Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon - Race Reviews

Sick of dodging runners in crowded streets while slipping on thousands of discarded water cups? Tired of waiting in huge porta potty lines and trudging through gigantic expos? Want to challenge yourself and run through beautiful wooded scenery? Try this race. It's really hilly. It's really quirky. Train hard on hills to prepare. Then, as the race director's email said, just show up to the start line, poop, pick up your bib, and go. You won't regret it.

Best RD in the US. Tough course: YUP BUT, In 210 marathons I've never got to the finish line and picked up a race shirt WITH MY NAME on it. This is amazing. Unique finishers "medal": a very worthy addition to my collection. Beautiful fall colors. Great starting plan: main start is 8am, but if you want to get your money's worth, feel free to start anytime from 6am on. Gads, that took a lot of pressure off finding the start area! I started at 6:10am. And best water stop/aide station ever; Jack Daniels at mile 24. You bet I fueled up. Oh, and it's paved roads (basically no cars), so no trail run ankle twisting, but all the awesome scenery of a trail run. Loved this run!

I was well-warned about the difficulty of the course, but decided to run it anyway. The comments did not lie-it's pretty tough, especially with a nice hill at mile 24 (with a sign at the top that reads 'this is not a hill') and a bigger hill at mile 25. BUT I'm glad I ran it. Beautiful course, great organization, and a fun time. No doubt this is a must. I ran this one as my 10th marathon and it is one I'll forever remember and love to do again.

Unforgettable small race, beautiful and brutal! Very well organized, great post-race food, amazing swag, and enthusiastic volunteers, no cheering hordes obstructing the course. Where else will you have pickle juice and Fireball at an aid station, followed by a post-race potluck that includes local beer, homemade pumpkin pie, and White Castle sliders? Where else will you be invited (and allowed) to punch the race director? Forget about negative splits, forget about running the tangents. Enter the Monkey lottery and you may rue getting in, but it'll be the best marathon you'll ever regret.

From the website, to the pre-race emails, to race day, Trent and his team get it right. Can only imagine how many hours and how much care they put into all parts of this event. They reinvented so many little things in putting on their "tough little run in the park": the awesomely designed swag (especially the custom Swiftwick socks!), the team aspect, the post race potluck celebration. Wow. Great job and thank you! I will be back!

This is a perfect event. The director and crew make this race so much more than could ever be explained in words on a forum like this. From the pre-race energy to the post race email about the theme of the next year, this is a perfectly orchestrated and executed event. The monkey war is done on a battlefield which provides challenges, scenery, and constant reminders that the participants paid good money to endure torture. This is truly a one of a kind event worth every penny paid to participate.

This was a VERY tough race but was totally positive. Trent is a wonderful director. The course was beautiful, The volunteers were beyond supportive. It will never be a PR (in the ordinary sense) but was totally worth it. The post race food was a terrific pot luck. I cannot be more positive.

I love small races and this is the best of all. Incredible organization, phenomenal camaraderie and a really tough course, which is absolutely spectacular. Unreal swag of novel T's and a personalized (with your name and 'monkey kills') long sleeve, pint glasses and hand painted medals. Cannot say enough good things about this race. Get your name in the lottery, you won't regret it. Actually you will :-) .

This is the best road marathon in the US. It is well organized. It has great swag. It is beautiful. It will challenge you beyond your wildest dreams! Now, good luck getting into the race. The Monkeys are clamoring for another sacrifice.

This race is well organized, fun, very challenging, and all around awesome. Highly reccomended.

I have done this race every year and really love it! I LOVE running in the park, which is absolutely gorgeous! The hills are challenging and you can feel really good about your race no matter your time. Trent does a fantastic job as RD. The volunteers are plentiful and the BEST! I love the race shirts, t-shirts and medals! I love the post race party with the pot luck food and beer! Mostly, I love seeing the runners and volunteers that, through the years, have become friends! I'm looking forward to next year!

Hard course covered with beautiful scenery, drowning in friendly volunteers and loaded with fun aid stations. Fantastic after-race party. Small, superbly organized: you can't put on an event better than Trent and his team do 'The Monkey'. You probably won't PR but you will smile a lot.

One of my favorite marathons for many reasons. Each year has a different theme revolving around monkeys, which provides for unique race posters (printed by the famous Hatch Show Prints in Nashville), finisher medals, and humorous emails from the race director. The course is, to say the least, very challenging, for a road course. For a small race, the aid stations are plentiful and the volunteers are usually fellow runners and great. I recommend trying to do this race at least once.

