Arkansas fun runs
19 seasonal, themed and one-of-a-kind fun runs in Arkansas.
Holiday and seasonal: 6 · Novelty course: 3 · Food and drink: 3 · Quirky format: 2 · Costume and theme: 2 · Mud and obstacle: 2 · Iconic tradition: 1
- Holiday and seasonal The Creep 'N Crawl Little Rock Marathon's Halloween-day race where the brief is the scariest, funniest or goofiest costume you can come up with.
- Novelty course Spa Running Festival Races down Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, with a Summit 2 Summit half marathon over the surrounding mountains.
- Quirky format Great Duck Race 5K & 10K 'Waddle, walk, run or fly' through the Rice and Duck Capital of the World during the World's Championship Duck Calling Contest weekend.
- Novelty course Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon Marathon on the Arkansas River Trail that crosses three pedestrian bridges, including the Big Dam Bridge, billed as the longest bridge built for pedestrians and cyclists in North America.
- Holiday and seasonal Jingle Bell Run – Little Rock, AR Little Rock’s stop on the Arthritis Foundation’s national holiday run, where teams turn out in festive costumes and jingle bells to raise money for arthritis research.
- Holiday and seasonal White Elephant 5K & 1 Mile Holiday 5K that starts and finishes on the Fayetteville Square amid the Lights of the Ozarks display, with Santa at the finish.
- Holiday and seasonal Ugly Sweater Race Little Rock Marathon's December race run in ugly Christmas sweaters.
- Holiday and seasonal Black Eyed Pea New Year's Run New Year's Day run that ends with the Southern good-luck meal of black-eyed peas and cornbread, plus a deliberately goofy medal.
- Costume and theme Little Rock Marathon Known for a dinner-plate-sized marathon medal and a new costume theme every year that runners and spectators dress up for.
- Quirky format Ragnar Trail Arkansas An overnight trail relay on Fayetteville’s mountain-bike flow trails and Kessler Mountain in the Ozarks, 10 minutes from downtown.
- Mud and obstacle A-State Howler Mud/Obstacle Run Student-run 10K mud and obstacle course across the Arkansas State University campus, sent off in team waves.
- Food and drink Hope Watermelon 5K Run since 1978 during the Hope Watermelon Festival in the town famous for giant watermelons.
- Food and drink Nutty Runner 5K Three 1-mile laps from Columbus House Brewery with a pint of its Nutty Runner Nut Brown Ale on the patio after each lap.
- Novelty course Passion Play Trail Run Trail race on the Great Passion Play grounds that crosses the amphitheater stage, circles the Christ of the Ozarks statue and finishes through a replica Old City gate.
- Mud and obstacle Pig Trail Mud Run Ozarks mud run named for the Razorback 'Pig Trail' highway, with 20-plus obstacles including swim crossings.
- Food and drink Run for the Grapes 5K beside the Tontitown Winery during the Tontitown Grape Festival, a celebration of the town's Italian heritage dating to 1899.
- Costume and theme Run Unicorn Run Unicorn-themed race through hilly Victorian Eureka Springs where horns, wings and glitter are the dress code.
- Holiday and seasonal Santa Shuffle A 1.5-mile run or walk through a 450,000-light Christmas display that opens only to Santa Shuffle participants for the event.
- Iconic tradition Toad Suck Daze 10K/5K Run The race of Conway's Toad Suck Daze festival, named for the old Toad Suck ferry crossing, complete with a kids' Tadpole Trot.