Greenway South: Blowing Springs to Kessler FKT Attempt (Certification Pending)

Michael Hall had been trying to get me (or anyone, really) to run this route from Blowing Springs to Kessler for a long time, perhaps more than a year. Due to life circumstances and having to withdraw from ABF (again!!!!), now seemed like as good a time as any to try it.

I had no set day; I just watched the weather forecasts to look for a good opportunity. Even though I did 18 miles of hill repeats Saturday, the forecast for Tuesday, Dec. 22 seemed as close to ideal as I could get, so I decided to go for it, sans taper.

Preparing

After deliberation, I decided I would do it unsupported (meaning I had to carry everything I needed with me), though I did take a credit card in case of emergency. I carried three bottles of water: two handhelds and a soft flask that I could wear in my vest. Two of those bottles had Electroride from Spring Energy. For nutrition, I took Spring Energy "gels". I ended up using two Speednut (w/ caffeine), two Speednut (w/o caffeine), two Long Haul, and one Canaberry. My pack also had an Uncrustable just in case things went south.

As always, I ran in XOSKIN shorts and XOTOES, and I wore Topo Fli-Lyte 3s.

To the Run Itself

Blowing Springs: Ready to Run

Erich and I drove up to Blowing Spring in Bella Vista. We had heard there was construction up in Bella Vista, and we saw some in the Blowing Springs parking lot, so I assumed that was it. We took a a picture and made a vid, and I started off at just before 6:13 (watch start time).

Everything went smoothly to start. I reached a point in Bella Vista where part of the trail had been torn out, but I knew about that from running this past summer. Past that, I came across a sign that said the trail was closed ahead. I figured more of the same.

Soon I reached the tunnel near the highway on ramp in Bella Vista. The trail was definitely closed, but I assumed I could still make it through, thinking it would be much like the previous section. I climbed over a couple barricades and ran through the tunnel. At the other end... It was an impassible mess. My only option was to climb up a steep embankment and then run over toward the road.

I ran along that road for a brief time, but my heart was sinking; I worried the run might be over, and I had no way to call Erich. I didn't actually know where the trail would be in relation to the road, and I didn't know if I could find it in the dark. After I got past the on ramp, however, I saw what I thought was the trail back across the construction mess, so I made my way back down an embankment, ran across the construction area, squeezed between a fence and a gate, and I was back on the trail. The detour added a little distance and time, but it was early; I had time to catch up.

As dawn arrived, I was near Crystal Bridges. I tried to stop at a trail-side bathroom near Crystal Bridges but it was locked due to Covid-19. I took a moment to throw my headlamp into my pack and eat my first Speednut. Then off I went toward Bentonville. I am not a fan of the zigzagging trail arrows around the Bentonville square, but I got through with no traffic. Getting back to the real trail, there was construction again, but this time I just needed to stay on the sidewalk a few seconds longer, and then cut across the dry creek.

From there to mile 17 or so was basically smooth sailing. I ate again at mile 11 and made a bathroom stop in a secluded area, but basically everything was smooth and the morning was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Also saw Erich at the half marathon mark.

Just past mile 17 there was an intersection with a large boulder at the southwest corner. I stopped there. It was full pit stop time. Off came the pack, and I swapped my beanie for a hat, took off my jacket, took off my inner gloves, ate another Speednut, and chugged the remainder of my first bottle of water. Then I repacked, adding the beanie, jacket, and gloves to the pack before strapping back up and continuing on my way.

I was now coming to Lowell and the first of several major roads to cross between Lowell and Fayetteville. This was the section where morning traffic could eat up time. Thankfully school is out for holiday, so there was no school traffic.The first crossing was W. Monroe Ave in Lowell. That required a very brief stop. The next was Wagon Wheel Rd. near Bethel Heights. That was also a pretty brief stop. It was fun running past Erich at Lake Springdale as he shot another vid.

Next up was E. Robinson in Springdale, usually the worst place. I got held up for quite a while there. I don't know how long, but it emotionally felt sooooooo long. Finally, I got by Don Tyson Parkway after a brief wait, and then it was the downhill to Lake Fayetteville.

I stopped at a bench along the trail at Lake Fayetteville to chug the last of my second water bottle, eat a Long Haul and pack up both bottles and my unneeded hot hands. Then I was off again, one soft flask of water left. Erich cheered me on again as I crossed the bridge over the dam near Veteran's Park and then headed west through Johnson.

 

Now was the long stretch through Fayetteville. Now is a good time to explain my game plan.

So, my "A Goal" was to finish the route at an 8:00/mile pace or under. Most of the day I'd been running 7:35-7:45, but my stops had put me at around 7:56 pace. So far, so good. My plan was to hit Maple St. having run 8:00/pace or under and then drop any hammer I might still have to get to Kessler. I ate a Canaberry walking up the hill to Maple St., which I hit having an overall pace of 7:58: exactly according to plan.

But things kinda started to fall apart.

If I ever had a hammer to drop, I must have lost it along the trail earlier in the morning. By the time I reached Walker Park and the turn toward Kessler, it was all I could do to keep myself at pace, let alone "kick it in".

Those last four miles were hard. I found myself hoping I'd encounter a random runner ahead of me on the trail, just so I could "race" the person. Yeah, I wanted to play a mind game to get myself moving, but no such luck. It was just me. And it was hard. The pavement. The speed. The lack of rest. It was all catching up with me. I was barely maintaining a fast enough pace to stay under 8:00, but my HR monitor was showing max effort.

After almost taking a wrong turn, Erich filmed me again as I was making the final major turn toward Kessler, maybe 2.5 miles to go, and a long slow uphill, just enough to make the effort hurt a little more.

About 20 minutes later I was nearing the end, just running to finish. Erich was waiting and filming. Michael Hall was there to see his brainchild come to fruition. I finished the trail. Erich filmed me stopping my watch, and then I promptly collapsed on the grass. The world spun for a while.

So that was that.

It may be an unsupported FKT. I have to get the run certified. I hope Erich's vids and pics and my gpx will be enough to prove I did it. And now, my legs are definitely more sore than they have been in a long time, at least a year. Strava says I also set a 50K and Marathon PR at the same time, so I guess I killed three birds with one stone!

As trash as this year has been, this was a good ending.

Merry Christmas to me!Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, y'all!