Published: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 · 7:00 AM
👋 A Note from Jason
Saturday is a two-race morning down south: Bras Across the CAUSEway at the Battleship in Mobile and the Shrimp Festival Run at the Orange Beach Sportsplex both go at the crack of dawn Oct. 10. Pick your Saturday. Online registration for Bras Across closes Friday morning (Oct. 9, 4:00 AM), so don't sleep on it.
Fall finally has some new local options, too: the Barnwell Community Spud Run lands in Fairhope on Nov. 14, and the Magnolia Run is Nov. 7 in Magnolia Springs. The Foley Rotary Oyster 5K is the same Saturday as the Spud Run if you'd rather go that route.
And Chicago goes this Sunday. 55,000 runners, one very fast defending champ.
Let's get into it. 👇
🤯 Wait — Did You See This?!?!
Pickleball just had its biggest night on network TV. The Major League Pickleball Finals on CBS averaged 773,000 viewers — a new all-time league record and 55% more than last year's Finals on the same network. It's now the second-most-watched pro pickleball broadcast ever on any network, behind only the PPA Tour Masters on CBS earlier this year. The New Jersey 5s beat the St. Louis Shock 2–0 at Central Park in New York City, and the event drew more than 10,000 fans over three days, another MLP record. For a sport that so many of us play in a parking-lot-sized rectangle three mornings a week, that's a lot of people watching someone else do it.
🔥 This Week's Top Picks
Bras Across the CAUSEway 5K & Festival — Sat. Oct 10 · 8:15 AM · USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile (worth the drive)
Shrimp Festival Run — Sat. Oct 10 · 7:30 AM · Orange Beach Sportsplex (worth the drive)
Haunted Hustle 5K — Sat. Oct 17 · 7:00 PM · Gulf Place Town Green, Gulf Shores (worth the drive)
Barnwell Community Spud Run (new) — Sat. Nov 14 · 8:00 AM · Barnwell Community Center, Fairhope
🏓 PICKLEBALL
🏓 Turns out watching pickleball is my best pickleball. I never miss a poach, I never mishit a ball, and I've never once shanked a dink off the couch.
🔥 This Weekend
Nothing on the local tournament calendar this weekend. Open play is going all week.
🗓️ Save the Date — December
Port City Pickleball Cold Weather Classic (new) — Fri–Sun. Dec 11–13 · Daphne A three-day tournament on the Eastern Shore. $50 entry.
📌 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
🏃 Raise your hand if you've never once been able to pin a race bib on straight. It's always crooked, bunched up, or one corner flapping in the breeze.
🔥 This Weekend
Bras Across the CAUSEway 5K & Festival — Sat. Oct 10 · 8:15 AM (5K) / 8:30 AM (1-Mile) · USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile (worth the drive) 10th annual — a full decade of "Turning Miles Into Miracles." Timed 5K or family-friendly 1-mile. Proceeds fund the Patient Assistance Program for local breast cancer patients. ⚠️ Online registration closes Fri. Oct 9 at 4:00 AM (now $40/$35).
Shrimp Festival Run — Sat. Oct 10 · 7:30 AM · Orange Beach Sportsplex, 4385 William Silvers Pkwy (worth the drive)5K, 10K, or 5K walk, tied to the National Shrimp Festival. Same morning as Bras Across the CAUSEway, so pick your Saturday.
📌 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 17th & 24th
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.
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.
🗓️ Save the Date — November
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.
Barnwell Community Spud Run (new) — Sat. Nov 14 · 8:00 AM (5K) / 9:00 AM (Couch Potato Fun Run) · Barnwell Community Center, 13319 County Road 3, Fairhope A 5K plus a "Couch Potato" fun run, followed by a Barbecue & Spuds Festival with vendors, live music, brews, and bounce houses. $30 for the 5K; the fun run is $20 with a shirt or free without. Proceeds restore the historic Barnwell Community Center.
Foley Rotary Oyster 5K (new) — Sat. Nov 14 · 8:00 AM (5K) / 9:00 AM (1-Mile) · 121 W Orange St, Foley (worth the drive) The 33rd annual Oyster Run. 5K run/walk/wheelchair ($35) or 1-mile fun run ($25), with proceeds going to local charities including Alabama Sheriff's Boys Ranch and the South Baldwin Literacy Council. Same morning as the Spud Run, so — again — pick your Saturday. ⚠️ Price increases after Nov 11.
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
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.
🏅 MARATHON WATCH
A recurring look at the Abbott World Marathon Majors and any regional marathons worth a training plan.
The Majors:
The Majors:
Chicago Marathon — This Sunday, Oct 11 · 7:30 AM CT start from Grant Park. More than 55,000 runners expected from 100+ countries. Wheelchair legend Marcel Hug goes for another Chicago title, and Tatyana McFadden is back chasing her tenth.
Boston Marathon 2027 — 33,656 qualifiers applied from 129 countries. The B.A.A. says acceptance notices go out by early October, so if you applied, keep an eye on your inbox.
NYC Marathon — Sun. Nov 1. Defending champs Hellen Obiri and Benson Kipruto return, with Olympic champ Sifan Hassan back from an Achilles injury and American record holder Conner Mantz returning from a stress fracture.
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 #24. 🎉
Two races Saturday morning, Haunted Hustle and the Turkey Trot lining up behind them, and a pair of November Saturdays — Magnolia Run on the 7th, Spud Run and Oyster Run on the 14th — that'll make you pick favorites. Chicago goes Sunday, and Boston hopefuls should have an answer any day now.
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