Arkansas Marathon - Race Reviews

This race was very well-organized and run by friendly staff and volunteers. The web site is easy to navigate and has all the key info. I never needed to contact the race director with any questions. Packet picket on race morning was easy breezy; it literally took 30 seconds. They started us on time just at daylight. I loved the low-key, uncrowded start, and the different distances started 10 minutes apart. The course was out and back on a two lane highway with small shoulders. There was a fair amount of traffic but lots of law enforcement and signage alerting drivers to runners on the road. Parts of the course were well-shaded, and parts were full sun, but there were plenty of aid stations - nearly every mile. I was impressed that they had 3 different flavors of Gatorade, and the volunteers were great about finding out what you needed as you approached and having it ready for you. The roving aid station vehicle was also a really nice touch! The hills were not as bad as I expected. They were long but not particularly steep. Views were not all that spectacular, but I don't mind rural routes. The finish line was in the middle of the October Daze festival downtown which added excitement. I was handed cold water and a cold towel along with a large, beautiful finisher's medal and an additional first place medal. They had pizza, beer, coffee, fruit, and chocolate milk for post-race refreshments and were offering rides to a nearby church to shower. This event had all the amenities of a big city race (and more personal touch) but without all the hassles.

This is a great small town marathon in a beautiful part of the country. It's a very beautiful, rugged, mountainous area. The race is no frills which add to its character. The people, food, hospitality, organization, volenteers and other runners are great. So is the course. There are some monster hills on it so be in shape. It's a road course which is marshalled but open to traffic so be alert to what you are doing at all times. Having Miss Arkansas at the finish was a pleasant surprise.

This was a race with good course. I was concerned about traffic on Hwy, but felt course was well marked for motorist to be aware of runners. A little bit earlier start would help with heat and traffic. BLING! It was great! I plan to return for the 50th! People were friendly and encouraging. I am a speed walker and completed the half marathon.

Loved the course and race size. Bling was awesome! Might could have started a little earlier. It got pretty warm and the traffic picked up as the hours went on. 5k didn't seem to have a water stop. But after that they were spaced okay. I'm coming back next year!! I ran the 1/2 this year maybe full next.

It was a good route - out and back on Hwy 23. The only area I worried about was bridges that had limited area to cross but traffic waited for us to clear. Volunteers had been out and swept the bridges clear of debris! I would have liked a little more information in emails about packet pickup but still was able to locate everything easily. Most water stations were great with water, gatoraid and snacks. One even had water misters they were handing out! Only one water station was out of water but they did still have plenty of gatoraid. As far as spectators this is on a highway in the country and other than water stations and the start and turnarounds (these were very cheerful and encouraging!) there were no spectators. They had showers at the finish and a festival with food and drinks. The medals were AWESOME! Place medals were also nice. I look forward to running their 50th next year!

This was my second half-marathon and loved the small town feel. The attention paid to the runners was personal and friendly. Loved the course, well marked and well staffed. The finish area had all the amenities one could ask for, along with cool finishing medals. Look forward to running it again and perhaps I will be ready for the full marathon next year.

For a small race, in a small town, the Arkansas Marathon has great organization. The course changed this year. It's still an out & back, but it goes south on State 23 & back to downtown. The downtown start/finish area offer a good place to register and stay warm. And when you finish, there is a street festival going on, one block over - good food, cars, music & stuff. Great finisher medal and tie dyed shirt. I asked about aid stations and was told 5 (10 for out & back), but I'm sure there were 3 or 4 more. They had a competition for best aid station & were well staffed & supplied with sports drink, water and many snacks. The course was a two lane highway with small-medium sized shoulder. But the law enforcement officers did a tremendous job with their constant presence. There was very limited traffic for the first 3 hours, but it picked up a little around noon, but I never felt unsafe. I even had my own private police escort for the last 5 miles. After finishing and receiving my cool spinner medal, the race director put me in a golf cart and drove me 2 blocks to a church for a shower, giving me towel, soap, shampoo, and chocolate milk. Very nice. This a good course, with 4 hills (150-170') in the middle third of marathon. But one of the nice downhills, at mile 16 gave a GREAT view of Mt Magazine. Thanks Booneville.

It was my first 5k and i loved it. Was a great one to start with.. Me and my husband and kids are all going to try to do it next year..

This course was challenging and beautiful. The volunteers, organizers and Law Enforcement were over the top with their hospitality. This race is a hidden treasure. Run it and enjoy everything.

ran the 2011 Arkansas Marathon at Booneville. Not nearly enough water stops,,,first one was at Mile 4,,next one was at Mile 8!! Should have started an hour earler. Race entry fee was high,,$60 pre-registered,,$90 day of. Only 29 runners, but it was chip-timed which was a waste. I saw that last year there weren't enough water stops. Also the awards were downtown, so u had to drive down there to get them. No finishers medal. At least there were showers afterward.

