The Spa Running Festival presented by Window Mart - Half Marathon, 10K, 5K & 1K Squirt Race

Come Run With Us, November 11th, through beautiful Hot Springs National Park!   The Spa Running Festival is an event for everyone .... kids, walkers, beginners to elite runners and those that like a challenge!  The Squirt Race is for kids 2 - 10 years of age. The 5K is a fast and flat course and for both walkers and runners!  The 10K, now celebrating its 42nd year, and runners enjoy the beauty of running West Mountain. This will be the 8th running of the Summit2Summit Half Marathon. Do you like a challenge - well you get to -  the course takes you through the scenic National Park going summit to summit on Hot Springs Mountain/North Mountain AND West Mountain!

Friday, November 10, 2023 From 12:00 noon – 7:00 p.m.

The Spa Running Festival Expo is the home of packet pick-up for all pre-registrants, this includes the Squirt Race 1K, 5K, 10K and Summit 2 Summit Half Marathon.

The Expo kicks off the Spa Running Festival, is free and open to the public, AND is located in the Hot Springs Convention Center.

The Expo features our event sponsors and exhibitors offering Spa Running Festival merchandise and a wide array of products and services geared towards runners, walkers, health-minded consumers to shop for the latest running gear or last-minute race needs.

The Spa Running Festival has partnered with our friends from the Hot Springs Northwoods Trails System and their mountain biking friends and will be joining us at the Expo in conjunction with their Güdrun – Northwoods MTB Festival that is happening November 11-13. It’s going to be a “tailgate” atmosphere so take time to check it out. The vendor list will be added at a later date:

Note: There will packet pick-up Race Day starting at 6:00 am in the Bank of OZK Lobby Arena (entrance next to Embassy Suites/Laurel St.)

Saturday, November 11, 2023

RACE DAY SCHEDULE

(This information is subject to change should any changes be made prior to race day.)

Packet Pickup Location: 
Hot Springs Convention Center Bank OZK Arena Lobby
398 Convention Blvd, Hot Springs, AR 71901

START/FINISH LINE: 

SUMMIT 2 SUMMIT HALF MARATHON: 
6:00 - 6:45 am:  Pre-registered packet pick-up at Hot Springs Convention Center Bank OZK Arena Lobby
6:45 am:            Line-up (no corral starts), invocation, National Anthem     
7:00 am:            Race starts

All Half Marathon participants should have a Green color bib.

Due to the course being certified, the Start Line is further down on Convention Blvd. Look for the Spa Running Festival Inflatable Archway Start Line.

No corral starts.

We have chip timing at the start of the race, as well as, the finish so your race time begins when you cross the mat at the start line.

There will be timing mats at the top of North Mountain Summit and West Mountain Summit. BE SURE YOU CROSS BOTH TIMING MATS. 

All aide stations will have water and Lemon-Lime Gatorade. You should bring any gels you want to use.

Portable toilets will be at the aide stations on Whittington and the West Mountain Triangle.  The National Park's rest room will be open on Hot Springs Mountain. It's on the right just before you reached the Mountain Tower/Overlook. 

For the course map click this link 

SPA 10K:
6:00 -7:40 am   Pre-registered packet pick-up at Hot Springs Convention Center Bank OZK Arena Lobby 
7:30 a.m.          Line-up corral starts by pace, invocation, National Anthem 
7:45 a.m.          Race starts  

10K participants should have a Red color bib.

Corral starts will be available starting with 6:00 min/mile, 7:00 min/mile up to 12:00 min/mile. Please line up in the corral that best matches your usual pace. 

We have chip timing at the start of the race, as well as, the finish so your race time begins when you cross the mat at the start line.

For the course map click this link

5K RUN/WALK:
6:00 -7:45 am Pre-registered packet pick-up at Hot Springs Convention Center Bank OZK Arena Lobby 
7:45 a.m.        Line-up corral starts 
8:00 a.m.        Race starts  

All 5K Run/Walk participants should have a Blue color bib.

Corral starts will be available starting with 6:00 min/mile, 7:00 min/mile up to 12:00 min/mile and a walker corral. Please line up in the corral that bests matches your usual pace. Walkers should line up in the walker corral and please do not block runners path on the course. 

We have chip timing at the start of the race, as well as, the finish so your race time begins when you cross the mat at the start line.

