FAYETTEVILLE, (KFSM) — Hundreds of runners gathered at the University of Arkansas — along Meadow Street — for the 7th annual Fayetteville Half Marathon, early Saturday (Oct. 29).
The event is promoted by All Sports Productions.
This race started in 2010 and has been held around the University of Arkansas campus area. In 2013-15 it was held in Lake Fayetteville.
“The first year the weather was a negative wind-chill and it was in December, and then there was an ice storm another year,” said All Sports Productions Owner, and Race Director for this event Bruce Dunn, “However, this year it was weather perfect for fall here in Fayetteville.”
“We wanted to have something unique for this race and that was made possible by ending inside a world famous training facility that’s named after a world renowned coach — John McDonnell,” said Dunn.
Dunn added that it’s a challenging course, but it is a beautiful run that visits some of Fayetteville’s unique landmarks makes the race special.
The half marathon course goes through parts of the University of Arkansas campus, Dickson Street, a portion of the trail system and Garland Avenue.
Also featured was a 5K and one-mile fun run and walk through the campus and part of the city.
The first loop is 8 1/2 miles, and from the starting point runners go along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and then north back to the campus along Stadium Drive.
Runners also had to hit the dirt as some of the course was on a trail along the creek that runs through Fayetteville — from there runners continued south and headed toward Maple Street.
Next year, it will be held the second weekend in November — that’s November, 11, 2017.
The overall half marathon top male finisher was Blake Hazelwood, 31, from Centerton with a time of 1:32:08.
For the women, Laurie Currens, 46, from Bella Vista came in first with a run time of 1:42:16.
