Connector Trail run on Tuesday, Triple Crown schedule announced

Local runners and trail walkers will have an opportunity to try out the newly paved connector trail between Wolf Creek and PP Highway with a race at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Brock Littles of the Poplar Bluff Trail Coalition and Poplar Bluff Kiwanis Club explained the run will serve as a ribbon cutting for the trail.

“It was a lot of progress and a lot of time,” Littles said, describing the effort to make the connector a reality.

The entry cost is $10, and the event will have a 5k run or a 2.8-mile walk available. Medals will be awarded to the top male and female finishers of the run.

Littles said the new connector is a milestone for the development of the exercise infrastructure. With only a short stretch on PP Highway where runners would need to be on the shoulder, the connector establishes connectivity to the paved path along Shelby Road.

“You could go all the way to the Westwood and 53 intersections,” he affirmed.

Interested participants for Tuesday’s run are directed to park at Green Forest Church. The start and finish line will be at the Green Forest Munch N Pump. All proceeds go to the Poplar Bluff Trail Coalition for the maintenance of local trails.

The event is also sponsored by the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, the Poplar Bluff Park and Recreation Department, and AARP. This year’s calendar of events doesn’t stop with the connector run, however.

Littles said the Triple Crown trail race series is set to begin with three scheduled runs. He explained there is an award given to each runner who participates in all three Triple Crown races.

The first of the series is the April 19 Wolf Creek Trail Run put on by the PB Kiwanis. Options include a half-marathon, 6k, and 1.7-mile walk. Next is the Run the Lake 5k on May 10 at Lake Wappapello State Park.

The final race in the Triple Crown is the Mark Twain Hardwoods Eight Mile at the Victory Trailhead. Littles said this event is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 4.

Outside of the Triple Crown, he announced the return of the Bark at the Moon special race for November. Littles said the run takes place at night with the use of headlamps.

“You’d be surprised at the turnout for that,” he added.

With a packed year of opportunities to get some miles in on Poplar Bluff’s growing network of trails, interested runners can contact Littles at blittles@onemidwest.com.