Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon

Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon ABF Trail Marathon and 17 mile fun run is an annual trail event held the first Saturday in January

Pics of this year’s award winners at ABF are up!! This year’s top finishers in the full marathon both broke the previous...
01/08/2026

Pics of this year’s award winners at ABF are up!! This year’s top finishers in the full marathon both broke the previous course record in a close race. Zöe Rom (4:49:35) and Abigayle Money (4:48:52) both had a great finish, and it was fun to watch. Abigayle is now our official women’s CR holder!

We also have finish line pics posted on the page. Just click “mentions” and look for Heather O'Donnell-Cox Shaun Cox’s post Thank you, Heather, for spending the day with us and taking pics of everyone!

Congratulations to all of our award winners, as well as to everyone who toed the line at ABF!

01/05/2026

Huge THANK YOU to Mandy, Brad, and Jessi for stepping up to take on Race Directing ABF!

From the very beginning, they were eager to learn, passionate about serving, and fully invested in doing things the right way. And wow… did they shine on Race Day!! 🌟

Runners absolutely felt the love out on the course. ♥️

By Sunday morning, they were already buzzing with excitement and diving into plans for next year—music to this race director’s heart.

If you see them, please reach out with some well-deserved gratitude and give them a big high five! 🙌

I have so much appreciation for these three giving souls. Thank you for loving ABF and our running community so well. 🙏💛

What an incredible day on the trail. 💚We had a great turnout yesterday, and I’m feeling so thankful for this trail commu...
01/05/2026

What an incredible day on the trail. 💚

We had a great turnout yesterday, and I’m feeling so thankful for this trail community we get to be a part of. Days like this really do feel like spending time with family… catching up with friends we don’t get to see nearly enough, swapping stories, and sharing miles with people who come from all over just to be here.

I can’t say it enough, but the volunteer support for this race is unreal. So many people give their time, energy, and heart to make sure everything runs smoothly, and it truly means the world. These events simply wouldn’t happen without our volunteers, and we’re incredibly grateful for every single one of you.

And to top it all off… we had a new female course record set yesterday! 🔥

I’ll be posting winner photos and more highlights very soon, so stay tuned!

01/04/2026

I have a post to make soon about how GREAT our race was yesterday, but we have something that currently needs to be addressed.

We are investigating reports of unregistered (“bandit”) runners who participated in the Athens Big Fork Trail Marathon alongside registered participants. We have already identified several individuals and are actively working to confirm the remaining names.

Running without registering is not only unfair to registered participants and volunteers, it is also a safety issue. Unregistered runners are not accounted for in runner tracking, medical response, aid station planning, or emergency situations, which creates unnecessary risk for everyone involved.

Additionally, this behavior is unfair to the organizations and causes that benefit from race proceeds, as banditing directly impacts the funds raised and donated through this event.

If you ran the race without registering prior to race day, this is your opportunity to address it directly. Please email [email protected] as soon as possible to resolve the situation and remain in good standing with this race and the Arkansas Ultra Running Association (AURA).

Failure to come forward may result in being barred from future AURA-affiliated events.

We appreciate the help of our running community and encourage anyone with relevant information to reach out by email, as well. Our goal is safety, fairness, and protecting the integrity of this race and the volunteers who work hard to make it happen.

Thank you for your cooperation and for making our trail running community what it is today! 💚

The only thing there’s room for in this car is ME! Currently waiting on some freshly baked cookies that are in the oven...
01/01/2026

The only thing there’s room for in this car is ME! Currently waiting on some freshly baked cookies that are in the oven, and then everything is ready!! So excited to get up to Big Fork and get things ready to host all of you for ABF this weekend! 💚

Next up in our Aid Station series… the Turnaround, also known as Snoot Mountain… and if you’ve been around long enough, ...
12/31/2025

Next up in our Aid Station series… the Turnaround, also known as Snoot Mountain… and if you’ve been around long enough, you know them as Team Jackass.

This is the aid station where tired runners stumble in questioning their life choices and leave laughing, fueled, and somehow convinced they can keep going. These folks have mastered the art of distraction… Pain? forgotten. Suffering? temporarily ignored. Spirits? immediately lifted.

When you come off the trail at the bottom of the 8th mountain (Big Tom), you’ll spill out onto the gravel road. Turn RIGHT and shuffle your way about a half mile to the aid station. If it feels long, it is. If you start questioning your decisions, that’s normal. Keep going… Team Jackass will be waiting.

This team from Texarkana brings the noise, the energy, and just enough chaos to make this stop unforgettable… while still taking incredible care of their runners. It’s rowdy, it’s fun, and somehow it works perfectly.

When you hit the turnaround, give Team Jackass/Snoot Mountain all the trail love you’ve got. They’ve earned it… and then some.

Next up in our Aid Station series… Blaylock Creek… and yes, this is the one with the famous Arkansas Crepes!!Blaylock Cr...
12/30/2025

Next up in our Aid Station series… Blaylock Creek… and yes, this is the one with the famous Arkansas Crepes!!

Blaylock Creek is your 2nd/4th aid station and is just across the creek where you cross the gravel road diagonally and head back onto trail. Pay attention here… don’t accidentally cruise down the dirt road (it has happened before 😅).

This aid station is once again sponsored and captained by Noelle Po***ck Coughlan of Fleet Feet Little Rock, and her crew shows up in a big way. They’ll have your nutrition dialed in and will be out there for hours to take care of runners as they come through.

When you roll in, show them some love…
and if you’re ever in Little Rock, return the favor by stopping by Fleet Feet. Their continued support of this race means more than you know.

Arkansas Crepes, good vibes, and a crew that knows exactly what they’re doing… Blaylock Creek delivers. 🥞💪🏻

We’re starting a series highlighting the Aid Stations, Captains, and crews who keep this race running smoothly. First up...
12/30/2025

We’re starting a series highlighting the Aid Stations, Captains, and crews who keep this race running smoothly. First up is Little Missouri… a key stop you’ll see twice on race day.

You’ll reach Little Missouri shortly after the first climb (Missouri Mtn) and just before the river crossing. Once you cross, turn RIGHT and stay on the WHITE blazes. You will immediately be heading up Hurricane K**b From there, it’s just under 5 miles to Blaylock Creek Aid.

This is a steady, experienced group who knows how to read runners and give them exactly what they need… sometimes before they even ask! Efficient when it counts, encouraging when it matters.

Since Little Missouri is both the first and last aid station on the course, this crew puts in some serious hours. If you pass through, make sure they hear your thanks.

LITTLE MISSOURI CREW
George Peterka - Captain
Chrissy Ferguson - Co-Captain
Jeff Richardson
Karen Puentes
Matt Phillips
Eddy Light
Robert Harrell

We couldn’t do this race without volunteers like these. Thank you all for showing up and showing out. 🤍

12/30/2025

ABF RUNNERS AND VOLUNTEERS… check your inbox! Final emails have been sent! See you Saturday!! 😄

The countdown is on!! 🎄⛰️
12/25/2025

The countdown is on!! 🎄⛰️

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6118 AR-8
Mena, AR
71953

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