WEEKEND EVENTS FOR APRIL 19-21

We want to wish the very best of luck to Jim McDermott at Monday's Boston Marathon. Jim's not only an outstanding runner, but also an outstanding person, and I can't think of a better representative for the Lake area at this year's marathon. We're proud of you, Jim!

There are no local races this coming (Easter) weekend.  Next weekend, though, there will be plenty of races.  In fact, it looks like next weekend will be the single biggest race weekend of the entire year--not only in the Lake area, but statewide as well.  (It's remarkable just how many events are scheduled.)

Outside the Lake area, there are lots of 5Ks to be found on Saturday in Jefferson City, Springfield, Kansas City, St. Louis, etc.  

The biggest event will be Saturday's women-only Go Girl Run Half Marathon & 5K in Springfield.

Finally, be sure to check out whether the Lake Area Runners will be running, or hunting Easter eggs.

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BIG PARTY HALF MARATHON & 5K (updated April 14th)

Congratulations go to all of our Lake-area runners for their outstanding results at Sunday's (April 13th) second annual Big Party Half Marathon (known in its first year as the "World's Biggest Party Half Marathon) in Springfield. Every local runner and team finished in the top half of their respective age group or division.

Jim McDermott was our top finisher, crossing the line in 1:47:53 and winning the male 60+ age group over five other competitors.

Curtis Wehmeyer finished in 1:50:51, good for sixth place (of 26) in the male 30-39 age group.

Jordan Teeple, Scott Page and Todd Raney ran together and finished in 1:53:06.  This was a personal best for Jordan, and was four seconds shy of being the fastest half marathon finish for a Lake-area woman so far this year.

Tara Allman, whose name I don't recall seeing in any previous race results, finished in 2:16:03, placing seventh (of 15) in the female 19 & under age group.

Finally, the four-person half marathon relay team of Casey Wehmeyer, Charles Pitts, Chad Van Buren and Rick Boyce finished in 1:58:46, placing second among four teams in their division.

Here are some pre- and post-race photos passed along by Todd Raney.

   
Left photo (left to right): Jim McDermott, Jordan Teeple, Todd Raney and Scott Page.  (Click on a photo for a larger image.)

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ROCK THE PARKWAY HALF MARATHON & 5K (posted April 12th)

A surprisingly large contingent of twenty Lake-area runners traveled to Kansas City for Saturday's (April 12th) Rock the Parkway Half Marathon & 5K. (Last year, by comparison, there were only six.)   The race had a record number of half marathon finishers (4,930), making this one of the few half marathons in the state that's still consistently growing.

Laura Davis led all Lake-area runners in the half marathon, finishing in 1:53:03 and placing 18th (of 266) in the female 45-49 age group. Laura's finish time is now the fastest for Lake-area women this year.

One especially noteworthy performance in the 5K belonged to 13 year-old Eli Mangone, who won the male 14 & under age group (over 23 other competitors) with a 22:58 finish.

Here are the full results:

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CARMEL MARATHON (posted April 12th)

Chalk up another marathon finish for Todd Raney, coming just two weeks after his last one.  Todd finished Saturday's (April 12th) Carmel Marathon in Carmel, Indiana, in 4:16:47. That placed Todd 49th (of 84) in the male 40-44 age group.

Hopes for a personal record (his current best is 3:53:41) faded when a painful left foot forced him to back off.  Todd reached the halfway point in 1:52:24, and completed the second half in 2:24:23.

This marks Todd's thirteenth marathon finish, including two ultramarathons.  He's now completed marathons in eight states (Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada and Indiana).

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RUN FOR THE BEACH 5K & 1-MILE FUN RUN/WALK (updated April 12th)

The starting line. (Click to view a larger image.)

About forty-five runners and walkers turned out on a beautiful spring morning for the Kiwanis Club of Ozark Coast's ninth annual Run for the Beach 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk on Saturday (April 12th) in Lake Ozark. The event raises funds for the Kiwanis' effort to provide emergency assistance to children and families in the Lake area.

Nigher Alfaro and Osage High School cross country runner Daisy Ralston cruised to easy victories over their male and female competitors. Nigher finished in 20:58; Daisy, in 24:06.

   
Overall male and female winners Nigher Alfaro and Daisy Ralston. (Click on a photo to view a larger image.)

Here are the top two finishers in each age group:

Below is just one of fifty-six photos from the event.  To view all of them, click here.

