Latest reviews by Tyrel

(2016)
"Hot but Worth It"
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This is a hot race, but it's in July so that shouldn't be a surprise. It takes place on forrest service roads and you spend most of the race in the dark, as it started at 7pm, so bring a good headlamp. Also, be sure to watch your nutrition and hydration, as it's easy to get sick if you mismanage things.
The aid station volunteers were super helpful, and there was a variety of food available. They also set up some fun light stuff in the trees at one of the aid stations. The swag is always home made, so don't expect anything too fancy, and packet pickup was day of, so no expo either. The parking required a quarter mile of walking, but I was running an ultra, so it I can't complain too much.
I crossed the finish line just before 1am and had a great breakfast buffet and cold beer waiting for me. Best pancake of my life!

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(2016)
"Best Trail Race in NWA"
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I can't say enough about how great the War Eagle Trail Race is. The course is through Hobbs State Park, just east of Rogers, AR. It is some of the best and most beautiful single track running anywhere. There is plenty of elevation change to keep it interesting and challenging. It's also super well run. The aid stations are great, and well spaced out. The shirt is the best I've gotten in a race. I mean, it has the skull in Indian head dress on it!!! The only downsides I had were that there was no expo, and that there were not enough port-a-potties at the start. Those few things aside, it's still totally worth it.

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(2016)
"Room for Improvement on a Staple NWA Race"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
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Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
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The Hogeye is the biggest race (and I believe oldest) in Northwest Arkansas. The course is now largely on the Razorback Greenway, the local trail system that connects the region with over 30 miles of bike/running trail. Sections not on the trail are on the road. The hills of the region aren't for the faint of heart, but aren't overwhelming either. Not exactly a Boston qualifier race, but it will get you ready for Heartbreak Hill! I've run it for two years, and though each time it is a net positive, there seems to be a big miss each year. This year, aid stations were severally lacking. For the half, the last aid I received was at mile 6. Thankfully I had a friend with a water bottle, so I was able to grab some water when I needed it later.

I'll likely run it again next year (or maybe man an aid station ;) ) and am glad to have the race in the area, but I hate to see a different ball get dropped each year, as it seems to continually frustrate the area runners it brings together.

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