The 2019 Catsmacker and Kitty Tickler fun run

New this year for the Catsmacker: This is now a PAID RACE. Use this link to REGISTER

Camp Ouachita
Saturday, May 18, 2019
6:45 Trail briefing, 7:00 am Start

Features:
Distance: 22 miles
Terrain: Plenty of hills
Surface: Forest roads with some single track and double track
Also a 12-mile Kitty Tickler option
Course Map

Queens and Kings of the Trail!
The  Ultra Trail Series awards ceremony will be held after the run. This is a NO-POINTS UTS run. It is the season-closer and basically a celebration of the end of another amazing year in Arkansas ultrarunning. A chance to close out the year with your closest friends.

To get there:
You should be able to find Williams Junction, AR on most maps; it is approximately 30 miles west of Little Rock on Hwy 10, or 20 miles south of Morrilton on Hwy 9.  To get to the race site from Williams Junction, go north on Hwy 10/9 for a mile and a half, then take Hwy 324 and follow for three and a half miles. Park on right hand side of road by Camp Ouachita. If the road turns to gravel you went half mile too far.

• There will be a waiver to sign morning of run.
• There will be an unmanned aid station at mile 9.5 (not part of Kitty) and at mile 14 (mile 6 for Kitty).
• Please carry a water bottle and any snacks you want. Food at the aid stations will be minimal.
• There is a swim area not far from the finish line for those who want to cool off after the run.
• A cook will serve lunch at the finish. It will be burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers and all the trimmings.
• The park does not allow dogs, so please do not bring your dog.
• For more information, contact the race director Chris Baldwin

Course Description
The roads/trails used, in order, for The Catsmacker course:

• FSR 152 (from Start at Camp Ouachita) turning Right on FSR 132
• FSR 132 staying straight on FSR 94
• FSR 94 turning right on FSR 805
• FSR 805 turning right on HWY 324
• HWY 324 to finish at Camp Ouachita
• The Kitty Run course is the same as above with one deviation that is seen on the map. Approximately 3.5 miles into the course the Kitty run incorporates the Ouachita Trail for 1.5 miles and then turns back right onto FR 805.

Course marking will consist of signs, flagging with colored ribbon, and flour to mark directional information. In general, the focus is on marking turns and intersections. “Confidence” markings will be relatively rare. We recommend that participants print off maps if they are unsure of the course.

** Proceeds donated to AURA and Camp Ouachita.

Runner Safety:
It is always a good idea to carry a cell phone. The service is poor but most for of the course is higher up and has some service. If you are unfamiliar with the area, run with a buddy and study the Google Map. Print out the Course Map and carry it with you.

The 2020 Catsmacker and Kitty Tickler fun run

To get there:
You should be able to find Williams Junction, AR on most maps; it is approximately 30 miles west of Little Rock on Hwy 10, or 20 miles south of Morrilton on Hwy 9.  To get to the race site from Williams Junction, go north on Hwy 10/9 for a mile and a half, then take Hwy 324 and follow for three and a half miles. Park on right hand side of road by Camp Ouachita. If the road turns to gravel you went half mile too far.

• There will be a waiver to sign morning of run.
• There will be an unmanned aid station at mile 9.5 (not part of Kitty) and at mile 14 (mile 6 for Kitty).
• Please carry a water bottle and any snacks you want. Food at the aid stations will be minimal.
• There is a swim area not far from the finish line for those who want to cool off after the run.
• A cook will serve lunch at the finish. It will be burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers and all the trimmings.
• The park does not allow dogs, so please do not bring your dog.
• For more information, contact the race director Chris Baldwin

Course marking will consist of signs, flagging with colored ribbon, and flour to mark directional information. In general, the focus is on marking turns and intersections. “Confidence” markings will be relatively rare. We recommend that participants print off maps if they are unsure of the course.

** Proceeds donated to AURA and Camp Ouachita.

Runner Safety:
It is always a good idea to carry a cell phone. The service is poor but most for of the course is higher up and has some service. If you are unfamiliar with the area, run with a buddy and study the Google Map. Print out the Course Map and carry it with you.

Full mOOn 50K is the Ultra Trail Series season kickoff race and a celebration event honoring birthdays of favorite AURA Queens.

