With a time of 8 days, 5 hours, and 55 minutes, Katherine Anderson is the only woman (and 11th woman ever) to complete the 1,000-mile Arkansas High Country Race. Find a detailed report from Aaron Arnzen and photos from her ride here…

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

Being the only woman to sign up for this year’s ARHC Grand Depart, all eyes were on Katherine Anderson’s dot as she covered 1,000 miles around the Natural State. With an official time of 8 days, 5 hours, and 55 minutes, Katherine became the 11th woman ever to finish the Arkansas High Country Race.

Katherine’s journey did not come easy, coming in fourth overall during a year with the highest attrition rate on record. Riding the route in a clockwise direction, she had strong goals to ride and rest consistently each day, and among the hurdles that would follow, she succeeded. The first two nights were both spent camped outside before reaching Witt Springs on night three at mile 390. As many racers experienced this year, the opportunity to shower, sleep, charge, and refuel at the Community Center is invaluable.

By the time day five rolled around, Katherine started experiencing drivetrain issues. A little research and the help of the community led her to The Ride bike shop in Conway just before close that Wednesday evening. After getting her bike serviced she engaged with some incredibly generous hospitality in the form of Vietnamese cuisine and a bed—one of her fondest memories on route. Day six took her through Little Rock, up and over Flatside Pinnacle before finding a hotel room in Hot Springs, her last bed of the race. Night seven ended with some creative outdoor accommodations in Hatfield, before pushing through the tall and remote, three mountain link-up to Waveland and the Blue Mountain Lake Campground.

Climbing up Mt. Magazine to the highest point in the state was the perfect start to her final day in the High Country as she finished the 50 miles back into Russellville. The theme of consistency seemed to pay off as she rolled in looking notably fresh and happy, despite the unexpected level of difficulty in the Ouachitas the day before.

Katherine experienced some shifting issues as the race went on, losing some of her gears. She also managed to work through a broken Boa closure system on one of her shoes, among other nagging wear and tear on gear. Riding a Salsa Cutthroat on 29 x 2.2″ Teravail Sparwoods, she experienced zero tire issues. Her gear was carried in a mix of custom South City Stitchworks frame bags and Apidura front and rear bags. Another notable piece of gear was an airhorn that she carried in her bib pocket, providing quick draw access for encroaching dogs, which Katherine stated worked flawlessly.

Adding to her impressive list of accomplishments at Doom and Badlands earlier this year, her ARHC ride was not just a notable finish, but an experience that she found refreshing and renewing. No headphones and no podcasts, just Katherine and her bike, moving through the Arkansas mountains. She highlighted the many personal interactions with strangers and other riders going in the opposite direction.

With plenty of time to think, Katherine leaves the Arkansas High Country inspired to take some actionable steps towards supporting more women with less experience, connecting them with more experienced riders to co-prepare for this event, taking advantage of the pairs category added this year.

Check out the 2025 Arkansas High Country Race Tracker page for updates, where you can follow along on the live tracking map and stay tuned in for more event coverage. Find it here.

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