Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · 7:00 AM
👋 A Note from Jason
Big weekend coming up: PINKleball Tournament: Paddle for a Purpose tips off Saturday in Alabaster, and down at the Alabama/Florida line, the Flora-Bama Paddle Dash launches boats, kayaks, and paddleboards the same morning.
Heads up on a deadline — Haunted Hustle 5K pricing goes up tomorrow night (Sept. 30 at 11:59 PM), so if Gulf Shores' Halloween 5K is on your radar for Oct. 17, tonight's the night to lock it in.
October 10 is still shaping up as a two-race Saturday down south between Bras Across the CAUSEway and the Shrimp Festival Run — but heads up, CAUSEway pricing already ticked up again this week, and registration closes Oct. 9.
Berlin Marathon went off this weekend — Guye Adola and Tigst Assefa took the wins — and closer to home, Boston Marathon 2027 applicants should hear which way it went any day now.
Let's get into it. 👇
🤯
Wait — Did You See This?!?!
Major League Pickleball just announced rosters and captains for something the sport's never had before: the first-ever MLP Nations Cup. Eight pro teams, grouped by global region, will face off Oct. 30–Nov. 1 at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas, folded into the larger Pickleball World Championships weekend. Basically a pickleball Ryder Cup. Nobody's tried a national-team format at the pro level before now — worth watching to see if it becomes a fixture on the calendar or a one-and-done experiment.
🔥 This Week's Top Picks
PINKleball Tournament: Paddle for a Purpose — Sat. Oct 3 · Veterans Park, Alabaster (worth the drive)
Flora-Bama Paddle Dash (new) — Sat. Oct 3 · 7:30 AM · Ole River (worth the drive)
Haunted Hustle 5K — ⚠️ pricing increases Sept 30 at 11:59 PM — register tonight for the lower rate
Boston Marathon 2027 — applicants notified of acceptance by early October
🏓 PICKLEBALL
🏓 Rotate into open play with three strangers and there's better than even odds one of them starts coaching you by rally two. Show up to play a game, leave with a guy named Gary who thinks your backhand needs work. He's not wrong.
🔥 This Weekend
PINKleball Tournament: Paddle for a Purpose — Sat. Oct 3 · 8:00 AM–6:00 PM · Veterans Park, Alabaster (worth the drive — about 4.5–5 hours from Fairhope, well outside our usual radius, but it's for a great cause and we've got Birmingham ties) A doubles tournament across 10 skill-level divisions, benefiting FORGE — a Birmingham-based breast cancer survivor center. ⚠️ Registration is closed, but the tournament runs all weekend if you're in the Birmingham area and want to come cheer.📌 Open Play — Every Week
Mike Ford Tennis Center — Stimpson Park, Fairhope Lighted courts · Lessons, clinics & socials. Call for open play schedule: 251-990-9526
W.O. Lott Park — Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun 8:00–11:00 AM · Wed/Fri 6:00 PM · Daphne 12 outdoor courts · Free · All levels welcome.
Pickleball at OWA — Sun–Fri 10 AM–7 PM · Sat 8 AM–8 PM · 200 S OWA Blvd, Foley (worth the drive) 4 indoor climate-controlled courts · $10/hr guest pass · $55/mo membership · Walk-ins welcome. In Alabama. In June. You know what that means outside. Come inside.
Gulf Shores Sportsplex — Every day, sunrise–10:00 PM · 19025 Oak Road West, Gulf Shores (worth the drive) 12 outdoor lighted courts · Free · Can't be reserved, just show up. Restrooms and water on site.
Know of open play anywhere else on the Shore? Hit reply — we'll add it.
🏃 RUNNING
🏃 Every route has that one section where your watch loses the satellite for ten seconds and decides you just ran a 4-minute mile. No you didn't. You know you didn't. But you will gladly take it.
🔥 This Weekend
Nothing on the local race calendar this weekend — but the weekly runs are going all week if you need your fix, and it's a good weekend to make the drive down for the Flora-Bama Paddle Dash if paddling's more your speed.
📌 Weekly Runs
Five ways to run — pick your night.
Fairhope Beer Runners — Every Monday · 6:00 PM · Fairhope Brewing Company, Fairhope Just wrapped their first full year. The format is refreshingly simple: 5K and 1-mile routes are mapped, but go as far and as fast as you want. No tracked miles. No recorded times. Social matters as much as the miles — stick around after for a raffle around 7 PM, then stay as long as you like. Fleet Feet supports with small giveaways each week. Show up, run, be social.
