Third annual trail race has big turnout
The fourth annual Back 40 Run and Ride had roughly 650 people signed up to compete in runs and bike races ranging from 5 kilometers to 40 miles — and a handful of people racing on foot Saturday and on a bike Sunday.
Mike Rush, who owns Rush Running, said the event raised $7,000 each for the city to put toward trail maintenance and Drive With Care, a nonprofit promoting safer interactions between motor vehicle traffic and human-powered traffic.
Registration was initially capped at 600, but the demand was high enough to justify opening more slots, he added.
Mayor Peter Christie said he was glad to see the event has grown a lot and events like this can help put Bella Vista on the map, which helps attract tourism and potential residents.
“I’m happier than all getout,” he said.
Bentonville resident Christopher Hyatt also seemed pleased after finishing the 5k run through Blowing Springs.
Hyatt said he’s raced road bikes, but this was his first trail run and he had a blast. The crowd is more laid back and supportive, but the course is more interesting and technical than a road, he said.
This was a great chance to try out a new type of racing without going too far, he said.
“It’s nice to have local races,” he said.
Another first-timer, Springdale resident Tina Halderman, said she also came to try something new.
“A 5k was a pretty good intro,” she said.
She’s hiked these trails before, so there weren’t a lot of huge surprises, but running them is a wildly different experience, she explained.
Trail runners have to be careful with their steps and can’t zone out like one does running on pavement, she said.
The challenge is something Halderman said she wants to tackle again.
“I think it’s really fun,” she said.