The Hogeye Marathon

Race History

2010 will be the 34th Running of the Hogeye Marathon and the first time for it to host the State Championship race in the Arkansas RRCA Grand Prix Series. Pre-2003 the race course traveled from Fayetteville to Hogeye, Arkansas, and back. This was an overwelmingly hilly route, and the race was considered one of the ten toughest marathon courses in the country. In 2003, the course was brought completely into the city of Fayetteville and in the following years more and more of the route began utilizing Fayetteville's burgeoning trail system. These changes have flattened the course tremendously from the old days, though the race is still considered a "hilly marathon" by most participants.

Course Description

The Hogeye Marathon is a loop course containing 3 small out-and-back sections. The route begins on the Fayetteville Square, at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. After a quick trip around the square, the course cruises down Block Ave and winds to the renowned Dickson Street. Dickson is the second notable downhill section of the opening mile. The course then turns onto West Ave and begins rolling through the University of Arkansas campus. Maple Street contains significant uphill and downhill stretches before leading runners off campus and up Halsell Rd.

After passing by the 2 mile marker, runners find a generous downhill section on Sang Ave. The next few miles are relatively tame as the course levels out and heads north through Fayetteville. At mile 5, the route has another nice downhill section adjacent to the Razorback Golf Course. Runners then encounter the marathon's first out-and-back section. A relatively-flat stretch through a subdivision brings runners to the turnaround point at 6.55 miles, with exactly one fourth of the race done. The turnaround area also serves as the relay's first exchange zone. Retracing their steps through the subdivion, runners then return south on Deane Solomon Road and get to head up the hill adjacent to the golf course.

Full marathon runners will say goodbye to the half-marathoners by turning east onto Moore Lane where they will soon pass the 9 mile marker. The next three miles feature some gentle rolling hills as the route travels northeast through Fayetteville along the Shiloh Trail, Hwy 112, and Van Asche Dr. After hitting the 12 mile point, the course turns onto Steele Blvd for a short stretch before heading east on the Mud Creek Trail. 1.2 miles down the trail the route comes to a fork with the Mud Creek Trail continuing to the right and the Kitty Creek going off to the left. At this point, runners continue on the Mud Creek Trail for the second and shortest of the course's out-and-back sections. From the fork to the turnaround point at the east end of the Mud Creek Trail is .6 miles. After the turnaround, the course returns to the fork and this time heads north on the Kitty Creek Trail for the third and final out-and-back section of the course.

Miles 16 and 17 continue north to Lake Fayetteville and travel along the lakeside trail. Not long after reaching mile 17, runners come to the turnaround point and retrace their path back to the Kitty Creek Trail before heading west on the Mud Creek Trail where mile 20 is soon passed. The route continues on the trail beyond Steele Blvd to its western end where it meets up with the new Scull Creek Trail.

Scull Creek Trail makes up the homestretch of the Hogeye Marathon Course heading south through the heart of the city. Runners will pass by markers for the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th miles along the trail as they get closer to the finish line. The trail ends on Maple Street with approximately a mile to go. From Maple, runners will get to run down West Ave and then turn left at the Hog Haus Brewery back onto Dickson. Running up Dickson, the buildings of the Square are visible as runners turn right onto Church Ave. A left turn onto Spring St takes the course back to Block Ave where the final hill awaits. Once this last ascend is conquered runners enter the Square where a short victory lap takes them to the finish line at the Cosmopolitan Hotel!