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LIGHT UP THE LAPS 5K RUN/WALK (posted April 14th)

The Morgan County R-II Elementary School will be holding their first annual Light Up the Laps 5K Run/Walk on the evening of Friday, April 25th. (The rain date is Monday, April 28th.)    The event is a fund-raiser to help renovate the school's playground and to add a walking trail.

The run/walk will start at 7:30 p.m. on the high school track (map).  Registration opens at 7:00 p.m. at the Audrey Walton Sports Complex.

The entry fee is $15 per person, or $45 per family (which includes up to four t-shirts) if you pre-register by April 15th.  After that date, the fees rise to $20 and $50, respectively.  Walkers can enter on the night of the event for $10 per person or $20 per family, but will not receive t-shirts.

Click here for a flyer and registration form.

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RUN FOR THE CHILDREN HALF MARATHON & 5K (posted March 18th)

The Lake area's only half marathon returns on Saturday, April 26th, and will now offer a 5K option. The second annual Run for the Children Half Marathon & 5K (), benefiting the Miller County Child Advocacy Council, will start at 7:00 a.m. in front of Curves at 214 S. Mill St. (across from the Eldon Community Center) in Eldon. Packet pickup will be from 6:00 to 6:45 a.m. on race day.

You can download the flyer and mail-in registration form   here.  Until April 22nd, you can also register online here.  Finally, you can pick up and complete a registration form in person at the Eldon Advertiser at 415 S. Maple St.

Entry fees will rise on April 1st to $60 for the half marathon (up from $50) and $30 for the 5K (up from $20).

The half marathon course is unchanged from last year.  (You can view my unofficial, annotated course map by clicking on the thumbnail below, or download it here.  If you'd like to drive or practice on the course, here's a turn-by-turn course route cheatsheet.) 

 

The 5K course map is now available.

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5K RUN/WALK INTO AWARENESS (posted March 26th)

The 5K Run/Walk into Awareness, a benefit for the Camden County Child Advocacy Council held in conjunction with the Dogwood Festival, is scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, at Bob Shore Stadium in Camdenton.

The run/walk starts at 7:30 p.m.   The entry fee is $20 if you pre-register by April 5th. After that date, the fee is $25.

A 5K fun run/walk option, which doesn't include a t-shirt and isn't timed, costs $3, or $10 per family.

Click here for a flyer/registration form.

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ST. PAUL LUTHERAN SCHOOL'S END OF SCHOOL FUN RUN/WALK (posted April 3rd)

St. Paul's Lutheran School in Stover will be holding their End of School Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, April 26th. Events will include a 5K run/walk, a two-mile casual walk, and a half-mile kids' run. The three events will start at 8:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m., and 9:30 a.m., respectively, at Stover Park.

Registration forms are available at the school or at its website.

T-shirts are only guaranteed to those who register by April 17th.

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LAKE OZARK POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 5K NIGHT RUN & SAFETY AWARENESS EVENT (posted April 3rd)

The Lake Ozark Police Department () will be hosting a 5K Night Run on Saturday, April 26th.  The run will be part of the Department's Safety Awareness Event, which will educate citizens on how to protect themselves through stranger awareness, fire safety, bicycle safety, and more. All of the events will be held at the Lake Ozark Christian Church located at 1560 Bagnell Dam Blvd, across the street from the Leland O. Mills Elementary School play area.

The run/walk will start at 9:00 p.m.  Race-day registration opens at 6:00 p.m.  The entry fee is $20 for adults (sixteen and older), $10 for children ages 4 to 15, and free for children three and younger. 

Click for the event flyer or registration form.

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ELDON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL 5K SPRING COLOR RUN/WALK (posted January 28th)

The second annual 5K Spring Color Run/Walk, organized by Eldon High School's Student Council, is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd. The run/walk starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Eldon Career Center at 110 S. Pine Street, which is located two blocks west of the Department of Public Safety building where most Eldon 5Ks begin (map).   This is a non-timed event designed for family fun.

The entry fee is $25 until April 25th, and $30 thereafter.  T-shirts can only be guaranteed for those who register by April 25th.    

For complete details and a registration form, click for one in .doc or .pdf format.

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LAKE REGIONAL 5K FUN RUN/WALK (updated March 6th)

The 7th annual Lake Regional 5K Fun Run/Walk is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd, at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach.  The 5K run will begin at 7:30 a.m., with walkers starting immediately after.  Race-day registration will open at 7:00 a.m.

The entry fee is $20 until April 3rd.  After that, the fee will be $25. 

A flyer and registration form can be found here. You can also register online here.

The course will presumably be the same as last year. 

(Click on photo for a larger view.)

