Mountain Man bike ride to cover Heber Springs

Bike riders of all experience and ages will have a chance at challenging their riding skills in the sixth Ride Like a Mountain Man event 8 a.m. Saturday in Heber Springs.

One-loop rides begin and end at Sulphur Creek Outfitters, 625 S. Seventh St., with three routes to choose from: a 55-mile ride around Greers Ferry Lake; 20 miles around Heber Springs; or the more laid-back and social 10-mile beginner’s group, for everyone.

There will be a kids rodeo, followed by spaghetti dinner from 6 to 8 p.m Friday. All participants are welcome to eat and will receive goodie bags and T-shirts. There also will be a buffet after the ride.

Registration for the 10and 20- mile rides costs $35. The 55-miler is $45. Fees for students, riders 60 and older, Army veterans, dual bikes (tandems), as well as disabled riders are $30 for the 20-mile and $40 for the 55-miler.

All finishers will get a pin or medal.

Register online at bikereg.com/rlamm until the night before the race or at Sulphur Creek Outfitters during business hours. Riders can pick up packets during business hours or before 7 a.m. on race day.

The event is part of Heber Springs’ Springfest. All proceeds will benefit the development of the city’s trails, improving ways of getting more Arkansans outside and active.

For more information, contact Jay Sandersfeld at (501) 250-4099 or gfltc.com.

In Living Color 5K and Walk to End Lupus

The 23rd running of the race formerly known as the Norma Lampert Memorial Lupus Springers 5K Race Walk shines a spotlight on ending lupus while adding a little color to Hot Springs. The In Living Color 5K Run and Walk to End Lupus footrace begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at National Park College in the Gerald Fisher Student Area, 101 College Drive in Hot Springs.

The 5K loop and the noncompetitive walk will make their way around Mid-America Park.

Race-day registration will be open from 6:30 to 7:45 a.m. on the first level of the Gerald Fisher Student Area. Entry fee before Thursday is for either the walk or 5K is $25. Add $5 on race day.

According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs. It is commonly found in women descended from African, Asian or Latin American ancestors, and typically the women are ages 15 to 45.

This run is funded in part by a grant given to The Lupus Foundation of Arkansas Inc. by the Lupus Education and Awareness Program and Arkansas Department of Health. The program also funds health fairs, workshops, seminars and billboards that depict Arkansans who have lupus.

Call (501) 525-9380 or go to lupus-arkansas.com for more information.

R.A.P.T.O.R. Cycling Relay

The R.A.P.T.O.R. Cycling Relay in Fayetteville begins at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, with two distances to choose from, 116 miles or 60 miles.

Solo bicycle riders or relay teams of two or four riders will race over peaks in the Ozarks while competing in a handicap system with four criteria: USA Cycling category, sex, weight and age.

Competitors won’t know the route they are to take until 48 hours before race day. Conditions on the route, the mileage and elevation will be announced in advance.

Attendance is mandatory for a 6:30 p.m. pre-race meeting Friday night, at 150 N. Skyline Drive on Mount Sequoyah. Packets can also be picked up during this time. Fee for solo riders is $111; two-person teams pay $222 and the four-person relay is $444.

This race is a part of the R.A.P.T.O.R. Adventure series of cycling and running events. The R.A.P.T.O.R. trail run will be Sept. 16 in Devil’s Den State Park.

Online registration closes midnight Wednesday at runsignup.com.

Little Rock Marathon 2019

Runners can and probably should start gearing up already for the 17th Little Rock Marathon presented by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Race weekend will be March 2-3, 2019.

The newspaper has made the marathon possible since it began in 2003. This event is a fundraiser for the Little Rock Department of Parks and Recreation.

Registration usually doesn’t open until August, but this year it will open on Memorial Day, with deeper than usual discounts for those who sign up right away. Subscribers to the race’s email newsletter will have first dibs, because they’ll receive a reminder when registration opens.

The race conducts a free training program with group runs year-round. Currently the group runs are at the maintenance level, but in the fall, official training schedules will begin to raise participants’ fitness so they’ll be ready to go the distance in March. That program’s 2018 email list has been purged. Those who want to get the word about sessions and the free virtual training presented by Rock City Running should re-register ASAP.

There will be a few changes for next year’s run. For starters, the start time on Sunday will be different. The race is bringing back its early start for those who need more than 6½ hours to go 26.2 miles. Only 300 athletes will be accepted, and those who register for the early start must start early. It is not optional. All applications for the early start will be reviewed.

For more information and race alerts, or to join the training program’s email list, head to littlerockmarathon. com. d