Between the proposed trail system expansion, the construction of the Ben Geren aquatic park, “Parrot Island,” and a variety of new events and entertainment, 2015 has already proven to be a big year for the city of Fort Smith.  To add to this momentum, the inaugural Fort Smith Marathon is coming up on Sunday, February 8th, and is rumored to be nothing short of a “race with true grit.” But this challenging, 26.2-mile course isn’t just another marathon to some Fort Smith residents.  To residents like Mariano Mendez, a UAFS student and cross-country runner this marathon might be the push Fort Smith needs towards getting more active.

“Whenever I heard that Fort Smith was going to put on a marathon event, I was quite impressed and very excited. These sorts of events really help to expand the running community and also promote a more active lifestyle.”

The marathon isn’t just a step toward promoting an active lifestyle; it’s also a step towards reaching out to the city’s existing community of runners. The idea of hosting a marathon in Fort Smith has been around for the last several years, but has finally come into fruition through the support of community and city leaders.  The city’s support of the marathon paired with continued efforts towards expanding the system of trails and greenways might be proof that the Fort Smith as a whole is progressing towards a healthier lifestyle, an exciting thought for residents.

Mendez shares in this excitement and looks forward to the impact the marathon could have on the city, “I am most looking forward to see how it will impact the community’s future in race events and just the running community in general. I am also looking forward to see how many people will show up to support the event and how competitive it will be for its first year.”

For more information on The Fort Smith Marathon, click here.

-Allison Kyrouac is a UAFS Student and guest Blog Writer for ThingsToDoInFortSmith. Opinions, commentary and other blogs posted in this space are wholly the view of the author(s). They may not represent the opinion of the owners of ThingsToDoinFortSmith.com.