Founded in 1989, the Arkansas Ultra Running Association is a nonprofit that organizes multiple races and fun runs throughout the year, many of which are free or donation-based thanks to volunteer directors—keeping more money in runners' pockets and their local communities. Participants earn points across events in the Ultra Trail Series and Ultra Trail Series Lite, with male and female winners crowned in Open, Masters, Grand Master, Senior, and Super-Senior divisions based on cumulative points. The 2026X series serves as a bridge year before the standard Ultra Trail Series shifts to a calendar-year format starting in 2027.