It’s not every day that one can take a walk around downtown Conway with costumed goats, llamas and raccoons. It happens just once a year, at the Chase Race and Paws, a combination competitive run/walk and pet-themed fun time celebrating its ninth year Saturday.
Founder and race director Don Potter explains that the event began as a way to remember his late son, Chase, who suffered a traumatic brain injury as a boy and later died, in 2005.
“It’s a celebration of his legacy and a lot of life in 13 years that I don’t want to forget.”
The race portion of the event is a two-miler that’s part of the Arkansas Grand Prix Series and has been chosen as the state championship two-mile race. It uses a loop course that starts and ends at 805 Front St. in Conway, at Simon Park. Racers should give themselves time to find a parking space, Potter says. The start time is 8 a.m., and extra trophies (five instead of three deep) will be awarded in the most competitive age groups.
The two-mile run is for homo sapiens, but a one-mile race is open to all comers, no matter what species or breed, as long as anything nonhuman is on a leash.
According to Potter, they’ve had some out-of-the-ordinary participants in the past.
“We’ve had goats. We’ve had pigs. We’ve had llamas. We have a raccoon every year that walks. It’s worth the price just to see that.”
A pet costume pageant, awards ceremony and food from ZaZa and Chick-fil-A follow.
Other than a few new awards for masters, grand masters and senior masters, there aren’t any major changes this year, as Potter explains, “We just want to do what we do and do well.”
Registration is $20 for the two-mile or the one-mile, $30for both races ($55 for a family of four). Prices go up $5 on race day, but children in sixth grade and younger who do after-school track pay $10 no matter when they register. Over the years, the race has raised $87,000 and they’re hoping to break $100,000this year.
Because Chase was treated at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, half of the proceeds go there. Chase was also an animal lover who had a “whole houseful and yard of pets,” so the other half benefits the Conway Animal Shelter, which named its surgery center after the young man.
The shelter will be well-represented, with onsite pet adoptions.
It’s an event designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of people, whether they’re runners, walkers or folks who’d rather cheer from the sidelines. According to Potter, it’s worth the drive to Conway just to watch as families and their pets stroll by or to see the lines of pets watching the runners go by.
“There’s not a more beautiful sight in the world than that.”
For more information, call (501) 514-4370 or visit chaserace.info.
SPOOKS
Runners don’t have to look too hard or too far to find 5K races that will keep them pounding the pavement. It seems every organization, town and festival has one. But not many races pass by a ghost town and include the chance to see how a still works.
That’s all part of the plan for Calico Rock’s Run for the Hills and Race to the Rock 5K, at 8 a.m. Saturday.
The footrace is a first for Calico Rock and, as organizer Kari Lindsey says, “we thought we’d give it a whirl this year.”
Presented by the Chamber of Commerce, the run takes place the same day as the town’s Bootlegger Daze festival with artisan demonstrations, antique cars, food, a chance to visit the ghost town and “Outlaws in Concert” featuring Billy Joe Shaver at 7 p.m. Organizers hope the race will draw in even more visitors.
“It’s really hard for small towns right now,” Lindsey says.
Lindsey says that a concerted effort was made to choose a race route that’s relatively flat (not easy in hilly Izard County) and scenic (a much easier task). The race will start at Lindsey Trout Dock and run parallel to the White River for most of the route, crossing around the back side of Calico Rock and around the ghost town to Rand Park. Shuttle service will be available.
Registration is $30, $15 for students, and some of the money will go to the town’s new cross country team. “They don’t have uniforms or anything,” Lindsey says. “I thought that might be a good thing to donate some of the money to.”
For more information, call (870) 297-6100 or visit calicorock.us.
SPOKES
Sometimes one mode of transportation doesn’t cut it. So when interpreters at Delta Heritage Trail State Park near Helena-West Helena show off the natural and cultural heritage around them, they opt for bikes and kayaks. The park’s Pedal and Paddle Through History and Nature tour begins at 8:30 a.m. March 15.
The bicycle portion follows the route of the old Missouri Pacific Delta Eagle passenger train to Old Town Lake. It’s a 10-mile ride but with frequent stops for admiring nature and hearing historical tidbits, it’s not too strenuous. Besides, this is the Delta.
“Our terrain, it’s as flat as can possibly be,” park superintendent Sam Adams says.
Then, it’s off the bikes and into the kayaks for a leisurely, scenic trip across the lake.
The $25 fee includes bike and kayak rental and registration is required at least two days in advance. Participants are welcome to supply their own equipment, but the fee covers transportation of the kayak to the lake and of the bike back to the park.
Comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing is advised and participants should be able to swim, not that swimming is an intentional part of the tour. The lake is very shallow but in March, a tumble into the water wouldn’t be well advised.
“I wouldn’t want to touch that water on March 15,” Adams laughs. “We’ve never had anybody fall out of one.”
The tour is offered four times a year and is adjusted a bit for the season, giving people the chance to see the Delta terrain in its yearly stages.
“We’re really trying to get this out there, get some people the opportunity to get out of Little Rock or Memphis and see a part of the Delta they haven’t seen before.”
For more information, call (870) 572-2352 or visit arkansasstateparks.com.
ActiveStyle, Pages 29 on 03/03/2014