Opportunities

Challenging 20K at Benton seen as harder than many halfmarathons.

The Saline County Striders will stage the Arkansas 20K, the 16th footrace in the 2018 Arkansas Grand Prix series, at 7 a.m. Saturday in Benton.

The chip-timed 20K begins and ends in Benton’s River Center Complex at the Boys and Girls Club, 1810 Citizens Drive.

It’s a tough and hilly 12.4 miles. The club website warns: “This course is more difficult than most half marathons.”

Runners who can’t go the distance in less than 2½ hours can start early at 6:30 a.m. — and are urged to. The website notes that the early start is not for fast runners or those who want to get it over with. Early start participants who finish faster than 2 hours “will be credited with a finish time of 2:00 or disqualified.”

The course will be marked by 6:30, but there won’t be traffic control or water at the aid stations until 7. The finish line will close at 10 a.m.

Race awards will go threedeep for males and females in these categories: overall, masters (ages 40-49), grand masters (50-59), seniors (60 and over) and in five-year age divisions.

Male runners interested in breaking the course record will have to beat Mark Ferguson’s 1:15:09 set in 2016; and Kaitlyn Bounds’ 1:18:06, set in 2017, is the women’s mark.

Registration costs $40, but if you sign up before Thursday, you can forgo the T-shirt and run for $35. Add a $3 fee for online registration through runsignup.com. Race-day registration will cost $50, shirt or no shirt.

Packet pickup and raceday registration will be open from 6 to 6:45 a.m. at the Boys and Girls Club.

Links to registration are at salinecountystriders.com and arkrrca.com. Contact race director Chris Hall at ar20k@ salinecountystriders.com.