Cycling & running events in Fort Smith, 2026

Fort Smith Training Notes

Running: The Arkansas River Trail is a 3-mile paved line along the Arkansas River. True Grit Running Company keeps it social with Thursday 6:00 PM Grit Group Run miles from the shop. The Grit Group Run gives locals a 3-mile out-and-back, so Z2 can stay short or stretch longer. Ben Geren track works for intervals, and College 4 - Out and back fits steady weekday mileage. The trail has a 28 km section that gains 7,025 m. 1M, MJ's Stampede, and Run for the Girls anchor the race calendar.

Cycling: Fort Smith riders split time between riverfront base miles and Ben Geren Regional Park dirt. The riverfront gives you a 3-mile paved spin along the Arkansas River when the legs need easy cadence. Ben Geren Regional Park brings over 14 miles of mountain biking trails, with Roller Coaster, Zippidee Doo Dah, and Elvis in the local singletrack mix. The park also has a 9-mile paved trail and adds over 4 miles of well-maintained paths. No named cycling club shows up here, so locals talk routes first. The Ozark Highlands Trail is where the climbs live, and Ben Geren is where fast descents and natural obstacles keep things honest.

Season: Summer mileage owns the calendar from June 8 to August 1. True Grit Running Company's Summer Mileage Training Group meets Monday-Saturday at 6:00 AM, with Ben Geren Storm Shelter mileage plus core and legs Monday-Thursday. Southside Track gets Friday mileage plus ladder drills, and Riverfront Trail gets the Saturday long run. Locals keep dogs home when the temperature is above 85 degrees. Winter changes the rhythm more than the routes. Group runs keep going until lightning, ice, or other severe weather conditions cancel the day, and both runners and riders shift toward cleaner windows for steady Z2.