The 11th annual Adam Brown Shamrock Run will be held virtually next month after the event had to be canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To participate, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/AR/Pearcy/TheAdamBrownShamrockRun to sign up. The date of the run is March 13, but participants can still sign up as late as March 15 for $25 for adults and teens and $15 for children 12 years old and younger.
Rachel Mundy, race coordinator, said the decision to switch to a virtual platform was due to the possibility of COVID-19 forcing an in-person event to be canceled.
The race is held in memory of U.S. Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer Adam Lee Brown, a Lake Hamilton alumnus who was killed in action in Afghanistan on March 17, 2010.
Last year, on the morning of the 10th Annual Adam Brown Shamrock Run, the state forced the race to be canceled.
"We did not want to chance getting shut down again," Mundy said, and the decision to not hold a large gathering of people was made out of "respect of others" during the pandemic.
While they had hoped to be able to hold an in-person race this year, Mundy said she is "considering it maybe kind of a blessing" since "we've been asked for years for it to be virtual."
She said deployed military members have been participating in the run for years, noting some military members have run it on ships in the past. Mundy said she contacted one member of the military to tell him that they will offer the race virtually this year and he said, "'Good, that will make year 11 I've done virtual.'"
Those participating in the virtual race will have 24 hours to make their run and will be able to post their time, but the race is "not about who wins," she said, noting there "won't be an official winner."
Mundy said that one of Brown's favorite sayings was "No rain, no rainbow" and that is how they are approaching the virtual race. While sad they can't hold an in-person race, going virtual will allow more people to participate, she said.
"Two different schools in two different states reached out to me," Mundy said. A physical education teacher from Missouri and a Navy Junior ROTC commander from Maryland have both contacted her. The schools read about Brown and then a "track coach or a P.E. coach" wanted his students to participate.
"People that would never be able to travel to Arkansas," she said.
Another new thing offered this year is an online store where items such as T-shirts and hats can be purchased. "No rain, no rainbow" will be printed on this year's event T-shirt.
Merchandise can be purchased at https://adambrown5k.itemorder.com/sale.
A painting of Brown by New York-based artist Johnathan Stasko was supposed to be unveiled to the public at last year's event. Stasko had left the painting in Garland County with the directions it was to be shown around to let the public see it.
The painting was hung in the alumni room at Lake Hamilton before it was finally shown to the public at Whittington Gallery for Veterans Day last November. Mundy said John Faginkrantz, who was the owner of the gallery at the time, is neighbors with Matt Fuller, owner of the restaurant 501 Prime. After the two discussed it, Fuller decided his restaurant would be a good place for the painting to be displayed.
Mundy said the painting has a "nice prime location" in 501 Prime. While she doesn't know how long the painting will stay at the restaurant, she said she hopes people go there to see it.
Once the painting has left 501 Prime, Mundy said she intends to have it displayed at other local businesses and is in talks with Smokin in Style BBQ, and would like to take it to the Arkansas Realtors Association Convention in Branson, Mo., later this year.