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ROCKIN' WELLNESS WALK/RUN (updated February 18th)

The Citizens for Health & Wellness, a community organization based in Versailles, will be holding their second annual Rockin' Wellness Walk/Run on Saturday, May 3rd, at Versailles High School.  The 5K/10K will start at 8:00 a.m., and the 2-mile walk at 8:15 a.m.   A half-mile kids fun run will start at 9:30 a.m.

For all the details, including a registration form, please click here.

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LADY LAKER BASKETBALL CLUB 5K/10K RUN & 5K WALK (posted March 26th)

Camdenton High School's Lady Laker Basketball Club () will be holding their first annual 5K/10K run and 5K walk on Saturday, May 10th, at Linn Creek City Park. Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting the team's 2015 season.

The run/walk starts at 8:30 a.m., with race-day registration opening at 7:30 a.m. Entry fees are $20 for those who pre-register by April 26th, and $25 after that date. T-shirts are only guaranteed for those who pre-register; all others will get t-shirts while supplies last.

Click for a flyer/registration form in .jpg or .pdf format. You can register online here.

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TA-TA TROT 5K RUN/WALK (posted February 11th)

The Lake area's second largest 5K, the Ta-Ta Trot, will be returning for its third annual event on Saturday, May 10th, at the Department of Public Safety Building in Eldon (map).

The run/walk starts after a balloon release at 8:00 a.m.  Race-day registration will be open from 7:00 to 7:45 a.m.  If you register on or before April 25th, you'll be guaranteed a t-shirt on the day of the event.  All others receive t-shirts as supplies last.  The entry fee is $15.

For a flyer/registration form, click here.

The event is organized by the "We Bleed Pink" team of Jayna Gray, Christi Morris, Kari Salsman and Holly Thomas, and is a fund-raiser for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  The ladies will be participating in the Avon Walk in New York City on October 18-19th.

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BLUE RIBBON 5K RUN/WALK (updated February 25th)

The first annual Blue Ribbon 5K Run/Walk benefiting Camdenton-based Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S), will be held on Saturday, May 31st, at the Linn Creek City Park (map). The run/walk will start at 9:00 a.m., with race-day registration opening at 7:30 a.m.

If you pre-register on or before May 16th, the entry fee is $20, or $15 per person for families of three or more.  After that date, the entry fee rises to $25 (or $20 per person for families of three or more.) 

Click for a flyer/registration form.

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7th ANNUAL NIGHT GLOW 5K RUN/WALK (posted February 27th)

The Children's Learning Center's 7th annual run/walk gets a new name this year--the Night Glow 5K Run/Walk (known previously as the Summer Night Stride 5K)--but the fun is certain to be the same.   The new name comes with a greater emphasis on the "glow in the dark" feature of the evening event, similar to the numerous glow runs that have popped up around the country.

The event will be held on Friday, June 13th, at Camdenton High School.  The run/walk starts at 8:00 p.m., with race registration and kids activities starting at 6:15 p.m.

The entry fee is a minimum contribution of $20 if you pre-register by June 2nd, and $25 thereafter.  Groups of four or more can register for $15 per person during the pre-registration period.  After that, the group rate rises to $20 per person.

Click for the flyer and registration form.

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GRACE DEGRAFFENREID MEMORIAL 5K & KIDS FUN RUN (posted April 14th)

A benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) research is being held this fall in memory of Grace DeGraffenreid, a seven year-old from Eldon who passed away on February 21st.   The Grace DeGraffenreid Memorial 5K & Kids Fun Run will be held on Saturday, October 11th, at Memorial Park (map) in Jefferson City. The 5K starts at 9:00 a.m., and the kids fun run at 10:15 a.m.

The kids fun run is free for children 12 and under, and doesn't include a t-shirt.  Medals, however, will be awarded to all kids fun run participants.

The entry fee for the 5K is $25 ($10 for children 12 & under) for those who register on or before September 1st.  After that date, the fee increases to $30 for adults.  T-shirts will only be guaranteed for those who pre-register.  All others will receive t-shirts while supplies last.

Click for a flyer.   (A registration form isn't available at this time.)

