For 6 years, the Slaughter Pen Trail System in Bentonville has been host to the Slaughter Pen Jam Mountain Bike Festival. This year several city government and private entities joined forces to expand the festival into an event not only for mountain bikers, but also for the community. One of many new events on the festival schedule is a 10K trail run. Saturday morning the headlights blinked on North Walton Street as cars filled the parking lots at the Bark Park and runners jogged along the smooth path of the Razorback Greenway Trail to warm up while heading toward the trail head and race start area. Golf carts buzzed down the path loaded with runners who didn’t want to use the extra mile from the parking area to warm up as the full night time darkness gave way to the approaching gray dawn along with the light rain that would fall intermittently for the rest of the race and throughout the day.
In the crowd I found a few familiar faces including my friend Whitney who lives close by and was able to run from her house to the race. I recognized a few runners from the War Eagle Tail Twister races too. This is the first year for the Slaughter Pen 10K sponsored by Bentonville Parks and Recreation. The race course follows the same route that the junior mountain bike racers are challenged with, covering six miles of the nine mile loop that adult racers would ride one, two or three times depending on skill level categorization. One hundred twenty-eight runners would toe the line and as the starting gun fired, they were off through a short wide open area allowing racers to settle into their pace before heading into the single track where it gets more difficult to pass other runners. Starting next to the free ride park in Slaughter Pen Phase II, runners would begin their trail journey on Lower Armadillo before being faced with their first challenge, an uphill slope climbing to the top of the ridge on Medusa. Some attack the first hill with gusto while others hang back, conserving energy for what’s to come. At the top of the ridge runners are treated to rolling trail that begins descending along long sections of rocky dirt that zig zag and snake so that runners can often hear and see faster runners on the trail below and slower runners on the trail above. Though the trail is generally descending, the terrain is not all downhill. As the trail turns to traverse the mid-section of the ridge on the Tatmagouche section runners must navigate several short steep climbs, loose gravelly descents, small ravines, and rock gardens that range from a few small stones to boulders that give more adventurous runners launching pads for getting air or practicing their plyometric running moves.
Another turn of direction brings runners to the lower sections of Lower Armadillo and Armadillos Last Stand. Racers who appreciate flat steady ground more than the tempo wobbles of rocky trail have a chance to stretch out their stride for a mile or so on the New Creek Trail and Seed Tick Shuffle before heading across the Greenway to the Urban Trail where tired feet would again find rocks. One must pick up the tired feet or risk clipping a toe on a stone resulting in at the very least a slightly embarrassing situation, as these things only happen when there is an audience, or worse, a twisted ankle or bloody knee. Luckily my run ended with only one slightly embarrassing situation and no blood. The Urban Trail crosses over the Greenway again with about a quarter of a mile to the finish when a hill of foul steepness, albeit thankfully short, rises up from the field like a dirt and grass monument to suffering. Runners move into the familiar “S” posture with their heads leading the way as the hips bend and the calves force the body forward. I imagine there might have been a few choice words uttered in the few seconds it takes to top that little climb. The good news is that the course is a gentle downhill open run to the finish line from there on, runners can hear the music and the cheering of the racers that finished before them and the few stalwart spectators who were willing to brave the cool misty morning to support friends and family.
I finished a few minutes over my goal time but still happy with my run. Thanks to the Bentonville Parks & Recreation, one of the main sponsors for the entire festival and the organizers of the run, every finisher left the race with an amply sized Slaughter Pen 10K finisher’s medal.
This race will become a regular event as part of the weekend celebration of Slaughter Pen Trails. Next year will likely bring more runners to the field so get your trail shoes ready and be on the lookout for details of next year’s race Results from the 2014 race are here Thanks to other Slaughter Pen Jam sponsors Progressive Trail Design and Friends of Arkansas Single Track (FAST) for the building and maintenance work they do to keep the Slaughter Pen System in world class condition. Many more photos will be posted to our Facebook Page later today. Also look for more stories from this weekend throughout the week.
