SPRINGDALE — The Hogeye Marathon will chart a new course in 2017, moving from Fayetteville to Springdale.
Tyson Foods announced Monday it will be the marathon's presenting sponsor. The race, scheduled for Saturday, April 8, will start and finish on Emma Avenue in downtown Springdale.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the Hogeye Marathon to partner with a local company that shares our goal of building a stronger and healthier community,” race director Tabby Holmes said in a news release. “We appreciate the support we’ve received from the city of Fayetteville over the years and hope this announcement will build on the strong foundation the marathon has established because of that relationship.”
The Hogeye Marathon started in 1977 as competitors raced from Fayetteville to Hogeye and back. Since then, the event has grown to more than 2,000 runners each year competing in a number of events. In addition to the 26.2-mile marathon, the event also includes a half-marathon, a 5K run/walk and a children's marathon. There is also a four-person relay race.
The new race course will primarily be in Springdale, but will lead runners through areas of Johnson and Fayetteville and include portions of Lake Fayetteville and the Razorback Greenway before ending on Emma Ave.
Another change is the day of the marathon. In past years it was run on Sunday, but this year it will move to Saturday, where Holmes is hopeful the partcipation of both runners and volunteers will increase.
Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse said in the news release that adding the Hogeye Marathon is another step in the revitalization of the downtown area, where Tyson Foods is currently leading the revival effort with the construction of a new downtown office.
“This announcement is just another step toward our goal of bringing people back to Emma Avenue,” Linda Wray, vice president of talent acquisition and onboarding for Tyson, said in the news release. “There is an exciting future in store for downtown Springdale, and we’re proud to be a part of it.”