The Brickfest 5K

Race History

Malvern Runners club was formed in 1982 by a local group of runners with the intention of producing the Brickfest 5K fun-run, as it was known at that time. The first Brickfest festival, which was held in 1981, featured a 5K fun run which was directed by Mayor Bill Scrimshire, a running enthusiast. The original 5K course began at the Acme Brick's Ouachita Plant on Grigsby Ford road and ran across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks through town to the brick plant at Perla, just east of Malvern's city limits. Several local runners complained about the "all uphill" course, so Mayor Bill decided to let the group take over the race and do with it what they would. This group of runners chose to form a club, which was originally known as The Gold Brick Runners.

In 1983, the course was changed to a route through town. The Gold Brick Runners later changed its name to the Malvern Runners. The club eventually joined the Road Runners Club of America, and was designated RRCA club #815. When the running club took over in 1982, Kathy Richardson became the race director for the next 14 years. In 2010, coinciding with its 30th anniversary, the Brickfest Festival is moving to Malvern City Park.

Course Description

New course for 2010: The race starts in a large parking lot, heading north for 1/8th of a mile. The course then exits the lot by turning west onto Tanner Rd. Approximately 1/2 mile into the race, runners will turn right and venture north on Riverview Rd. The route continues northwest on Riverview, overlooking the Ouachita River, for just over a mile. Runners will have then reached the turnaround point at exactly the halfway point in the race. The route back to the finish follows exactly the same course in reverse to reach the finish line.