research for early detection and provide support for women battling these forms of the disease.
In addition to the races, there is a fall festival with games, children’s inflatables, face painting, pumpkin decorating, crafts and more.
The event has always included a 5K (3.1-mile) race, but last year was the first year that a 10K (6.2-mile) race was offered. Organizers have made slight adjustments to the 10K course to lessen confusion for runners, King said.
The early registration cost is $35 for the 5K and $40 for the 10K, but runners who register as a team of at least five members can pay $30 per person for the 5K and $35 per person for the 10K. The price increases $5 on Sept. 11. Children ages 13 and younger pay just $20.
Teams must register by Sept. 20, and anyone who registers after Sept. 13 is not guaranteed a race T-shirt.
There is limited parking in The Preserve Town Center, so organizers encourage people to park at Prince of Peace Catholic Church and take shuttles that will run every 10-15 minutes. Both races start at 8 a.m.
Registration is online at thinkoflaura.org.