Foley Run Club — Every Tuesday · 6:00 PM · Moe's BBQ, Foley (new this issue) Gather at the Pavilion out front for group photos, then head out on 1-mile, 2-mile, or 5K routes through OWA — run, walk, jog, or just move at your own pace. No pressure, no judgment. Afterward, everyone heads back to Moe's for drinks, food specials, and good company. Open to anyone training for a race, starting a fitness journey, or just looking for their people.
Manci's Antique Club Run/Walk Social — Every Wednesday · 6:00 PM · Manci's Antique Club, Daphne Heading into their fourth year this October — which tells you everything you need to know about how good this group is. Same idea: 5K and 1-mile routes, but run your own race. No times, no pressure. The social after is the point. Fleet Feet keeps the giveaways coming, and the raffle at 7 PM is a legitimate reason to stick around.
Thursday Night Group Run — Every Thursday · 6:00 PM · McSharry's Irish Pub, 101 N Bancroft St, Fairhope Run at your own pace, stay for food and good company. The best post-run tradition on the Eastern Shore.
Fly Creek Nature Preserve Trail Run — Every Saturday · 7:00 AM · Fly Creek Nature Preserve, 22430 Main St, Fairhope Running Wild's newest weekly listing — a trail run/walk through Fly Creek Nature Preserve. All paces welcome, whether you're pushing it or just enjoying the woods.
📅 Coming Up — October 10th & 17th
Bras Across the CAUSEway 5K & Festival — Sat. Oct 10 · USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park (worth the drive)The 10th annual — a full decade of "Turning Miles Into Miracles." Timed 5K, a family-friendly 1-mile fun run, or a virtual option. All proceeds fund the Patient Assistance Program, helping local breast cancer patients with gas, groceries, copays, rent, and other essentials.
Shrimp Festival Run (new this issue) — Sat. Oct 10 · 7:30 AM · Orange Beach Sportsplex (worth the drive) 5K, 10K, or 5K walk, tied to the National Shrimp Festival. $30 through Sept 19, then price increases — same weekend as Bras Across the CAUSEway, so pick your Saturday.
Haunted Hustle 5K — Sat. Oct 17 · Gulf Place Town Green, Gulf Shores (worth the drive) An evening Halloween lineup: Wicked Walk Parade (6:00 PM), Monster Mash Dash (6:30 PM), then the Haunted Hustle 5K Run/Walk (7:00 PM). Costumes encouraged. ⚠️ Pricing increases the closer it gets to race day — register early.
🗓️ Save the Date — This Fall
Prodisee Pantry Turkey Trot (new) — Sat. Oct 24 · Daphne City Hall, 1705 Main St, Daphne 5K (8:00 AM, $25) and 1-Mile Fun Run (9:00 AM, $15) on a certified course through the heart of Daphne, benefiting Prodisee Pantry's food-assistance work on the Eastern Shore. ⚠️ Registration closes Oct 23 at 6:00 AM.
Magnolia Run 5K & 1-Mile (new) — Sat. Nov 7 · 8:00 AM (5K) / 9:00 AM (1-Mile) · 14770 Oak Street, Magnolia Springs A USATF-certified 5K through Magnolia Springs, right here on the Eastern Shore. $35 for the 5K, $20 for the 1-mile fun run. A portion of registration benefits Impact Gulf Coast.
Keesler Federal Battleship 12K (new this issue) — Sun. Nov 15 · 8:00 AM · USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Spanish Fort The race the training-program flyer kept pointing to — now with its own confirmed date and registration. A 12K (7.45 miles) around Battleship Memorial Park, 2.5-hour time limit. ⚠️ $65 through Oct 5, price increases after.
Coastal Half Marathon, 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run (new this issue) — Sat. Nov 28 · Orange Beach Sportsplex (worth the drive) 19th annual. Half marathon, 5K, 1-mile fun run, or a virtual option. ⚠️ Early pricing ends Sept 18 — after that, prices go up for the half and the 5K.
Know of a group run we missed? Hit reply — we'll add it.
🚴 CYCLING
📌 Weekly Rides
Pro Cycle Saturday Morning Ride — Every Saturday · 7:30 AM · Pro Cycle & Tri, Fairhope ~28 miles · All paces welcome. Best shop ride on the Gulf Coast. Show up, clip in, and hang on.
Pro Cycle Tuesday Night Hammerfest — Every Tuesday · 6:00 PM · Pro Cycle & Tri (Spring/Summer) 25 miles · Rear light required · ~20+ mph. Come find out.