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HALF MARATHON, MARATHON & LONGER RACES IN MISSOURI AND VICINITY JANUARY 1 - AUGUST 31, 2014
Date	Race Name	Distances	Location
Jan 25	Runner's Choice 10K/20K Todd Raney (20K)	10K & 20K	Columbia, MO
Feb 8	Chocolate Rush Half Marathon & 5K	Half Marathon & 5K	Overland Park, KS
Feb 8	Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run	50K, 20-mile & 10-mile trail runs	Kansas City, KS
Feb 15	Heart of the Ozarks	Half Marathon & 10K	West Plains, MO
Feb 23	The Cowtown Todd Raney & Pete Russo	50K/Marathon/ Half/10K/5K	Fort Worth, TX
March 1	AdventureMax St. Louis Trail Run	Half Marathon & 10K	Innsbrook, MO
March 2	Little Rock Marathon	Marathon, Half & 10K	Little Rock, AR
March 14,15,16	3 Days of Syllamo	Day 1:  50K Day 2:  50 miles Day 3:  20K	Blanchard Springs, AR
March 15	Lucky 13.1 Half Marathon & 5K	Half Marathon & 5K	Peculiar, MO
March 15	Dublin's Pass ShamRox Run	15K & 5K	Springfield, MO
March 22	Sedalia Half Marathon	Half Marathon & 5K	Sedalia, MO
March 23	Relay & Run for 21	Half Marathon & Relay	St. Louis, MO
March 29	Highline Run for Scouting	Half Marathon & 5K	Springfield, MO
March 29	Forrest Gump Challenge	50 Miles, Marathon & Half	Reeds Spring, MO
March 30	Hogeye Marathon & Relays Todd Raney (marathon)	Marathon/Half/Relays	Fayetteville, AR
April 6	GO! St. Louis	Marathon/Relay/Half	St. Louis, MO
April 12	Rock the Parkway	Half Marathon & 5K	Kansas City, MO
April 12	Carmel Marathon Todd Raney (marathon)	Marathon, Relay, Half & 8K	Carmel, IN
April 12	Mission Run in the Ozarks	Half Marathon/10K/5K	Mountain Home, AR
April 13	Big Party Half Marathon	Half Marathon & 5K	Springfield, MO
April 19	Go Girl Run--Springfield	Half Marathon & 5K	Springfield, MO
April 26	Run for the Children	Half Marathon & 5K	Eldon, MO
April 26	Garmin Marathon	Marathon/Half//5K	Olathe, KS
April 26	Illinois Marathon Harold Selby (marathon)	Marathon/Half/10K/5K	Champaign-Urbana, IL
April 26	Frisco Railroad Run	50 miles/50K/ Marathon/Half & 8K	Willard, MO
May 2-3	Outback in the Ozarks Lake-area team(s) being formed	200-mile team relay	Eureka Springs, AR
May 3	Trail to a Cure Ride/Run/Walk	Half Marathon, 10K & 5K	Rocheport, MO
May 4	Divas Half Marathon & 5K	Half Marathon & 5K	Branson, MO
May 10	Joplin Memorial Run	Half Marathon & 5K	Joplin, MO
May 10	Running with the Cows	Half Marathon & 5K	Bucyrus, KS
May 17	Bridge the Gap to Health	Half Marathon, 10K & 5K	Quincy, IL
May 24	Go Girl Run--Columbia	Half Marathon & 5K	Columbia, MO
May 24	Table Rock Half Marathon	Half Marathon & 5K	Branson, MO
May 31	Striker Life Half Marathon	Half Marathon, 10K & 5K	Whiteman AFB, Knob Noster, MO
June 7	Hospital Hill Run	Half Marathon, 10K & 5K	Kansas City, MO
June 14	Maryville Marathon	Marathon/Half/10K/5K	Maryville, MO
June 14	Marathon to Marathon Todd Raney (marathon)	Marathon, Relay, Half & 5K	Storm Lake, IA
June 21	JC Green Giant	13 miles	Jefferson City, MO
June 29	Double Road Race	10K+5K	Overland Park, KS
July 5	Midnight Madness 50-Miler	50 miles	Tulsa, OK
July 12	Psycho Psummer Trail Run	50K, 20-mile, 10-mile	Kansas City, KS

If you're planning to do an event and want to let others know, e-mail me and I'll add your name to the list of participants.

