Grit, Guts, and Heat: A Week of the 2026 Arkansas High Country Race

Words by Aaron Arnzen, photos by Monica Foltz and Kai Caddy

Following Ted King’s record-setting ride, we welcomed second-place finisher Bryan Dougherty to the Bentonville square with an official finish time of 5 days, 19 hours, and 43 minutes. Rebounding from last year’s DNF, Bryan’s parting words were, “Chuck, I don’t think I’ll be back next year.” The Twin Cities man now has two second-place ARHC finishes, including his 2023 South Loop race.

St. Louis endurance monster John Vanlueven rounded out the podium with an official finish time of 6 days, 13 hours, and 21 minutes. New to the ARHC race, John maintained a consistently strong ride from start to finish, always seeking creative ways to keep moving forward. “I don’t know how, but I just keep pulling the rabbit out of the hat.” An experienced ultra-endurance cyclist, John embodies the pure spirit of self-supported racing better than most, balancing his attention to detail with a fistful of grit and an extremely grateful heart. We should all take a page from John’s book, a master at finishing hard things.

The Soul-Filled Women’s Race

Michelle Roth is not only leading this year’s women’s race, but is also eyeing a new overall FKT on the ARHC single track variation. With an official finish imminent, we’ll be double-clicking into her story and the triumphs and tribulations along the way.

Behind Michelle, Katherine Anderson and Christi Tracy have still been trading blows. Deep in the Ouachita Mountains, Poteau Mountain served as a core differentiator on the sixth evening of racing. ARHC veteran Katherine pushed up and over Petite Jean and Blue Mountain, while Christi chose rest and a much-needed resupply in the off-route town of Waldron.

Flagstaff rider Leigh Bowe trails them both, seemingly never losing sight of her self-serving comedic relief. With the Ouachitas in her rearview, Leigh rolled into Russellville early on day eight, debating what to eat for breakfast. Unsure how to prepare Natural State armadillo, she’s opted for pastries when available and swimming holes when possible.

Riding the other direction, far into the Northeast Ozarks, Adela Nochabuena has battled the same unseasonably warm temperatures. We expected to find her riding her bike up the steep gravel grades between Leslie and Marshall but instead found Adela powering up the mountain in the mid-afternoon heat. After battling an upset stomach the day before, she was ecstatic to be craving food again in this seventh day of racing. Now over 850 miles into the 1,020-mile route, she’s fixated on getting herself through the remaining Ozark miles and to the finish.

Still Single and Still Rolling

Both of this year’s single-speed riders remain steady on the pedals, with just over 150 miles between Preston Williams and the finish. Seeking to escape the hot afternoon sun, Preston powered through the steep, scenic Searcy County gravel to the infamous Witt Springs Community Center. Finding reprieve from the sun, he took a shower and slept for four hours while charging his lights for the miles ahead that night. Still mentally strong, he’s closing in on the finish, with his goal of beating last year’s Singletrack route variation time still in reach.

Riding the other direction, last year’s Lantern Rouge Andy Phillips has reached Mount Magazine, Arkansas’ highest point. As an experienced single-speed distance rider, another ARHC finish will cap off an impressive year for Andy, following his 3,500-mile finish of the Great Plains Gravel Route.

This race coverage continues as stories unfold here in the Arkansas High Country.

Check out the Arkansas High Country Race 2026 Tracker page to follow along on the live tracking map, watch for ongoing race updates, and tune in for more event coverage. Find it here.

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