This is the first time this race has been back in Booneville in 15 years! The race is put on by the city's chamber and needs some improvements. But has the potential to be very good, due to the enthusiasm of the organizers. Pros: Great volunteers - very helpful Showers at the finish Quick awards Course is very straightforward so you can't get lost Nice awards Good police support Cons: Not enough water stations. Organizers need to add at least two more water stops on the long out-and-back on Highway 10 Roads were open to traffic. Mid-morning and noonday traffic were free-flowing next to runners on the course. Race started too late. Even in October it was near 80 degrees in Arkansas at midday. Not much shade and too few water stops made for potentially dangerous situations. Simply starting this race an hour earlier would help a LOT. The long out-and-back on Highway 10 was very monotonous. But... it was easy to stay on the course. Kind of hilly... but that's ok. All in all, this race could be great because there are very hardworking, enthusiastic people putting it on. Good police support and support from fire stations of three different cities also helped with the traffic on the busy highway. A few simple changes could make this a favorite local race for me, since I live in Little Rock.

I ran this as a training run for an upcoming fall marathon and was not disappointed. It's a pretty challenging course, although most of the steeper hills are short in length. The toughest parts for me included miles 9-11 (and 15-17, since it's an out-and-back course). Aid stations were plentiful, and Guardsmen helped direct traffic in areas that needed it.

I drove in from the St. Louis ares for this marathon to add Arkansas to my list of states run, and I was not disappointed. As promised, there were plenty of rolling hills. Many aid stations even had fruit, pretzels, corn chips, candy and more - quite a nice treat during the later miles. Very friendly organizing group and aid station volunteers. I even got an age bracket award - what large race can a five-hour-plus runner expect that? The t-shirt is nice, and the Arkansas-shaped finisher's medal is ingenious - and everything for only a $25 entry fee. I would gladly run a similar marathon in another state that I still need toward my goal of running in all 50. Great job.

I ran this marathon as a training run for the upcoming season and was not disappointed. There were ample aid stations every two miles (some closer than two). I suggest pairing up with another runner, otherwise it will be a long lonely run. I think about 40 people did the race today. I paired up with another runner and it made the miles fly by. I heard that next year the marathon is moving from Benton to Little Rock. I strongly recommend this race for those looking for a well organized marathon in September. I have no complaints and only praise for this marathon.

If you like a hilly challenge, then this is the race for you. Be warned, your GPS will fade on you somewhere between the hills and trees. Miles 24 - 26 are a challenging, with a steep incline to finish out. Good local support. The aid stations had good Gatorade and cold water along with the usual array of fruit and snacks.

I drove 2 hours from Memphis to run a marathon too hilly to be certified, and to cross the finish line to a leftover medal not even on a lanyard. The ROTC "helpers" had ravaged the food and beverages table by the time I came in, so there was nothing left to refuel with. There was a couple of snack/beverage stations through the course though. It's a lonely race with too many rural miles and hills. I'd recommend the Little Rock Half or full, and definitely the Memphis, St. Jude Marathon/half marathon for well run, well organized and supported races.

I wasn't sure what to expect in a small marathon (about 50 runners) but I was amazed at the organization, support and warmth of the director and staff. He even held the car keys for one of the runners! At the end, he also let me re-run the finish chute while he took photos of me with my Nikon. Now that is unique. I've run 20 marathons and this is by far had the most ascent. But if you've done your hill work, you can do it. It is an out-and-back course through some truly beautiful rural settings. Two-lane asphalt road for 99% of the run. The course is not closed to traffic but few cars that did drive by gave plenty of room. The finisher's medal is bronze and in the shape of the state of Arkansas, so if you're doing the 50 states, this one very clearly lets anyone know where you ran. Nice t-shirt, too. Organizers said they want to keep this at 50 runners, and that makes it the best-kept secret out there. By the way: If you are an out-of-state person like me, take the extra day and go see Little Rock, which is only 20 miles away from Benton. Clinton Museum, art museum, a real city trolley, the state capitol, and a submarine. -Jim in Dallas

