Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk
- Date
- September 19, 2026
- Distance
- Hold the Fort 5K · Hold the Fort 10k · Hold The Fort 1 Mile Warrior Walk
From the Organizer
Oak Mountain State Park.
200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124
The Annual Hold the Fort Races are a timed 5k and 10k race and a 1-mile Warrior Walk held at Oak Mountain State Park in Alabama on Saturday, SEPTEMBER 20, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. This year's race begins at the DOGWOOD Pavilion. You will enter the FRONT gate of Oak Mountain State Park. Check-in starts at 7 a.m.
Early packet pick-up will be on Friday, September 19, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Full Moon BBQ in Pelham Address: 2252 Pelham Pkwy, Pelham, AL 35124
Proceeds from the race this year are dedicated to raising $250,000 to finalize the construction of our Restoration Home – a home needed to care for children rescued from human trafficking. To ensure ongoing operations in community training, development, and advocacy. To find out more about their mission, visit BlanketFortHope.org.
- Cash prizes for the top overall 10k Male & Female
* Cash prizes for the top overall 5K Male & Female
* Complimentary event t-shirt for first 200 people to sign up (sizes subject to availability)
* Road Run in beautiful Oak Mountain State Park: Park Admission is included with your registration this year! (Thanks Mills Pharmacy!)
* Awards for 14 categories
* Every runner and walker has a chance to win a fabulous prize!
Learn more about Oak Mountain State Park.
We are so grateful to Mills Pharmacy for sponsoring registrant entry into the race. If you bring a spectator, please be prepared to pay for their entry, according to Oak Mountain's website
10K Map:
https://www.strava.com/routes/3388272267858096642
5K Map:
https://www.strava.com/routes/3388271359372016196
If you are interested in sponsoring, please email info@blanketforthope.org.
Distances & Pricing
Race Location
About This Sport
From Endurance Grid's Founder
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The 10K is the distance where running stops feeling like a starting point and starts feeling like a sport. Long enough to require a real training block. Short enough that race day is fully manageable for a first-timer who's put in the work.
Race day energy at a 10K is community at its best — strangers cheering you by name, people moving toward the same goal, an atmosphere that solo training can't replicate. It's fast enough that you'll spend the whole race pushing rather than managing your effort.
This is also the distance that builds the base for everything else. Most athletes who go on to run half marathons, do triathlons, or compete in HYROX started here. What you need: running shoes fitted to your stride, a training plan, and the race on your calendar. The registration is what makes the deadline real.
How long to train: 4–8 weeks for most fitness levels.
Running
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
More running races in AL
Because of the Brave 5K
5K
Medal Madness 5K, 10K, & 13.1M at Montgomery, AL (26)
Half Marathon · 10K · 5K
Shark Run 5k & 1 Mile Fun Run
5K
Raffle Run
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk?
- Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk is a running event held in Pelham, AL. Learn more about the different endurance sports here.
- When and where is the Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk?
- Saturday, September 19, 2026 in Pelham, AL at Oak Mountain State Park - Dogwood Pavillion throught the Front gate of Oak Mountain state park., Pelham, AL. Check the official event page for exact start times and wave schedules.
- How do I register for the Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk?
- Registration is handled through their official registration page. Confirm pricing, distances available, and sign up there.
Hold the Fort 10K, 5K, & 1 Mile Warrior Walk
Sep 19, 2026