This race was such a great experience. It was my second marathon. It was much more of a challenge than my first, but so gratifying. The race director and volunteers were superb. The park is beautiful (especially given the time of year). After the race, the celebration includes a sea of good eats that people bring potluck style. This event is a real treat.

This was our 11th monkey and it seems to get even better with age. The weather was perfect, the course was beautiful and the organization was exceptional. We love the Flying Monkey marathon and thank all those (especially Trent) who make it possible.

This marathon was on my husband's bucket list......but I decided to run it - I ran with my son.....if you love to run and feel the spirit of running this race is for you! We had so much fun! The volunteers were the best and Trent's pumpkin pie was worth the 26 miles of hills! This was a great marathon and I will return!!!

I've run 22 marathons and this was my second Monkey. Ironically, my time was slower this year than in all previous marathons and it still reigns as my favorite! Why? It's in a forest (duh), it's beautiful, the volunteers are great, aid stations plentiful, runners friendly and the RD is accessible and delightfully a little nuts. The beastly hills are unforgiving and the surroundings lush even by November standards. It's a marathon you can be proud to finish no matter your time. If you haven't run it, I suggest you really challenge yourself and try to beat, or should I say, make peace with the Flying Monkey at some point. It ain't easy and no cry babies should apply, but it's a truly wonderful, gorgeous run in the woods with good people and for a good cause. What else you want?

Without this race, I would be normal. Without these hills, I would be sane. Without the volunteers and the community that come out to greet and cheer each and every single runner in ANY weather, I would not finish. Without Monkey, I would be human. HHFMM forever.

If you love to run marathons, run this one.

By far my favorite marathon, evident by the fact I've run it five years in a row. If you want a big city marathon with tons of runners and lots of spectators, this race is not for you. The park which host this race is beautiful, but hilly. Easy parking at the start/finish line means you don't have to worry about arriving early and it is easy to get to your car afterwards to change clothes. The post race spread and Yazoo beer at the post-race party are fabulous. The race is challenging and hilly. Those who really like to test themselves will be impressed. This race has a great mix of runners who support each other on the course. While there aren't a lot of spectators, those who are on the course those who are show a lot of excitement. Water stops are often. This race has great shirts (yes shirts, a long sleeve tech shirt customized for each runner and a short sleeve shirt with that years theme on it) and in 2015 had wooden finishers pins. As long as they will let me, I plan to be back.

This is a wonderful marathon, from the entertaining emails sent out before the race, to the perfect organisation and beautiful course, to the fantastic feast at the finish. I've never seen a race so imbued with the organiser's obvious delight in his job. I didn't find the course quite as hard as I was expecting but maybe I just got lucky, having flown in from Australia the previous day and expecting some real suffering. BTW it is well worth reading the article from Marathon & Beyond about how the race got started, there' s a link on the race website. This is a gem, but let's just thank the organiser and keep this our own little secret.

I ran this race last year and the temperature was 22. This year it was not quite as cold but the prediction was for 100% heavy showers and storms. I received an email from the race director: 1) I have no intention of canceling the race; 2) I have no intention of charging you extra for the added suffering; 3) this is Monkey, and you asked for it, so stop whining. How great is that! I signed up for adventure and got it. What a wonderful marathon. The course is beautiful, the volunteers are many and helpful. At an aid station around mile 22 in addition to Gatorade and Coke they had sausage balls, pickle juice and shots of Jack Daniels. The pot-luck finish line had Garretts Popcorn from Chicago and sliders from White Castle. Race photos can be downloaded for free. If you are even thinking about doing this do not hesitate when the site opens for next year.

Thanks to Trent and the volunteers for a terrific race.

