OPPORTUNITIES

Team Loco registrants could use cheer section

The most unfortunate aspect of writing a column about the week's recreation opportunities is that occasionally race registrations are closed before the newspaper arrives on readers' doorsteps. This is the case with the Team Loco Marathon and Half Marathon.

However, if you find yourself in Conway on Saturday, feel free to go out to Tucker Creek Trail at 228 Salem Road and cheer on the runners.

The race begins at 7 a.m. on the 1.3-mile trail, where runners will be doing laps until the last runner finishes or 2 p.m. Marathoners will do 10 out-and-backs plus a bit more; half-marathoners will do five out-and-backs plus a small add-on.

This is the third iteration of the Team Loco run, first offered in 2014 by Conway runners who were trying to qualify for Marathon Maniac or Half Fanatic status. Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics are international organizations for people who do multiple long-distance events. To qualify, a runner must do two races of his chosen distance in a 16-day period, or three races in 90 days. To gain top honors in either group: 52 races of one's chosen distance within a 365 day period.

The St. Jude Marathon in Memphis was iced out in December 2013, so Team Loco organizers scrambled to set up a simple, no frills race to fulfill their qualifications. The repetitious out-and-back format was born of necessity, but it provides a unique chance for socialization among the runners that is hard to find in the "set course" marathon world. "We love providing the opportunity for social interaction for runners and walkers, no matter their pace," says Team Loco co-founder David Edwards.

For more information on Marathon Maniacs or Half Fanatics, visit marathonmaniacs.com or halffanatics.com. Team Loco is at "Team Loco (running group)" on Facebook.

Please send tips for active recreation to

cbyrd@arkansasonline.com

ActiveStyle on 01/18/2016

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