I can't say enough good things about this marathon. This was my 20th and I wanted to do Arkansas but I didn't want the hassle of Little Rock, nor the rather large medal that Little Rock has. This race has a nice T-shirt, a neat finisher's medal shaped like Arkansas, and nice award trophies if you are fortunate enough to win one. I had seen the comments from previous years about route marking problems, but I found none of that. Instead I found a warm welcoming community of runners who put on a first-class marathon in jaw-dropping beautiful rural scenery. The race is very small and that seems intentional; they don't want much more than 50 runners for the marathon and that enables them to execute the event flawlessly. They had bunches of the local high school ROTC cadets along the route to clearly mark all turns and give help if needed. After leaving the historic downtown area, the course becomes challenging because almost all of it snakes through rolling countryside lanes. Nice two-lane country roads, and the drivers were super considerate of the runners. Many honked their horns and hollered encouragement. Let me emphasize "rolling." Collectively, this course has a LOT of inclines, like about 1,700'. No one hill is a ball-buster, but the course just rolls along and along. If all you have ever run is flat land, I'd suggest some hill work before you race this marathon. The weather was 60-70 during the race but the thermal load was minimal because most of the course had a nice tree canopy to run under. Made the GPS beep a lot, but it was comfy running. Aid stations are about every two miles and the volunteers (bless you all!) know what they're doing. Gatorade and H2O were plentiful and many had sweets, bananas, and other goodies. Maybe this is TMI but I had intestinal problems but I ran the race anyway. No porta-potties but the aid stations had plenty of paper towels and there were certainly plenty of dense tree lines and so it all worked. I finished the race and was taking pictures of the other runners and finish line, and the race director asked if I'd like to re-run down the finish chute while he took pictures with my camera. Wow. tell me where else that would happen. Super nice people, super nice race. NOTE: If you run this race and are out of state as I was, I suggest taking an extra day and drive 20 miles to see Little Rock. The state capitol building is neat, so is the Clinton Library, the trolley system and the USS Razorback submarine. Jim Cedar Hill, Texas (Dallas)

If you want a small marathon (about 40 in 2006), quiet roads, cows and horses, hills, and the chance to run by yourself, the Arkansas Marathon is for you. The course is challenging - hilly throughout. It's an out-and-back, so you get to tackle each hill twice! Volunteers offered well stocked aid stations and are most supportive. There are virtually no spectators, but cadets help with traffic/safety. The other runners are the best encouragement. Organization is impressive for such a small event. There were a few first-time marathoners in 2006; I would not recommend this as a first marathon due to the tough course and minimal cheering/folks to run with. Runners should note that the early start (6:30 a.m.) is in the dark.

While I have not run the race in many years, I occasionally run and bike on the course and have volunteered or crewed at the race in recent years. This is a low-key race with few frills, but there are aid stations every 2 to 2 1/2 miles with water, sport drink, fruit, and other foods. There are large mile marker signs at every mile. The course is a mix of residential and scenic rural areas, with a short section through downtown Benton. There are quite a few hills, though the steeper ones are mostly fairly short. The turns in town are all marked with signs and there have been ROTC cadets helping direct traffic and the runners. Outside of town the turns are marked with multiple arrows painted on the pavement. On race day there are also signs or ribbons marking the turns. However, there have been a few runners in the past who ran right past the markings. Recently there have been improved pavement markings apparently in preparation for the upcoming race and reportedly there will be enhanced signage at the turns. There is no pre-race meal. Check-in is on race-day only. There is food at the finish line after the race. The awards are nice and the people involved are helpful and friendly.

I drove 13 hours to (and back home) to be able to run this marathon - it could have been worth it and a lot more fun IF the mile markers and people on the course did a much better job! I ran close to two extra miles, and ran the wrong way twice and almost three times.... Aside from that, the people were great; super water stations; neat finish line and I was able to shower after the marathon. Awards and shirts were nice. The course was hard - but worth the challenge.

The Arkansas Marathon is a wonderful race set in the rural area of the state just south of Little Rock. The organizers really work hard to make the runners feel welcome. Some of the highlights include: incredible hospitality, great weather this year, fall-color enhanced course, super post-race food (I'm the biggest donut fan after a race), well staffed and stocked aid stations, outstanding mile marker signs, a finish chute lined with the state flags from across the country, beautiful t-shirts, and warm showers afterward.

This was a great year for the Arkansas Marathon. The weather was just great, not too cold or too hot. The course is a little hilly and remote, but that is what makes this race special. These people really try hard to make this event special and make you feel special for being there. It may be a small race, but it has a great big heart. I'll be back again for my fifth run there next year.

For a small race this marathon is exceptionally well run. Water stops every mile. Enthusiastic supportive volunteers. Non-existent spectators.

This race used to be a few weeks earlier so maybe it won't be as hot.

This race starts in Malvern and travels through the countryside to Benton. The race usually has around 120 participants. The terrain is moderately rolling with a nasty set of hills at the end. Weather can be very hot and humid. If you were in the area this would be an excellent training race.