This is the only race I've recommended to friends. Some of them have even run it with me. Maybe this is why I keep losing friends. Haha, I kid. I kid. It's my personality that sours them. It's hard to identify the single element that makes this race amazing. Certainly the course is very challenging but it is also gorgeous. The volunteers for this race are the best in class. I've ran this race in several conditions over the years: Perfect weather, wind, rain, freezing cold ... and the aid stations are always frequently appearing and flush with hydration, electrolytes, packets of gooey carbohydrates, and most amazingly plenty of people filled with cheer, encouragement, and good nature. It's amazing how they have braved some of the worst elements without flinching just to make sure the runners are well supported. The entry fee is modest compared to most marathons these days *especially* when you factor in the unique finishing 'medal', the technical shirt, (some years even include a bonus themed tee, cape, etc), SiliPint cup, chip timing, and other miscellany in the packet. Throughout the race you are never far from another runner or a bike patrol in case anything goes wrong, and you are always fairly close to an aid station as well. Each year I'm amazed by how well attended a runner can be in a race with 300 people. I'm surprised each year by how fun the runners and volunteers are and how good you can feel while narrowly escaping Monkey attacks. Oh yes, don't forget the flying monkeys. Not everyone who starts the race finishes  but there is free Yazoo beer at the end of the race along with a veritable cornucopia of home-made and packaged goods (brought by volunteers and the participants themselves) to help you celebrate the memory of those who were attacked. Sign-up early and sign-up often...Well, you can actually only sign-up during a narrow registration window. While it is a small stitch in time, it is at least a lottery now. The RD decided that the suffering should be more equitably spread amongst internet users of varying speeds. Inexplicably, the race sells out each year, despite its treachery. I could go on and on about how stupid the course is and how you would have to be an idiot to consider running this race, but I would always close with encouraging you to sign-up for this adventure. They've been doing this so long, the amount of effort that goes into it is invisible to the runner. You just get a well organized, terrifically executed, tremendously staffed race. If it weren't for all the silly running, it would be the best party ever.

This is my 5th Monkey and each year is awesome! I look forward to getting into the event and beat myself up on the hills of Percy Warner Park. Its a tough course but the other runners, awesome volunteers and scenery make it all worthwhile to me. The swag is better than any other marathon I've run and the RD makes a great effort to treat every runner as a personal friend. The post race activities are great and I finally remembered to try the homemade pies. This race should be on the top of your bucket list.

I have run 'the monkey' 3 times. It is pretty tough,but absolutely beautiful.The views of the park as you crest the tough hills are breathtaking with full Autumn colors. The volunteers are incredible. The best RD and 2 awesome shirts including a personalized long sleeve tech among other great swag.AWESOME INDEED!

I've run this race every year and intend to continue as long as I can. It's terrific fun. Great atmosphere, beautiful course, terrific volunteers and race director, best food I've ever had after a race. It's a really tough course but you need to give it a try.

I love this run...when I am done. So hard, yet so beautiful. The race director and volunteers are the best. Love, LOVE the shirt showing how many monkey runs I've done.

Everything about this race is done right. The course is difficult, yet beautiful; the RD is communicative, has a great sense of humor and knows what he's doing; the volunteers kick ass; the schwag and unique medal are awesome; and it all goes off without a hitch. You should do this race. If you're (un)lucky enough to get in, that is. Particulars for those wanting details: Packet pick-up was simple, quick and easy. Two awesome shirts. The race started on time. The weather did cooperate. Then it didn't. Repeat. The aid stations were everywhere and stocked with a great assortment of calories, fluids, supportive spectators and volunteers. Elly took lots of great pics and then gave them to us. For free! The pot-luck spread and free beer from Yazoo was the icing on the cake. Oh, and there were hills.

Let me start with my credentials. I have run 79 marathons in 28 states and seen all sorts of races, big and small. And to me, you just can't beat 'The Monkey.' It is one of the best marathons out there. Why? It's all about running a great race in a beautiful environment with everything you want in a race and none of what you don't want. Let's start with the location. The course runs through Percy- Warner Park which is almost a stone's throw away from all the amenities a relatively large city like Nashville can provide, and yet the course itself is paradoxically secluded with towering trees and abundant wildlife. It's hard to believe you even in the same time zone as downtown Nashville, much less the same county. Then let's talk about the swag. It is AWESOME, with high quality t-shirts that are personalized with your chosen nickname (mine was 'No Hill Too Small to Walk'.) You also received an awesome cape with the Monkey logo and a wooden Monkey Finisher's medal. Parking was a breeze and was free and was right at the starting line. You just got out of the car and walked 100 yards or less to the start. No crowds. No fuss. Best of all, everyone is genuinely excited to be there. The volunteers are great and enthusiastic even for 5&6 hour finishers. The runners really support each other over the sometimes brutal hills. The RD is a little nuts (that is a plus in my book), but in a friendly and funny way that sets the tone for the whole race. Everyone seems to be having a great time but still the whole operation runs smooth as silk from start to finish.Marathon logistics are difficult, but at the Monkey it all just sort of works to make a flawless race, even when the weather fails to cooperate (like in 2011 with the rain and this year with the cold.) Needless to say, this is a small race and the Park Service will insure it stays that way forever (it limits the number of runners it will allow.) Thus far more people want to run in it than there are spots. There is, therefore, a weighted lotto for registrants wanting in. Register early for this one. Spots are few and are precious. Still, if my legs hold up, I will run this race every year I'm given the opportunity. Fun, organized, awesome swag and beautiful. What more could you ask for? Unless you want to actually see a flying monkey.

