Fort Smith Marathon/Half/Relays 2023

Short review

Marathon
This USATF-certified course is both scenic and challenging and includes historic downtown, beautiful neighborhoods, paved trails, and rolling terrain with a few significant climbs and descents as well. This is certainly a finisher’s medal you’ll be proud to earn! Marathon – $80 (Includes short sleeve tech t-shirt, timing chip/bib and race packet).  Race date is Sunday, TBD, 2022 with race starting 8:00 am. 

Half-Marathon: Includes a gentle climb throughout much of the first half in addition to one steep hill around mile 4. The back half is a fantastic descent over much of the trip back down to the finish.

Marathon Relay: The Marathon course is broken into 4 relay legs varying from around 5.5 miles to 7.5 miles. Each leg includes both challenging and easy terrain, as well as plenty of points of interest.

Leg #1 (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/469743704): includes beautiful historic downtown, the grand homes of Free Ferry, St. Scholastica Monastery, and views of Hardscrabble Country Club.

Leg #2 (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/469751780/): picks up at Hardscrabble and continues down Cliff Drive with beautiful homes and the valley and mountains to the south, makes an impressive climb to the St. Francis/Miletree neighborhood with incredible estates and views of the river and mountains to the north, drops down a significant hill onto Massard before picking up the Massard Trail.

Leg #3 (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/469756684): highlights several miles of secluded wooded trails at Chaffee Crossing and Ben Geren Regional Park, a WWII-era ridgetop ampitheater, and the Ben Geren Golf Course.

Leg #4 (http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/469759426): takes you right past the end of the FS Regional Airport runway before making the final climb and ultimately a 5-mile gentle downhill cruise to the finish.