www.ArkansasRRCA.com

I have loved participating in my first year of the Grand Prix. i think one of the neat things about it is that there are so many different types/distances of races. I personally hate a 5k and would rather have several marathons, but that's what makes it for everyone - there is such a variety to choose from! I have never run a trail race or an ultra and would love to try. I think the grand prix is just the place to push yourself to try something new and experience every type of running at least once. Let's try it!!!

sidewinder wrote:I believe the Grand Prix is ment for mostly road racing....Ultra Trail website is www.runarkansas.com They have about 10 races in the series.

Aspel is correct! The Grand Prix Series is put on by the Arkansas RRCA which is a Road Running Organization. We may have an XC race or two, but Road Running is our focus (and really, there isn't much difference between XC and road running).
If you are interested in Ultras, definitely check out AURA's website. Also, there is a shorter distance trail running series in Arkansas as well. LIART. Their website is www.liartsports.com
Variety is great. A lot of Grand Prix runners also do triathlons, stair climbs, 100 mile bike rides, steeple chase at a track meet, etc. These are all great, but for the Arkansas Grand Prix Series, our mission is to promote the sport of Road Running.

Thanks Andrea for reigning us back in. I didn’t mean to get anything started. I am a member of Aura and would be a member of Lariat also, if I lived in Northwest Arkansas. All these Grand Prix races must be affecting my mind!

That's OK Joe, 6 years of Grand Prix I can see why you've wandered off a little. Having moved out of state I've found that ARKRRCA is pretty special as well as AURA. I think that each organization should stay true to their purpose. There are so many great races in Arkansas and such diversity will keep me coming back. Miss it already and there's still 2 races to go.

So variety is good...Stan suggested this too...Nebo (up the hill run=Yaller jersey run) and Mt. Magazine 15k run think these could be subbed for a 5k or some other race...or added?? Come back "Arkanski's"...Kim....Torrey....

sidewinder wrote:Hey People......there is an ULTRA TRAIL SERIES for trail running, and I believe the Grand Prix is ment for mostly road racing

Actually, the national RRCA has a championship designation on the state, regional, and national level for an Ultra event. It states in the opening of the Grand Prix bylaws that the GP is set up as a series of road and cross country races. But it also states later that races must be sponsored by an official RRCA Arkansas club to be eligible for participation in the GP series. It would seem to me that if AURA is an RRCA recognized club that they should have the ability to submit a race to an RRCA sanctioned series. Even if it is limited to one race for a championship level. If everyone wants more variety, it would be a great way to expose runners to something different that they might not discover on their own. Might be something to bring up for discussion next month in Hot Springs.

I should clarify. When I said, "More trails!" I didn't necessarily mean at the ultra distances. I meant an unpaved trail race at any non-ultra distance.