TRUE GRIT RIDE
Saturday, June 17th @ 7 a.m.
7313 Terry Street, Fort Smith, AR
Ride 30, 45, 62, or 105 miles through beautiful rural Arkansas scenery with rolling hills
TRUE GRIT 5K
Friday, June 16th at 6:00pm
Quick Links
WHAT YOU GET
All riders and 5K participants will receive a free t-shirt if registered by June 5th
Packet pickup and 5K are on Friday, June 16. Free Pizza and 2 Beers
Free breakfast snack foods and Free BBQ lunch with 2 free beers on Saturday
Fully stocked rest areas every 10 miles
CERTIFIED 5K
The Certified 5K is Friday, June 16 at 6:00 pm at 7313 Terry Street at Chaffee.
If you register for the 5K and the Bike Ride you will receive an additional discount of $10.00. Remember, you must register for both on the same transaction to receive both discounts.
All runners will receive timing chips to record their time.
FREE T-SHIRT IF YOU REGISTER BEFORE JUNE 5th.
Your name will be announced at the finish line.
All runners are welcome to mosey on over and enjoy free pizza and drinks. For those not participating in the 5K, the price for pizza & drinks is $10. (2 free beers)
MAP INFORMATION
All True Grit Ride courses are the same as last year.
Maps for the TGR and Certified 5K can be viewed and downloaded below.
Strava Maps
30 mile
https://www.strava.com/routes/7645002
45 mile
https://www.strava.com/routes/7637234
Metric Century
https://www.strava.com/routes/7610571
True Grit 105
Map My Ride Maps
30 mile
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1448688010
45 mile
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1448701987
Metric Century
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1445141329
True Grit 105
Gear up for the grit party
Join us for Packet Pick Up/ Registration on Friday, June 16th from 4–7 p.m. at the event site at 7313 Terry Street
On Friday we will have the 5K at 6:00 pm.
Please do not park on Terry Street.
Join us for the Free Gear Up for the Grit Party
Pick up your packet or you can register on Friday evening and stick around and enjoy free pizza and drinks (2 beers per person) while visiting with fellow riders. Non- participant price is $10, which also includes pizza and drinks.
volunteer
Giddy up and join over 100 volunteers to create 2 unique days of cycling or running excitement that will leave you adrenalized, full of pride and passion for one of the world’s most popular athletic and recreational activities. With your help, True Grit Ride and 5K will WOW hundreds of cyclists and runners from several states.
The 13th Annual True Grit Bike Ride and Certified 5K will deliver a great experience to every ride and run participant, spectator, and sponsor.
The 5K is Friday, June 16 @ 6:00 pm, and the True Grit Ride is Saturday, June 17, 2023, starting at 7:00 am.
Cowboy up and help us make this ride have heart and soul.
Volunteer Dates
Thursday, June 15, Friday, June 16, and Saturday, June 17, 2023.
True Grit Bike Ride and 5K are located at 7313 Terry Street in Fort Smith, Arkansas – Volunteer sites will vary.
What do volunteers do?
Thursday, June 15
Work in the Warehouse getting items ready for the (Chuck Wagon) Rest Stops (times to vary – start time 9:00 am).
Friday, June 16
7:00 am -Venue set up at 7313 Terry Street at Fort Chaffee which includes: Unloading flatbed trailers, organizing supplies, set up canopies, tables, and chairs.
4:00 pm – 5K volunteer – set up rest stops for the 5K, hand out water to runners and various other duties at the event site.
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm- Food Servers – Set up and serve grub at the event site.
8 am to 4:00 pm (4-hour shifts) Work in the warehouse at 4420 Wheeler Avenue getting items ready for (Chuck Wagon) Rest Stops.
Saturday, June 17
5:00 am to 10 am – load utility trailers with supplies to be taken to the pitstops. 4420 Wheeler.
5:30 am to 10:30 am – help at venue setup and a runner at 7313 Terry Street – Fort Chaffee.
12 pm to 4:30 pm – 1 Medical personnel at Start/ Finish at 7313 Terry Street at Fort Chaffee (Student Nurses, Nurses, EMT’s, Medical Students, or Doctors).
7 am to 4:00 pm – Medical personnel (Student Nurses, Nurses, EMT’s or Doctors) at Chuckwagon/Pitstop locations. You will have a specific location on the 105-mile course. Times vary – normally 3 to 4-hours.
5:30am to 4:00 pm- Food Servers – help set up and serve grub for the riders and volunteers. -Work in shifts of 3 to 4 hours. Location is at 7313 Terry Street.
7 am to 4:00 pm – Chuckwagon/Pitstop Volunteer (gives riders drinks/snacks & cheering). You will have a specific location on the 105-mile course. Times vary -normally 3 to 4-hour shifts.
7:00 am to 4:00 pm Safety and Gear Drivers -Drive the course – fix flats – assist riders – Saturday.
12:00 pm to 5:30 pm – unload supplies and help dry ice chests and put supplies away. The location is at 4420 Wheeler Ave.
What do volunteers get?
True Grit T-shirt – always the coolest T ever!
BBQ Lunch with the fixins’.
Snacks and beverages to sustain you while you work.
The satisfaction of raising money to buy food for 2200 “at-risk kids” each week – we provide a sack of food for the kids to take home from school every Friday, so they’ll have something to eat over the weekend.
2023 sponsors
The Marshalls – $5000
Mercy Hospital of Fort Smith
The Rangers – $2500 to $4999
Grace Community Church, First National Bank of Fort Smith, ArcBest
Sheriffs – $1000 to $2499
Jim & Vicki Cullen
Deputies – $600 to $999
Lovvorn Lumber, Arvest Bank
Chuck Wagon Sponsors – $550
Markham Restaurant Supply, Co., Mama’s Log House and Voss Farms, Community Services Clearinghouse Board of Directors, Fort Smith Kiwanis Club, The Community Services Clearinghouse Guild, *Harbor House, Inc. Running Buddies, Williams/Crawford & Assoc.
The Constables – $100 to $599
*Davis Iron & Metal, Arkansas Best Federal Credit Union, Jack & JoAnn Gedosh, Lady Jane Cohen, *River Road Machinery Inc., *Nunnelee & Wright, LLC., Anne Bottorff, Landmark CPA’s, PLC., Sharon Bartow, Arkansas Valley Electric, David & Lula Hanson, Hanna Oil & Gas Company, Clif’s Pharmacy, John & Lynn Lane, Rick Foti, Justin Boyd, Mark & Jan Koch, Bill & Janet Staed, Leo & Barbara Anhalt
The Peacemakers – $50 to $99
Louise Turner, Joy Sternberg, Fred & Kimberly Snipes, Jo Frances Miller
* Indicates NEW SPONSOR
Why ride the grit?
If you are wondering “what’s in it for the rider besides a day of dripping sweat, aching muscles and pure exhaustion?” Our answer is “the best adrenaline rush you have ever had topped off with the most exciting sense of accomplishment that only an avid rider knows.
When the internal rivalry between the rider and the road is met and the finish line is crossed, it can finally be declared they are now in the elite group of riders known as “a rider with TRUE GRIT!”
Ride the Grit
5k Run/Walk is June 16 at 6:00 pm
True Grit Ride is June 17 at 7:00 am
What we offer
The True Grit Ride offers a challenge for cycling enthusiasts to push through the elements and perseveres through a day of pure cycling endurance. It’s called the True Grit Ride because it’s truly a ride with “grit“