This is the best race I have ever done at any distance. It is advertised as a laid back race but it is far from it. It is completely organized to make it feel laid back. The SWAG bag had: A long sleeve New Balance technical shirt (the kind with reflectors) with my name on it A short sleeve race shirt A 4 foot long red cape with a flying monkey emblem! car stickers, tattoos, electrolyte pills, flying monkey toy. Even the chip had the race emblem on it if you wanted another souvenir. Race morning temperature was 22 degrees but clear skies. Parking with volunteer help was about a 1 minute walk to the start line. The start was on time and fun with group photos of 'streakers' (those who had run every Monkey). No corrals, just 'go'. That's when the real treat began, the course. Up hill right from the start into the most beautiful city park you can imagine. The views are spectacular as you run on a paved path in the woods with leaves falling: farm fields, mansions, a steeplechase stadium, downtown Nashville. Make no mistake this course has hills (they never stop) but the ups come with some long cruiser downhills. Plenty of aid stations each one having Gatorade, water and GU's. Many had pretzels, gummy bears, cookies and even pickle juice. The volunteers were wonderful, encouraging, and lots of them, not only at the aid stations but along the course providing directions. Bathrooms were located at park pavilions 6 times along the course. At the finish line, the crowds yelled 'Monkey, Monkey' for each finisher. I was given a souvenir race cup, and a Flying Monkey race medal made of wood! The race director provided beer and pumpkin pie. Runners were asked to bring potluck to share which resulted in a huge table of finishing food like you will not see at any other race. If you could only do one marathon (or any race) in your lifetime, this would be the one!

I am working on doing all 50 states and this is #20. By far this has been my favorite race so far!! Great course, great people, great yet demented race director, Great fun!! A must do marathon!!

Despite the gorgeousness of the course, the brutality of the hills and the awesomeness of the volunteers (and RD) the Flying Monkeys are also real and vicious! They flew ominously overhead throughout the race, disguising themsleves as colorful leaves when they landed, and menaced you along the course, though often restrained by a leash. They also flew overhead, and were caught by fearless Monkey wranglers positioned at the side of the road. Due to pure luck in avoiding attacks and the loveliness of the aid station workers and everyone at the finish line make this the best marathon ever and one everyone should strive to survive.

I've had the misfortune to run this race every year. Some of us are dumber than others! I LOVE it! Trent has kept the integrity of the race and I appreciate that. It remains low key, top notch, difficult and FUN! Can't wait for next year!

This race should be on every marathoners 'bucket list'. The race director, Trent, markets this race as a rinky dink event, but it is far from that in every aspect. Each runners experience starts after they are accepted into the event. From that point we were receiving regular informational emails that also reminded us how tough the course might be by calling us fools for entering the event. The course is a beast, but awesome at the same time with switchback butt-kicking climbs and magnificent views of Nashville. Participants range from marathon virgins to 150+ marathons under their belts. Every runner is greeted at the finish with rousing cheers of 'Monkey! Monkey! Monkey!', an awesome wooden medal, a Monkey cup waiting to be filled with a local ale and a buffet of food brought by the runners and volunteers. This race should not be missed!

My wife and I are 'streakers' and have vowed to continue running this one as long as we can run. Due to injuries we came unprepared this time (taking Trent at his word that 'you can't train for the Monkey') and we paid the price but the price was worth it. Can't wait to come back!

I have run over 30 marathons. Yes, this one is difficult but great views and a great course. One of my favorites because it was a friendly race. Ran with several people throughout the course and everyone was friendly. The organizers were outstanding. The email updates were a source of entertainment for my running group as I forwarded the emails due to the humor and wit. Loved it and would run it again. Beautiful course. Trent you are awesome.