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TRIATHLONS AND DUATHLONS IN MISSOURI AND VICINITY 2014
Date	Race Name	Distance(s)	Location
April 5	MaxTrax Duathlon	Short course: 1.5-mile run, 7.5-mile bike, 1.5-mile run Long course: 1.5 mile run, 15-mile bike, 3-mile run	Columbia, MO
May 4	TriZuo Triathlon & DuZou Duathlon	Triathlon:  400-meter pool swim, 14-mile bike, 3-mile run Duathlon: 1-mile run, 7-mile bike, 1-mile run	Columbia, MO
May 18	Kansas City Triathlon	Sprint: 500-meter swim, 20K bike, 5K run Olympic: 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run	Kansas City, MO
TBA	Sedalia Spring into Summer Duathlon	Short course: 2-mile run, 5-mile bike, 0.5-mile run Long course: 2-mile run, 12-mile bike, 2-mile run	Sedalia, MO
June 21	Tinman Triathlon	Short course: 400-meter swim, 13-mile bike, 3.1-mile run Long course: 1,000-meter swim, 19-mile bike, 7-mile run	Topeka, KS
June 28	HalfMax, QuarterMax & OctoMax Triathlons	OctoMax: 500-yard swim, 14-mile bike, 3-mile run QuarterMax: 0.6-mile swim, 28-mile bike, 10K run HalfMax: 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run	Innsbrook, MO
June 29	Summer Roundup Triathlon	Sprint: 500-meter swim, 12.3-mile bike, 5K run Olympic: 1500-meter swim, 40K bike, 10K run	Jasper, MO
July 13	UCP Shawnee Mission Triathlon	Short course: 500-meter swim, 9-mile bike, 3.2-mile run Long course: 1,000-meter swim, 18-mile bike, 4.5-mile run	Shawnee, KS
July 13	Big Shark New Town Kids Triathlon	0.62-mile swim, 20-mile bike, 4-mile run	New Town St. Charles, MO
July 14	Big Shark New Town Triathlon	0.62-mile swim, 20-mile bike, 4-mile run	New Town St. Charles, MO
July 19	Mighty Max Kids Triathlon	Four age-appropriate distances for children up to age 14	Columbia, MO
July 19	Crossroads Triathlon	200-meter swim, 8-mile bike, 2.1-mile run	Cameron, MO
July 20	Show-Me State Games Triathlon & Duathlon	Triathlon: 0.5-mile swim, 15-mile bike, 3-mile run Duathlon: 15-mile bike, 3-mile run	Columbia, MO
July 20	5150 Kansas Triathlon	Sprint: 500-yard swim, 13-mile bike, 3-mile run 5150: 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run	Lawrence, KS
July 26	WIN for KC Women's Triathlon	500-meter swim, 10-mile bike, 5K run	Smithville, MO
July 26	Concreteman Triathlon	Short course:  500-meter swim, 12.5-mile bike, 2-mile run Olympic: 1,500-meter swim, 25-mile bike, 10K run	Springfield, MO
Aug 3	Stockton Lake Tri Wild-Life Challenge (New event for 2014)	Short course: 500-meter swim, 10.4-mile bike, 5K run Long course: 1,000-meter swim, 20.8-mile bike, 10K run	Stockton, MO
Aug 8	Republic Youth Tigger Tri	Distances to be announced	Republic, MO
Aug 9	Republic Tiger Tri	300-yard swim, 12.2-mile bike, 5K run	Republic, MO
Aug 10	Midwest Meltdown Triathlon & Duathlon	Short course triathlon: 750-meter swim, 10.4-mile bike, 5K run Long course triathlon: 1.5K swim, 20.8-mile bike, 5.2-mile run Duathlon: 1-mile run, 10.4-mile bike, 5K run	Paola, KS
Aug 17	Jackson County Triathlon	Short course: 750-meter swim, 11.75-mile bike, 3-mile run Long course: 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 5-mile run	Lee's Summit, MO
Aug 23	Nevada Triathlon & Kids Triathlon	Triathlon:  300-yard swim, 12-mile bike, 5K run Kids triathlon:  Three age-appropriate distances	Nevada, MO
Aug 23	Lake St. Louis Triathlon	Short course:  0.25-mile swim, 12.3-mile bike, 2.5-mile run Long course: 0.93-mile swim, 24-mile bike, 10K run	Lake St. Louis, MO
Aug 24	Aloha Triathlon (New event for 2014)	Triathlon: 400-meter swim, 10-mile bike, 5K run Quintathlon: 800-meter swim, 17-mile bike, 5K run, 10-mile bike, 2K run	Lee's Summit, MO
Sep 14	Silverback Triathlon	Sprint: 500-meter swim, 12-mile bike, 3-mile run International: 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run	Lawrence, KS
TBA	Fort Leonard Wood Triathlon	400-meter swim, 12.4-mile bike, 5K run	Ft. Leonard Wood
Oct 5	Border Wars Triathlon (New event for 2014)	1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run	Alton, IL

2014 ARCHIVES

2013 ARCHIVES

2012 ARCHIVES

2011 ARCHIVES

2010 ARCHIVES

2009 ARCHIVES