Hooters River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run

Hooters River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run is a 10-mile trail race in Alva, Florida, on January 3, 2027, with a single 8:00 a.m. start. It is organized by the Fort Myers Track Club, and the one distance keeps the field together on the same course.

Ten miles off-road is a distance that sits between a hard training run and a genuine race, and the name suggests exactly the sort of footing that slows a pace down: roots and ruts ask for attention rather than speed. Run the first two miles conservatively, keep your eyes a few strides ahead of your feet, and treat the time on your watch as a trail time rather than a road one. Eight to ten weeks with one weekly long run on soft ground is enough to be ready.