New to trail running or just want to try it out? This is the race for you. The Wild Thang 9 Miler starts at the main entrance of Long Hunter State Park. The first mile is on the road as you make your way to the Bryant Grove trail. Bryant Grove is a local favor trail that is a 4 mile out and back. The trail is flat but you experience multiple times of terrain from soft dirt to rocky areas. At the end of the 4 mile trail there is an aid station and you turn around and run the 4 miles back to the trail head. You finish at the trail head. Nashville Striders is the host of the race and offer a cookout with burgers and hot dogs. No awards for completing the race but there is an award ceremony for top finishers overall and age groups which is different for a trail race. Also this is a smaller event so placing is possible for all.

Definite recommend this smaller local race if you are in the area. SWAG is a tri-blend race shirt. Aid station at both ends of the Bryant Grove trail. Course Scenery is very nice as the trail runs through the woods on the banks of Percy Priest lake. No expo but packet pickup the morning of the race. Trail is relatively flat which is nice and rare for trails in TN. Parking is very easy and open in a field at the main entrance. Nashville Striders always does a great job managing races in the Middle Tennessee area.

***Disclaimer*** I was sick as a dog for this race so not in the best of moods, take this review for what it's worth. Also 2016 was the first yr of the race so hopefully there have been some changes.

This race really had the feel of a group needed to raise funds so they took advantage of the running craze and held a race. The race supported a great cause but I feel like they should of gone out and asked for help on managing the race. Like I said in the disclaimer, first yr of the race so hopefully they learned from it.

Shirt/SWAG - Race tech shirt and coupons. After the race you got a cold towel and there were waters, bananas, and cookies.

Aid Stations - Water but not enough.

Course Scenery - It was alright but nothing fancy, most of the rain was down a back road that went behind a school and then a neighborhood. None of the streets were closed either except for the very beginning when you were on the main road. Even though the neighborhood they had cones setup pushing you to the shoulder which was a foot of asphalt before a drop-off into the ditch.

Expo - None, just packet pickup.

Elevation - Rolling hills throughout, you are in Tennessee after all.

Parking - At a mall early in the morning so plenty of parking.

Race Management - For a first yr race I guess they deserved some slack but could be better and I hope it will.

Based on my experience, not a favorite and not a race I think my friends would enjoy but the half distance is rare in Tennessee until October after the summer so if you have the itch then by all means go for it. 2017 and beyond will hopefully be better than 2016 was.

Unique race to help kick off the RC Cola & Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle, TN, one of the smallest towns in Tennessee. T-Shirt is actually for the festival itself but mentions the race on the back. Funny thing is the festival is a year older than the race so like this year, the front says "22nd Annual..." and the back says "21st Annual...". Aid stations are every 2 miles or as the race management deems necessary according to the weather. The local community can be found with their own little stations as well along the course. After the most difficult hill there was a family with small bottles of water if needed and about 3/4 the way through a family pulled their tractor out to the road and attached a mister to the shovel that sprayed over the road. That mister was a God send because it was upper 70s and humid and we got lucky this year, typically the race forecast is sunny and upper 80s to lower 90s. Many very experienced runners I know from the area have sworn off this race because of the combination amount of hills, typical weather, and time exposed to direct sunlight and the everlasting Tennessee summer humidity. Course scenery is very rural. You start and finish in the town of Bell Buckle but it probably is not a mile across. Once out of town you are in cattle farm country. Not so much of an Expo but there is the world famous RC Cola & Moon Pie Festival to experience afterwards. Runners also get a free Moon Pie and RC Cola (or Sun Drop). Also available were bananas, fried chicken biscuits, sports drink and water...some of your more typical post run treats. Elevation is killer!!! The first 5K is rolling hills and about mile 4 or 5 you hit a PR and dream killing hill; my Garmin said I climbed 200 ft over 500 ft but it felt and looked like more. All I know is that nobody I could see in front or behind me was able to run the entire thing. After that hill you go down hill steadily and that flattens out before you have two more climbs in the last mile to get to the finish line. Parking is readily available but you do have to pay, I think parking is how most of the town itself makes money. Lots range from $5-10 for the race and $10-20 afterwards for the festival goers so make sure you bring cash. Not a lot of communication from Race Management but the race is pretty popular in the Middle Tennessee area so find a local Facebook group of some running groups and they will tell you everything you need to know. A well known Nashville Running Club handles all the timing and race day affairs for the town so pretty organized come race day.

A small race through Middle Tennessee's farm country that might be the last half in Tennessee before it gets too hot in June. When I say small, I mean small! Viola is basically just a square and has a population less then 100 people. I think the race had an attendance record this year with a little over 300. The town really supports the runner though as there was a couple of people cheering every quarter mile or so it seemed. Most runners say the race shirt is probably among the better you will find as it is typically two toned which makes it a step above most. A couple of women from my home running group did make note that shirts were men's cut and next yr they should try to get a women's cut as well. Aid stations are every 2-2.5 miles and volunteers are all local. There is also a contest for best station so while water and Gatorade are provided by the race, most have something else extra to make them stand out. Course scenery is all rural farm country, from cattle farms to hay fields to soy fields. The only "city" part of the race is the start and finish on the Viola square. There is no expo, just a packet pick-up that I would recommend you attend the morning of unless you are in or around Viola. Elevation is not difficult but nothing is really flat in Tennessee. Course has nice rolling hills from start to finish and maybe one heavy breather around mile 8. They warn you to arrive early because parking is limited but I think they were able to fit everyone in a grass field behind their old tractor pull arena. I got there 45 minutes before start and was probably among the first there beside the people manning packet pickup. Race management uses Facebook for most of their communication but do send an email out the week of the race with specifics. They had an issue with online registration through Active this yr and not being able to pick shirt size but I emailed the race director and had a reply back within an hr and it was taken care of.

Overall, a decent half if you are looking for one in May but I would not suggest traveling a long distance for this one. Most runners are from within an hr drive in Middle TN and Northern Alabama.