Over 200 runners took off at the Hydaway Outdoor Center early Oct. 18 for the 19th annual Deep Hollow Half Marathon & 5K race.
Runners for the half-marathon began their race at 8 a.m., and the 5K runners started 15 minutes after.
This race kicked off the Liberty Mountain Trail Series, the first of five races throughout the rest of the school year.
Director of Outdoor Recreation Katy Clay said this race has become a staple for the community, although they see new runners each year.
“Lynchburg has a very strong running community,” Clay said. “I’ve lived all over the country, and this is by far the biggest running community I’ve ever lived in. … This is a tradition for a lot of people.”
Clay said that 286 participants signed up, and about 40% of runners are students, faculty and staff at Liberty. The remaining 60% are members of the surrounding community.
All registered runners were entered into raffles to win prizes. Award ceremonies took place after each race for the top three runners in each gender and age group. The half-marathon finishers all received branded quick-dry towels as a reward for their race.
Sophomore Jacob Alberici ran the 5K race with his friends, and this was not his first run on Liberty Mountain.
“I’ve done this in the past, and I wanted to go with my friends, so we all signed up. … The race is kind of crazy because it’s all uphill to Snowflex and then you turn and run back down,” Alberici said.
Alberici said that the races Liberty hosts are the best way to get involved in the community.
“You’re not going to find a better deal for running races than here at Liberty,” Alberici said. “I did all five of last years.”
Sophomore and Vice President of the Liberty Running Club Joseph Stepp came in first place overall in the half-marathon race. He said his win came from the preparation he did the night before.
“Last night I was thinking about how to prepare for this race mentally, and my girlfriend was like, ‘Don’t think about time. Don’t think about pace — think of something that will keep your mind off the race,’” Stepp said.
Stepp said his girlfriend will sing a song in her head while running, and he decided to give it a try. He chose the song “Banks” by NEEDTOBREATHE. Stepp said that his training and discipline are what have allowed him to get to this point in his running career.
“A lot of it is consistency. Just going out and running over and over again is the biggest part of long-distance training,” Stepp said.
Stepp also said that what allowed him to find joy and community while in school was finding those with similar interests.
“Find community,” Stepp said. “I didn’t know about the run club until halfway through my fall semester freshman year, and once I found it, it was a game changer.”
Other races coming up this year include the Valley View Mike Donahue 5-Miler Nov. 8 and the Reindeer Run 2-Miler Dec. 6. In the spring, the Arctic 5K will take place Feb. 7, 2026, and the King of the Mountain will set off March 7, 2026.
For more information or to register for these races, visit www.liberty.edu/campusrec/hydaway-outdoor-center/races.
Riden is the on-campus news editor.