January 6th, 2024
All races begin at 9am Eastern
4301 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, Tennessee (Hubert Fry Center)
Burn off those holiday calories, make some friends, have a great time!
The course is a multi-loop/out-and-back type of thing where you’ll pass the “aid station” more than once. We’ve got drinks and snacks covered!
!!!!!IMPORTANT!!!!!
The most important thing to remember is that our focus is on FUN. Only a handful of people ever have a real chance of winning any race. Our crew caters to the 99% – the ones who will never win but who still deserve an amazing race experience. If you think you’re signing up for an uber-competitive, super-speedy race, we’d suggest you pass on ours and look for something else. But if you like hanging out with fun people, if you like giving or receiving high fives, if you think loud music and cowbells are essential, if you are more worried about having a good time vs. winning, if you like being spoiled, if you like fun surprises, if you want to be with people who truly enjoy your company and want to see you succeed, we hope you join us, because you’re just the kind of person we want to run with!
THE COURSE
Pretty stinkin’ flat. We’re entirely on the Tennessee Riverwalk path, with about half the course running alongside the Tennessee River. Along the course you’ll see lots of public art, green spaces, a collection of mini playgrounds, fishing piers, and the Chickamauga Dam. The whole thing is cement/concrete, with restrooms never more than a mile away.
There is one giant aid station, right in the middle of the course, and you run back and forth until you get up to the distance you’re aiming for. For instance, if you’re doing the half marathon, you go west to the dead-end at the Tennessee River, then you come back (roughly 2.5 miles round trip) and then come back to the start/finish/aid area, then you go east to the Chickamauga Dam and come back (roughly another 2.5 miles round trip.) Back and forth, the scenery changes, the people change, but your awesomeness stays the same.
The course is measured using a wheel on the ground; GPS measurements have come up a mile short and a mile and a half long for the half marathon, and everything in between. The course is not certified and will not be; this is not a Boston qualifier. As long as minimum starters/finishers show up, we do meet qualifications for 50 States Half Marathon Club and Half Fanatics.
THE AID
Our aid stations are epic. It’s simply a fact.
Food at the aid station includes (but is not limited to): energy gels in a variety of brands and flavors, fruit, potato chips, pretzels, pickles, cookies, candy (chocolate candy and sugary stuff too), crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and whatever else we decide looks good at the grocery store!
Drinks available include water, Gatorade, coffee, hot chocolate, and chocolate milk. If you have a particular mix or drink that you prefer, please bring it along and we’ll be happy to refill your personal cup all day long with it, or keep it on ice for you.
Also available in the aid station zone: Bandages, athletic tape, Vaseline, salt tablets, sunscreen, feminine products, ponytail holders, BioFreeze, and other things that will help us help you get to the finish line. Due to insurance restrictions, we are not allowed to give you any painkillers, so please bring your own and use them responsibly.
Because you pass by the start/finish/aid area multiple times, you’re welcome to leave a drop bag with supplies, or you can leave a water bottle or cup at the aid station to fill up with the drink of your choice. You can also bundle up at the beginning of the race and then peel off one layer at a time and drop them at the aid station to be picked up before you leave.
THE SWAG
To keep prices low, your entry fee includes all the food and drink you can consume until the last runner finishes, a race sticker, and a toasty warm beanie/knit cap. Shirts, hoodies, and other gear is available for pre-order during registration. A limited amount of merchandise will be available for purchase at the race.
Your finisher medal is a bowl-sized coffee mug, with a ribbon included so you can hang it up if you’d like. But we’ll be pre-washing them for you so you can fill it up with all the food and drinks you can handle at the post-race buffet. Pretty AND useful, just the way we like it!
PACKET PICKUP
Pick up your race bib and any pre-ordered swag one hour before each race start. If you’re running on Sunday and are in town on Saturday, feel free to stop by the race location to get your bib then. Yes, you can pick up a friend or family member’s bib.
THE FINISH LINE PARTY
We think every finish deserves a party! At Freeze Your Half Off, you’ll find piping hot chili (vegan and meat varieties, with cheese and Fritos and cornbread if you’re into those things too!), soup, and sweet treats like brownies and cookies.
The finish line food and festivities continue until the last person finishes. This is non-negotiable for us. We don’t run out of food. We don’t run out of drinks. We don’t run out of cowbells and dancing and high fives. Do not worry about anything being missing if you’re not fast; we’ve got you covered.
THE QUESTIONS WE GET ASKED THE MOST
Are strollers and/or wheelchairs allowed?
Yep! Please register any children riding in the stroller if you’d like for them to receive a race bib and medal.
Are headphones allowed?
Yep! We ask that you keep the volume low enough so you can hear what’s going on around you. This path is heavily used by runners, walkers, cyclists, unicyclists (no joke) and rangers drive around on golf carts. It’s best if you can hear all of these things coming up behind you so you don’t accidentally find yourself smushed on the pavement. We don’t like smushed runners. It’s also best if you pull out at least one earbud when you get near a volunteer directing runners so you know where to go.
Are walkers allowed?
Walkers are not only allowed, they are encouraged. We do not care what speed you go, as long as you finish within the time limit (5 hours for ALL race distances; if you think you’ll take longer than 5 hours, please email us to arrange an early start.) All finish line food and festivities remain out until the last person finishes, so no worries about anything disappearing before you make it to the finish line. There’s even a special award for the person who perseveres the longest! This is a great race for first timers at any distance, and we’ve turned lots of people into half marathoners at this event!
Are pets allowed?
Unfortunately no.
Where should spectators hang out?
There are parking lots at both ends of the course and in the middle. If your spectators include kids, we recommend hanging out at the start/finish/aid area by the Hubert Fry Center, where there are two big playgrounds, or going exploring down by the nature walk playgrounds at the west end of the course. We have a big supply of cowbells that can be borrowed at the finish line.
What hotel should I stay at?
There are multiple areas with hotel accommodations nearby. Hixson area hotels are just north of the course, where there is a little bit of shopping and some restaurants, a suburban area. Just south of the course in the Hamilton Place area, there is a lot more to choose from in terms of shopping and restaurants, but you’ll also be dealing with more traffic. And if you choose downtown, be aware that you’ll probably have to pay for parking at the hotel, there is limited shopping but lots of local restaurants. The options below all have good reviews on TripAdvisor, but we recommend checking for the most up-to-date reviews before booking.
Comfort Inn & Suites (Hamilton Place Area) – 6 miles from start/finish
2341 Shallowford Village Dr., Chattanooga, TN, 37421
Comfort Inn Downtown – 6 miles from start/finish
2420 Williams St, Chattanooga, TN, 37408-2925
What will the weather be like?
Flip a coin and you’ll know! The first and fourth year we held this event, temperatures at the start were in the teens. The second, third, and fifth year, temperatures were much more mild and got into the 50s. Winter in the Tennessee Valley is notoriously unpredictable. We suggest checking the forecast repeatedly, and then taking it with a grain of salt because it will probably change 15 times a day in the week leading up to the race.
Okay, I’m in! Where do I register?