Many feet to meet, run, then eat for Easter Seals

Monday, August 18, 2014

What better way to kick off a summer Saturday morning than in the company of dancing cows and a few hundred good friends?

This is the 16th year for Easter Seals Arkansas' Rollin' on the River, and they're adding more children's activities and breakfast by Chick-fil-A to the usual regimen of a 5K race and 2K walk.

Rollin' on the River is the organization's biggest fundraiser, providing a chance for the community to learn about the services Easter Seals provides to people with special needs or disabilities. Those services include early childhood and special education for children ages 3 months to 5 years; job training, therapy and independent living centers for adults with disabilities.

"You really get to see the mission of Easter Seals," says Tina Leoncavallo, marketing and public relations coordinator for Easter Seals Arkansas. "There will be a lot of our clients there. They'll be out in the community and you'll get to meet them and hang out with them."

Of course, in between the meeting and greeting, there is the running. The Rollin' on the River 5K starts at 7 a.m. Saturday at Third Street in front of the Clinton Presidential Center, then continues through downtown Little Rock before returning to the start. The course is USA Track & Field-certified, and racers will be chip-timed.

After the competitive 5K, there will be the much lower-key 2K at 8 a.m. on Collins Street in the presidential park where, as Leoncavallo says, "They just walk up and down the street."

Then it's time for a party. The children's area will have bouncy houses, face painting, a petting zoo and games, all open from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Chick-fil-A and its dancing cows will be serving breakfast to the masses.

And there will be masses. Leoncavallo says they expect 1,500 to 2,000 people. About 500 of those could be serious 5K runners, but the majority will be families and supporters of Easter Seals clients, or ambassadors, who serve as team leaders for the 2K.

"You have a full morning of fun," Leoncavallo says. "It'll run from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m, so you still have the rest of the day to do what you want to do."

Registration, which includes the walk, run, breakfast and activities, is $25, and the money raised goes back to the Easter Seals general fund. "All the money we raise stays here in Arkansas and serves Arkansans here," she says.

Call (501) 227-3706 or visit eastersealsar.com.

Double up

For avid long-distance runner and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital supporter Phil Davison, combining his two passions was a longtime dream. And now, it's coming true with the St. Jude Fayetteville 10K, a chip-timed race around Lake Fayetteville starting at 7 a.m. Saturday at Cornerstone Specialty Pharmacy, 1450 E. Zion Road, Fayetteville.

The course will be certified by USA Track & Field and follows a multi-use paved trail around the lake.

Davison says, "There are a few hills but overall the difficulty is typical for most 10K races."

Awards will go three-deep to the top male and female finishers and in age divisions.

Online registration continues until 6 a.m. Friday . If slots are still available, runners can register at packet pickup, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at the pharmacy, or 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. on race day at Veterans Memorial Park.

Registration is $30 plus fees, and Davison says all profits will go to the hospital, which he deems "seriously one of the greatest places on earth."

Call (870) 273-3323 or visit stjudefayetteville10k.com.

Locomotion

Superman may be faster than a locomotive, but is an Arkansan on a bicycle?

For the last three years, bicyclists in Northwest Arkansas have had the chance to test their speed at Race for the Spike, which takes place during Rogers' annual Frisco Festival.

In simplest terms, it's a race against a train -- the Arkansas Missouri Railroad train, to be exact.

Riders start at 9 a.m. Saturday at Chestnut and Arkansas streets in Rogers and pedal north to Avoca, with the train leaving Avoca heading south at the same time. The riders reach Avoca, then turn around and try to beat the train to Rogers.

Race organizer Matt Crafton says beating the train isn't all that unusual and requires an average speed of about 22 mph. Because the race allows drafting, it's much easier to achieve that speed.

"We had a lot who beat it last year," he says.

Those who do beat the train get a commemorative railroad spike to take home as a conversation piece/excuse for bragging.

The age minimum is 14 years, but there's a more age-inclusive ride that starts at 10 a.m.

The 2.1-mile Frisco 5 Poker Ride is, as Crafton describes it, "a low-key, family friendly poker ride through downtown."

Registration is $20, $7 for ages 13 and under, with the cost rising to $25 on pedal day. Registration covers both activities so riders may do one or both.

The money raised will be used by Northwest Arkansas Emerging Leaders to improve cycling in Northwest Arkansas. In the past, they've bought 25 bicycles for public use on city trails.

Call (479) 636-4838 or visit nwaraceforthespike.com.

Klassic

Labor Day weekend, the generally accepted official end of summer, may be a time for laziness and baking in the heat for some. But for the Arkansas Running Klub in North Little Rock, it's time for a tradition that goes back 30 years: the ARK 5K Classic.

The certified, chip-timed 5K race began in 1982 as the Twin City Bank 5K. This year, the race is partnering with the Children's Tumor Foundation, which funds research on neurofibromatosis.

Over the years the course has changed, but at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 30 participants will race through Funland at Burns Park in North Little Rock.

The race is part of the Arkansas Grand Prix Series and is a Road Runners Club of America state championship race. Awards will be given three-deep in overall and masters categories and five-deep in the most competitive age categories.

Registration is $20 in advance, $25 on race day. Ages 17 and under will pay $5 and $10, respectively.

Call (501) 247-1445 or visit arkansasrunningklub.com.

Got a tip about a fun wellness-supporting active recreation event? Write to Jennifer Nixon at

[email protected]

ActiveStyle on 08/18/2014