Race History
The Canyon Climb race was started in 2014 by the Anniston Runners Club, and runs through the hilly, historic neighborhoods of east Anniston. Since its inception, the race has always started in front of the Regional Medical Center Health System's Tyler Center in Anniston; the Anniston Runners Club partners with RMC each year to help make the event a success and raise money for RMC's research fund for colorectal cancer. From 2014-2024, the race had two distance options: a 5 Miler and a 2.7 Miler. In 2025, this was changed to an 8K and a 5K, with new courses running through the same areas. That year, the 8K was named in honor of Robert Smith, and the 5K was named in honor of Nancy Grace, in recognition of their contributions to the Anniston Runners Club. In 2026, the 5K route was further altered and a 1-mile fun run was added to the list of events.
Past 8K Winners
- 2025: Hunter Hartwell in 32:41***, and Nicole Dieckow in 38:11***. (First race as Robert Smith 8K)
Past 5-Miler Winners
- 2024: Landon Delozier in 32:56, and Brandi Nichols in 38:01. (Final race as Canyon Climb 5-Miler; "Backwards" course for this year only)
- 2023: Landon Delozier in 30:12*, and Brooke Nelson in 42:09.
- 2022: Dennis Davis in 35:08, and Brandi Nichols in 36:25.
- 2021: Neal Mulkey in 36:05, and Silvia Troncoso in 42:13.
- 2020: In-person event canceled due to COVID-19, no official results available.
- 2019: Janek Wasserman in 31:21, and Vickie Varnes in 41:08.
- 2018: Mark Williams in 34:01, and Brandi Nichols in 36:53.
- 2017: Chris Edmondson in 30:29.50, and Megan Wasserman in 32:31*.
- 2016: Bennett Browder in 30:29.00, and Abby Nunnelly in 36:55.
- 2015: Mark Wilson in 34:59, and Abby Nunnelly in 36:58.
- 2014: Neal Mulkey in 34:50, and Brooke Pruitt in 37:24. (First race as Canyon Climb 5-Miler)
*** denotes a current course record.
* denotes a course record for a defunct distance/course.
Results from the shorter option races (the current 5K and the former 2.7 Miler) are not currently listed.
