[2] In particular, the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon is consciously not part of any running series and is neither certified nor sanctioned by the USATF, but is the standard 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi) .
The original organizers included Trent Rosenbloom, The Nashville Striders, Peter Pressman, Diana Bibeau, and others.
Before 1939, the monkeys were supposedly commonly seen throughout the Southeastern United States, with large populations living in middle Tennessee and Appalachia.
[13] The Parks comprise a vast rolling woodland in the heart of the Nashville community, and are situated just 9 miles (14 km) from downtown.
While the parks have walking and nature trails, the singular draw for runners is their extensive network of paved running routes.
"The 11.2",[14] as the locals call it, winds its way through the tree-shaded Park, covering over 1,500 feet (460 m) of elevation gain and loss with grades of up to 10–12% at times, with occasional open fields and densely forested glades.