Andrew Reneau
The Harding and Searcy communities came together Sept. 28 for the Funnel Cake 5k; a race that has become a staple of the annual Get Down Downtown Searcy festival.
The competitors started at 8 a.m. at the intersection of East Arch Ave. and North Spring Street, next to the Quattlebaum Music Center, and ran a three mile loop. A funnel cake truck was set up near the beginning of the race.
The race attracts all types of runners. Some ran the entire way, while others walked the loop with friends.
Second-place runner Ethan Clark said he was accustomed to running 30-35 miles each week and used the Funnel Cake 5k as his personal running aptitude test.
“I love to run, I train every day,” Clark said. “I wanted to test myself today, and I saw the Funnel Cake 5k was this Saturday, and I was very excited because I love funnel cakes and I love 5k’s.”
Third-place runner Kyle Hatfield said he and his wife came to Searcy to visit their daughter at Harding for parent’s weekend, and that they all decided to run the race together.
“Quite excited to be here to see my daughter for parent’s weekend,” Hatfield said. “We haven’t seen her in six weeks. She’s a freshman here at Harding, too– just got started.”
Hatfield said he normally runs marathons and half marathons. He commented that 5k’s were more difficult because they are over so fast.
“I got third,” Hatfield said. “I’m 48, so I feel all right running out here with these young guys.”
Vendors set up shop around the streets in preparation for the rest of the festival. One vendor, Cindy Christian, set up Cindy’s Pecan Goodies, a fudge and pecan shop based out of Christian’s garage.
“We moved down here and ended up with an acre of land with 15 pecan trees and I decided to do something with them,” Christian said.
Christian said she loves setting up her stand at events like the Funnel Cake 5k because they boost her business, and she meets community members.
“I’m booked up all the way through Christmas,” Christian said. “We ship and sell out of our garage. We also have a pecan cracking business.”