Pro Cycle Thursday Night Social Ride — Every Thursday · 6:00 PM · Pro Cycle & Tri (Spring/Summer) 20 miles · No-drop · ~17–18 mph. Katie "momma-ducks" this one — nobody gets left behind.
Three rides a week. Saturday if you want miles, Tuesday if you want a challenge, Thursday if you want both and also to feel like part of a group.
🗓️ Save the Date — Thanksgiving Morning (new this issue)
16th Annual Turkey Fondo — Thu. Nov 26 · 8:00 AM · Pro Cycle & Tri, 510 Fairhope Ave, Fairhope An out-and-back group ride, self-paced — family-friendly or competitive, your call — to burn off some of the morning before the food starts. Suggested donation benefits the Fairhope Cycling Project. ⚠️ Distance and full route details not yet posted — check back closer to the date.
No formal cycling races on the Baldwin County calendar for the next two weeks. Know of a club ride or group event? Hit reply.
🏊 TRIATHLON & MULTI-SPORT
Nothing on the local multi-sport calendar since the Brett Robinson Triathlon wrapped up.
Know of an upcoming swim-bike-run event? Hit reply — we'll add it.
⚡ Something Worth Sharing
Flora-Bama Paddle Dash (new) — Sat. Oct 3 · 7:30 AM · Ole River, at the AL/FL state line near Perdido Key (worth the drive) A 2-mile paddle race — kayak, SUP, canoe, whatever floats — from the beach at Ole River Grill out to the Ono Island Bridge and back. Men's heat 7:30 AM, women's heat 7:40 AM, awards by 9:00 AM. Every finisher gets a t-shirt, breakfast, and two drink cards (21+); top three in each division take home a Flora-Bama gift card. Personal flotation devices required. Same day as PINKleball, so if paddling's more your speed than pickleball, here's your Oct. 3 option.
Details via Flora-Bama's event page
🏅 MARATHON WATCH
A recurring look at the Abbott World Marathon Majors and any regional marathons worth a training plan — appears when there's something worth flagging, not necessarily every issue.
The Majors:
Berlin Marathon — Ran Sun. Sept 27. Guye Adola (Ethiopia) took the men's win in 2:02:50, with countryman Gemechu Dida Diriba second and Tanzania's Gabriel Geay third — Ethiopian runners filled nine of the top ten spots. Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) won the women's race in 2:11:04, ahead of fellow Ethiopians Bedatu Hirpa and Dera Dida.
Boston Marathon 2027 — The big one: applicants from the Sept 14–18 qualifier window will hear acceptance or non-acceptance "by early October," per the B.A.A. — that's any day now.
Chicago Marathon — Sun. Oct 11, less than two weeks out. Defending champ Jacob Kiplimo returns off his 2:00:28 in London (third-fastest marathon ever); every 2025 podium finisher is back to challenge him, and nine of the top ten men have broken 2:05. On the women's side, Sharon Lokedi makes her Chicago debut fresh off her April Boston win, going up against two-time Chicago champ Brigid Kosgei, who just won Tokyo in April — defending champ Hawi Feysa says it'll be "even more difficult this year to repeat."
NYC Marathon — Sun. Nov 1.
Worth the drive if you're training for a winter marathon:
Mobile Marathon — Sun. Jan 10, 2027 · Mardi Gras Park, Mobile (worth the drive). Training window opened last week — if this is your race, training starts now.
Keesler Federal Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon — Sat–Sun. Dec 12–13, 2026 · Biloxi, MS (worth the drive). Full and half marathon distances. ⚠️ The 16-week training window for this one opened in late August — still time to jump in if you commit now.
That's Issue #23. 🎉
PINKleball and the Flora-Bama Paddle Dash both go Saturday, Haunted Hustle's price jumps tomorrow night, and Bras Across the CAUSEway's registration closes Oct 9 — a busy couple of weeks to plan around. Berlin Marathon wrapped up this weekend with Guye Adola and Tigst Assefa on top, and Boston 2027 hopefuls should have an answer any day now. New on the radar for November: the Magnolia Run 5K, right here in Magnolia Springs.
If you know of a group ride, open swim, yoga in the park, or any local fitness event we've missed — hit reply. And if someone in your life needs this in their inbox — a neighbor, a training partner, your Tuesday night Foley Run Club regular — send them to localmotionactive.com to subscribe.See you on the courts and the roads. 🌅
— Jason (and Tina 🏓)
Local Motion — From the Bay to the Beach. localmotionactive.com