Friends of the Smokies staff members let me work packet pickup with them at the Townsend Visitors Center Saturday to hand out shirts, race bibs and more for Sunday's Cades Cove Loop Lope.
TOWNSEND, Tenn. — It’s the most scenic, challenging “race” I do each year but there is nothing quite like the Cades Cove Loop Lope 10-Mile Run
It is the only organized footrace inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one of very few races in any national park. All proceeds from the 10-mile and 5K (3.1 mile) runs benefit the Friends of the Smokies to use to support various park projects from historic preservation to wildlife conservation.
I was thrilled to finish in 2 hours, 20 minutes, 36 seconds — a 14:04 per mile pace on a much tougher and longer course than I usually attempt on my daily runs in Danville. However, I had just as much fun — maybe more — at packet pickup with long-time friend Kathryn Hemphill and Lindsay Howell of Friends of the Smokies along with new race director Amy Marshall and others. The amount of work and passion they put into this event is amazing.
Participants come from all over the country.
Carole Smith and her husband came from Los Angeles to do the 10-mile event.
“It was a great run. I walked a bunch (because of a knee problem) and made my goal. I was just hoping to finish, which I did. It was windy but so pretty. Everyone was so nice. We definitely want to make this a yearly pilgrimage,” she said.
The wildlife was not quite as prevalent this year during the run. I saw one bear and friends saw anywhere from one to three. Deer were missing. There were quite a few turkeys.
But the mountain scenery was as gorgeous as ever and the runners/volunteers/organizers were as kind and fun to be around again. It is always great to hear the stories from various runners on the course and even better at packet pickup where I got to meet Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia fans along with fans from several other major college programs and talk a little football/basketball.
There are also a lot of families/friends who make this a weekend outing or even a week-long trip.
The event is limited to the first 750 to register once registration opens next summer and it doesn’t take long to fill up and the good thing is you can be an elite runner or a slow plodder like me and still enjoy the course. In fact, the slower you go, the more fun it might be because you can soak the scenery in a lot better
Alex Widmer, 35 of Knoxville was the overall 10-mile winner in 1 hour, 2 minutes, 13.23 seconds — a 6:13 per mile pace while Jayson Rigsby, 42, of Indianapolis was second in 1:10:54.45, a 7:05 pace. The top female was Jessica Reynolds of Belleville, Michigan, in 1:13:47.44, a 7:22 pace and fifth best time in the race.
Dolly McLean, 62, who worked packet pickup with myself and others Saturday, finished in 1:33.35.95 to prove that running hills like she does often in Asheville, N.C., where she lives pays off.
In my age group, 71-year-old Paul Gelderblom of Charlevoix, Michigan, was first in 1:28:25.54 just ahead of Tom Fethe (1:32:03) and Jim Van Vleet (1:34;04) who are both from Knoxville. Obviously, some old guys can still fly on a 10-mile hilly course.
The overall 5K (3.1 miles) winner was 20-year-old Ashlyn Vanlandingham of Hebron, Ky., in 23:12 with her sister, Avery Vanlangingham, 16, second overall in 23:16.
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The 2025 Cades Cove Loop Lope will be Sunday, Nov. 9.
Cades Cove Loop Lope
Photos by Crystal Ellis, Mary Kay Godbey & Larry Vaught
