Wolf Creek Trail Run celebrating milestone this year

The Wolf Creek Trail Run is arguably one of the highlights of Easter weekend each year in Butler County and Southeast Missouri — but the annual race will celebrate a major milestone with this year’s running, which is slated for one week from today on April 8.

This year will be the 10th annual trail run, which has grown into an event which typically attracts 125-150 runners. The race features a half-marathon (13.1 miles), a 6K run and 1.7-mile walk.

“We think that part of the reason it’s been so successful is it’s always the Saturday before Easter, so everybody knows … it’s the Saturday before so if you know when Easter is, you know when our race is,” Steve Halter, president of the Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of the run, said. “Then the other thing is it really is just a beautiful trail out there. And it’s different — there’s lots of runs in town, but most of them are just on the roads.”

Over the last decade, Halter cites the camaraderie of the race and its draw beyond Poplar Bluff and Butler County as some of what he enjoys most about the event.

“I just think that the camaraderie and seeing people come in from outside of the area — meeting people from Arkansas, St. Louis, Jackson and Cape Girardeau (stands out),” Halter said. “(The race) has a big reach. (Another) thing that I always like is you just never know who’s going to show up since it’s Easter weekend. So they come in and just blaze it and kill it.

“And we’ve had those people come in who have never run before. (Maybe) they’re just into visit their family and they jump in that run and they do extremely well. You’ve got to be ready to bring it because you never know who’s going to show up.”

Runners may register prior to the start of the races next Saturday, with the half marathon starting at 8 a.m. followed at 9:30 a.m. by the 6K and walk. Cost is $25 for the 6K and walk and $30 for the half marathon. It includes a T-shirt, race, food and beverages.

All proceeds benefit Kiwanis Bacon Memorial Park in Poplar Bluff.

The Wolf Creek Trail Run offers runners a unique race through the Mark Twain National Forest. Over the years, it has attracted runners from around Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Illinois. Daniel Mustain of Poplar Bluff won last year’s half-marathon in 1 hour, 48 minutes, 50 seconds while Chiristen Beasley was the top female finishing in 1:56:35, the third-fastest half-marathon in the event’s history.

Medals are awarded to the top two runners in each age division, male and female, for the 6K race while each runner in the half-marathon to finish earns a medal.

Maps for each race are on the event’s website at www.ultrasignup.com by searching for Wolf Creek Trail Run. Runners and walkers can also register for the race online on that site.

The US Forest Service and sponsors including Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, FCC Behavioral Health and Walmart, help offset the costs.