For the course map click this link

SQUIRT 1K: 
6:00 am - 8:30 am   Pre-registered packet pick-up in the Hot Springs Convention Bank OZK Arena Lobby
8:30 am - 10:45 am - Outside at Bank OZK Arena Lobby Entrance off Laurel Street
10:45 am            Line up corral starts (age groups: 2-4, 5-6 , 7-8 run, 9-10) on Convention Blvd. (in front of Embassy Suites)
11:00 am            Race starts at the Spa Running Festival Start/Finish Line, in front of Embassy Suites.  

Each age will run up Convention Blvd. towards Malvern Ave.

Awards will be given at the finish line for each age group

For more details click this link.

*AWARDS CEREMONY:

Location:  EMBASSY SUITES GRAND SALON (FIRST FLOOR - 400 Convention Blvd, Hot Springs, AR 71901) 

9:00 am -    5K Awards 
9:45 am -   10K Awards (the Team Captain and Team Donation Drawings will start at 9:40)  
10:30 am -  Summit 2 Summit Half Marathon

For award categories click here to review in Q&A 

PARKING:
From I-30, Coming from the northeast: exit I-30 onto US-70 W (exit 111). Take US-70 ( E Grand Ave ) – approx. 2 miles into Hot Springs and turn right onto Convention Blvd. The parking lots will be on the right. Convention Blvd from East Grand will be closed at 6:30 am 

Coming from the southwest: exit I-30 onto US-270 (exit 98B). Take US-270 ( Malvern Ave ) - 18 miles into Hot Springs and turn right onto Convention Blvd.  Note: Convention Blvd from Malvern Avenue will be closed at 5:00 am so go past Convention Blvd and turn right on Spring Street, turn right on Palm Street, this brings you to the 2 parking lots across from Embassy Suites. 

There is plenty of free parking surrounding the convention center with the preferred location being the large parking lot on Convention Blvd between Laurel Street and Beech Street – across the street from the Embassy Suites and behind the Convention Center off Malvern Ave./Church Street. 

Additional Street Closing:
Gulpha Street and Vines Street from 6:00 – 7:30 am for Half Marathon

NEW - No more shoe tag/chip! This year, attached to your bib will be a disposable MYLAPS ThinTag that will record your time.  We have 2 timing mats so your time starts when you step on the start mat at the start of the race and then the finishing mat at the end. 

POST FINISHING AREA - FOOD, SNACKS AND BEER:

Grilled Beef Burgers and Beyond Burgers (vegan and gluten free)

Hot Soup provided by Capo's Tacos

Chili by Purple Cow of Hot Springs

Little Caesars Pizza

Snacks compliments of Sam's Club

Chocolate Milk/Water   

Michelob Ultra Beer - provided by Arkansas Beverage – MUST BE 21 TO GET A WRISTBAND (SO BRING PHOTO ID) AND A BEER TICKET. 

Race Results - Race results are provided by Jaymax Race Timing Services. Click this link to see official race results, which will be posted online after the race at runsignup.com Please report any timing issues to Jaymax Race Timing Services before leaving the race.  

*******You can sign up for Instant Results by Text and/or Email. Sign into your RunSignUp account and go to this the Spa Running Festival race and search for yourself under the Participant Tracking link Here you can sign up to receive a text and/ or email when you finish.

NOTE: Initially these notifications will be classified as "Preliminary Results" due to the nature of chip timing. You initial finish time and pace will stay the same but there could be a chance that your finish place could change. At the awards presentation time for each event, the results will become final.

This is the link to the main results page with links to the full listing of results and the individual participant lookup. Here you can also print out a full colored Finisher Certificate when you get home and then a few days after the race you can find a link under you name/bib that will go to a YouTube video at the point you crossed the finish line. https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/22162/ 

Official race photographer, Run-Bike-Swim will be on the course taking photos of all 3 races and capture your moment crossing the finish line. An email will be sent to all finishers after the race to view your photos. Their website is: www.runbikeswimphotos.com 

Race Rules and Regulations:

We want you to have fun and enjoy the race, but we do have some basic rules that will ensure that things run smoothly.

No baby joggers or strollers are allowed.

No pets (dogs), roller blades, skateboards, bikes, etc. are allowed in any of the races.

Race numbers must be worn on the front outer most layer of clothing and must be visible at all times.

Each individual participating in this event must be officially registered under his or her own name with accurate personal information. Failure to do so will void the registration and prohibit participation. Registration entries and race numbers cannot be transferred to another person under any circumstances.

Dates: November 10 - 11, 2023

Location: Hot Springs Convention Center Bank OZK Arena Lobby, 398 Convention Boulevard, Hot Springs, AR 71901

Click here for more information.