Jon's story: Rule of Three

BaseCamp athlete Jon Livengood shared his experience at the 2025 Rule of Three bike race in Arkansas.

The Rule of 3 is the biggest little race that you may not have heard of. It takes place in North West Arkansas in the cycling utopia of Bentonville. If you haven't been to B-ville, it's a small town that prioritizes cycling. It has an enormous amount of rolling gravel and purpose built singletrack all accessible from downtown. This place breathes bikes.

The idea of Ro3 is to have an event that put riders first, above sponsors. It is a race, but instead of awarding the fastest pro with a big prize, they decide to celebrate everyone with solid swag and a great festival atmosphere after. Don't get me wrong, it is very much a race and many pros attend, but the last rider is just as important to the promoter as the first rider. The race is roughly one third gravel, one third tarmac and one third singletrack. This varying terrain makes bike and tire choice a tricky decision...but luckily for us, some gravel bikes have evolved enough to crush all the terrain and the Lauf Seigla with 2.2 Race Kings was the ideal bike for this parkour. They have 3 race distances: 50, 100, and 200, where the 100 (which was really 117 mile) is the main event and the option I chose.

The race started with 6 or so miles to the first hill. Its a long day so I sat in, knowing the hill would create the first selection. I say first selection because the course will filter groups is a few ways. Hills will let the strong people bubble to the top. Singletrack will further refine by moving people with singletrack skills up or moving people with poor tire choices to the back, and then the rolling gravel will filter out those who lack base fitness.

As predicted the hill split the group in a few small packs, where I was in the 3rd, just off the 2nd group. We had a few miles of flat gravel and tarmac that allowed our group to bridge up to the next group before the first short singletrack. With a mountain bike background, and running mountain bike tires, i knew it was important for me to get into the singletrack in the front of my group as I knew it would split again. Made a surge, got on the trail in the first 5 and bam, came out the other side and 75% of the group was dropped. Now it was time motor on with my small group and see what we can do. We worked our way thru the three terrains picking up riders dropped from the front group and arrived at the 65-mile aid with a group of 20 or so. I loaded up and not wanting to waste time, took off alone...assuming the group would catch me on the 35 miles of gravel ahead. Welp, i was wrong, never saw them again and soloed to the next aid at mile 105. I was a bit cracked when i got there, but nothing two cokes and two gels couldn't revive. All that sugar was like rocket fuel and i crushed the remaining few singletrack segments and road sectors-should've fueled more a bit earlier me thinks.

Rolled in at 8hr 16 minutes for a cool 26th place overall and was welcomed with a high five from the race promoter, build your own burrito bar, endless supply of pizza, music, beer and all the racers just handing out. Great way to finish off the day.

Rule of 3 is seriously the best event I've been to and I've been to a few...definitely put it on your list.