The race is great for first-time trail and ultra runners, pavement pounders and PRs! The out-and-back course is set on rolling Forest Service Roads.
The run starts at Camp Ouachita Girl Scout Camp in the Ouachita National Forest. There are restrooms on site and showers at the campground nearby we have paid for your use. So plan to stick around for the after-party. This year, we’re serving breakfast just like the old days. But we’ll still have the regular goods and super cold watermelon for sure!

Bring your running family and friends. Spectators are welcome and will probably be recruited to volunteer! (See our volunteer page for opportunities). Please carpool if you can! Parking is limited to the west side of Highway 324. NO PARKING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE ROAD. (The side closest to the camp is off limits.) NO EXCEPTIONS. The Forest Service is very serious about this and will ticket and/or tow your vehicle. Follow parking directors as you pull in. There is no fee for parking unless you decide to park on the wrong side of the road – the ticket is $240.

Well-behaved dogs are welcome at the party and for the run. They’ll need to wear something reflective and probably be able to run with you off leash (leash in the dark is a tripping hazard for inbound runners). Email the race director for more information.

Expect heat, humidity & darkness. Bring a headlamp, salt and a 20 oz + water bottle. Bug Spray — Good idea!

The St. Jude Fayetteville 10K will take place at Lake Fayetteville in Fayetteville, AR. The course will loop around the lake on a multi-use paved trail. The goal is to raise as much money as possible for St. Jude Hospital while providing a great race for NW Arkansas!

Location: Lake Fayetteville, 1450 E. Zion Rd, Fayetteville, AR Registration Fees: $30 (Through August 14) $35 (August 15-24) $40 (August 25-26) Race limited to the first 500 registrants. Only those registered by August 14 will be guaranteed a shirt.

Miscellaneous Information:

• Distance: 14 miles (approximate)
• Starts at 7:00 am from the top of Mt. Nebo, in the parking lot near the pool and camping area. Mt. Nebo is about three miles west of Dardanelle on Hwy 155.
• There is no entry fee. There may be some form of receptacle into which a donation would be appropriate to show appreciation for those administering the run and/or providing food and aid.
• This is a low-key event–a “fun run”. Please keep your own time and sign in at the finish.
• Race contact: Tom Aspel 479-857-4527
• Race #2 in the 2019-2020 AURA Ultra Trail Series

Google Maps Driving Directions to race start.

Parking:

• Parking will be in the grassy area near the stop sign. No parking in the campground-pool-pavilion parking lot. Just to be clear, you cannot park where we always parked before. There will be someone directing you where to park.

Post Run:

• The pavilion by the pool is reserved for the race until 2 pm.
• The organizers will have some hamburgers and watermelon at the finish. First come, first served. You might want to bring drinks.
• Showers are available on top; the pool will be open at 11:00am – $3 fee to swim

Camping and Lodging Information:

• Camping options: Campsites with water and electricity; Bench trail camping with no facilities.
• Cabins are also available. Capacities from 4 to 8 people.
• For information contact Mt. Nebo: mountnebo@arkansas.com or 1-800-264-2458 or (479) 229-3655

NOTE: This event is NOT for trail-newbies.

If you are not an experienced trail- or ultra-runner (or adventure racer), we happily invite you to one of the other UTS runs, BUT NOT THIS ONE. This is a difficult event on a difficult trail that presents many opportunities for one to get lost, injured, exhausted, or incapacitated–with sparse access for rescue.

The Athens-Big Fork Trail Marathon and Blaylock Creek 17 Mile Fun Run take place on the Athens-Big Fork Trail. This is actually > 100 year old horse postal trail. After running this, you will wish you had a horse!
The course is an out and back course. You first run almost 3 miles on roads – paved and gravel up to the start of the trail. Then you enter the Athens-Big Fork Trail – White Blazes. Follow the trail over 8 mountains. The 8 mountain crossings on the trail are:
Missouri
Hurricane Knob
McKinley
Brier Creek
Leader
Brushheap
Brushy
Big Tom
You pop out of the trail and need to go about a half mile down the gravel road to get your full 13.1. Then you turn around and go back. It’s that easy!
The 17 Mile Blaylock Creek Fun Run only gets to run half of the hills. You will turn around at the Aid Station just across Blaylock Creek.

What this means to you the runner. Here are some statistics for you to consider – this is the “out” of the out and back:
Max Elevation: 2028
Min Elevation: 1023
Climbing Elevation Gain: 4600 feet
Climbing Distance: 7.10 miles
Average Grade: 12%