Kellams: The Spark Foundation is running strong. For more than a dozen years, the group has supported popular runs like the Cow Paddy Run, the Hero Half Marathon and the Turkey Trot-n-Trek. As fall gets closer, and we promise it will feel like autumn soon as it gets closer, the Spark Foundation will kick into high gear.
Yesterday, the foundation's director Aisling Allen, and Layne McClain, a member of the foundation's board, came to the Center for Public Radio to talk about the upcoming season. That starts with the Hero Half Marathon races on Oct. 17.
Allen: And then we have our Turkey Trot-n-Trek on Thanksgiving Day. So it's the Thursday, the Nov. 26.
Kellams: Hero Half, meaning a half marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon and 5K. Where do you start?
Allen: We're going to start at the Upper Ramble in downtown Fayetteville, which is super exciting because it's a new course this year. So we typically have started at the mall, so we're moving it downtown to bring a lot more energy, which is going to be really fun.
Kellams: What does it take to put on a Hero Half Marathon?
Allen: It takes a lot. Yeah, there's a lot of organizing. We have a wonderful committee put together that we meet monthly to discuss a lot of things. We're working with the city of Fayetteville. It takes a lot of volunteers. It takes police officers. We're working really closely with the firefighters because that's what this race benefits.
You know the saying it takes an army, it truly takes an army. It's one thing that I've learned.
Kellams: Layne, you're on the board. Why is it important to have something like the Hero or the Turkey Trot?
McClain: I think it brings our community together. The mission of the Spark Foundation is really focused on increasing access and education for running and health and fitness. And so having these events is really critical, I think, to spreading our mission and bringing the community together.
For the Hero specifically, as Aisling mentioned, we're doing this in partnership with the Fayetteville Fire Department and so honoring our first responders. Part of the proceeds are going back to the fire department as well. So that's another area where we're continuing to partner and support with our other local organizations.
Kellams: And you mentioned it's about injecting a love for physical fitness with younger people, right?
McClain: That's correct. Yes.
Kellams: How does that manifest the Hero Half?
McClain: By offering a quarter and a 5K. We allow people the opportunity to do this with their kids or even have their kids run solo.
With the Turkey Trot, that's also another race that is extremely family friendly and designed. I think we have a 1K there as well, so you can run again as a family or have your little ones go out there and do a short burst. And it's really just, again, about giving them the opportunity to get out there, see what it's about and see why so many people love this sport.
Kellams: Turkey Trot is the perfect run and here's why. We know that a lot of us on Thanksgiving Day are going to eat a lot of food, right?
Don't feel guilty about it. That's part of the holiday. The turkey, the dressing, the potatoes. But if you run a race that morning of, it's kind of like a credit card for the holiday.
McClain: There you go. Yeah, you got it. It's a lot about gathering community as well, is the one thing that I've been learning. That's what Thanksgiving is about, is sitting there with your community, with your family, with your friends and getting together that morning. Just to gather to be active, I think is really neat.
Kellams: How do you register for either of these?
McClain: We have registrations open online. So through our RunSignup website.
Kellams: How do we support?
McClain: You can volunteer for us. We are always looking for volunteers. These races are big and they require a lot of people. So you can contact me. My email is director@mysparkfoundation.org or through our RunSignup website. There's a contact form as well.
Kellams: What drew you to the board?
McClain: I think just the mission of the foundation. I started running when I was in middle school growing up in Kansas City. And so when I think about what we're trying to do with our outreach and the community and getting kids involved and helping them find their love of sport, whether it's running or some other form of outdoor recreation, that's something that I'm just really passionate about. I saw the vision there for the broader group, and it was just something that I really wanted to be a part of.
Kellams: Not everyone who starts running in middle school enjoys it.
McClain: Certainly not. No, it was terrible when I first started, I'll be honest.
Kellams: Was it cross country?
McClain: It was cross country. It was a dreaded mile and a half, and I hated every second of it. But there was something about it that kept me going.
Kellams: I was about to say, here you are now a champion for running. What do you think hooked you and kept you?
McClain: I think just coming back for more. I really liked the challenge of it. Even though it was hard, I knew that there was a possibility that I could be better. And so I think when you get to that tender age of kind of early teen, you start to get a little bit of that. And so that was something that really drove me. As I got older, I found longer distances, thankfully, much longer than a mile and a half. And that's really where my niche is.
Kellams: You were a collegiate swimmer.
Allen: I was.
Kellams: So you're an athlete?
Allen: I was.
Kellams: How do you feel about running?
Allen: I am really enjoying it. I've been running for about a year now following my collegiate swimming journey, and it's really cool to find this new community, especially here in Fayetteville. We have a very large and wonderful running community. It's a different way to move my body, which I always appreciate because I swam for 13 years.
Kellams: Right. So all right, so we've talked about volunteering for the Hero Half or the Turkey Trot, but what about working with Spark 12 months a year? Are there opportunities to do that?
McClain: Yes. So you can volunteer, of course, at any of our races, as you mentioned. Another area that we participate heavily in the community is through partnership with the Fayetteville Public Schools. We do a lot of work with the local elementary school, some individual events that they put on where we sponsor. And so if you're looking for a way to volunteer, folks listening probably have a kid that goes to one of these schools. So that's an area where we can definitely use some support as well.
Allen: And those races are coming up, most of them within the next month, those school fun runs. So if they need volunteers, please reach out and contact us. We'd love to have them.
Kellams: And this started out as the Cow Paddy 5K, right? It was at Gulley Park and then it grew. Now it's Spark. Spark meaning?
McClain: Catalyst. Yeah. I mean, really what we're trying to do is give kids an opportunity to find and, pun intended, spark an interest in running or outdoor recreation. The barriers to entry for running are relatively low, but we do recognize sometimes that race entry fees can be a barrier.
So something else we do that I think is really cool is with the Cow Paddy Run specifically, we offer a pay your age. So the age of your child, that is what they pay for their entry fee. There's also some scholarship opportunities and you can fill out the form for that on our website as well, if that's an event you're looking to participate in, but maybe you don't feel comfortable paying the registration fee in full.
I think the takeaway from here is just continuing to spread awareness of our foundation. People are really familiar with the races that we put on. Like I mentioned, they're likely sending their kids to schools that we partner closely with, but we want to continue to socialize our mission.
And for a community that I think so heavily values outdoor recreation, this hits home for a lot of people. And so if folks are listening, we encourage you to go check out our website, find us on socials, get involved at your kids' schools and come say hi at races and give us a shout. We'd love to hear from you and get to know you guys.
Kellams: And the forecast for Hero Half, 64 degrees with a slight breeze.
Allen: Fingers crossed.
Kellams: Okay. Layne McClain is a member of the Spark Foundation board of directors, and Ainsley Allen is executive director of the organization. The Hero Half Marathon races are coming up. They're Oct. 17. The Turkey Trot-n-Trek Thanksgiving Day, both starting at the Upper Ramble in Fayetteville. Our conversation took place yesterday. You can find out more about the races and events sponsored by the Spark Foundation at mysparkfoundation.org.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline and edited for length and clarity. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
