Photo courtesy of David Tosch.
Runners take on the terrain at Oak Mountain State Park in the Hotter ‘n Hell race.
What’s hotter than Alabama in July? Running an outdoor race in Alabama in July.
The appropriately named Hotter ‘n Hell trail race will return to Oak Mountain State Park for its seventh year on Saturday, July 13.
The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will feature 9- and 18-mile options. The run begins at the Lakeside Pavilion and heads up to Peavine Falls, taking the same route as last year’s race. The 9-mile race has a 2,559-foot elevation gain, and the 18-mile option is 5,118 feet.
Hotter ‘n Hell is the biggest race of the series and the fourth in the 2019 Southeastern Trail Series, which is designed as a training program.
“If you run all the series races and train in between, you will be able to do an ultra by the end of the year,” race director David Tosch said.
“The run goes through back country trails and Peavine gorge,” Tosch said. “People can run under the falls and cool down or sit in the water to cool off.”
With the high summer Alabama temperatures, runners will need plenty of water to stay hydrated. Last year’s finish times for the 9-mile ranged from 1.5 to over 3 hours, and 18-mile finish times were 3 to 6 hours.
After running for hours in the heat, Southeastern Trails provides full meals for runners and their guests.
“Trail races aren’t like road races,” Tosch said. “They’re more like a party and most people hang out for a while after they’re over.”
For online registration and more information, visit southeasterntrailruns.com/hotter-n-hell-trail-race.html.
