WEEKEND EVENTS FOR OCTOBER 11 - 12 - 13

(Reminder:  Columbus Day is on Monday.)

Another weekend of beautiful weather is coming up. The skies will be sunny, and temperatures should be a little cooler than last weekend's higher-than-normal temperatures. 

This is the weekend for the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival. The festival is one of the most enjoyable outings this time of year.  Pack up the bike(s), drive up to the Katy Trail trailhead at Jefferson City, ride 9.5 miles on the trail (with some neat views of the Missouri River) to Hartsburg, and enjoy a wonderful day walking around among all the food and crafts vendors.  It's a very family-friendly trip--the trail is pancake flat, so even younger riders can manage it.

In high school cross country action, Camdenton runners will be competing at the Licking Wildcat Invitational on Thursday, and again at the Dixon Invitational on Monday. Also on Thursday, Osage, Versailles, Macks Creek and Eldon (boys only) will be at the Buffalo Invitational.  The Eldon girls will be at the Capital City Invitational in Jefferson City on Saturday.

The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday.  Streaming information can be found here.  Chicago always attracts some of the fastest marathon runners in the world.  Indeed the men's and women's world records were set at this race in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

Elsewhere:

Columbia:

Rock Bridge Revenge (50K/25K), Saturday (LOTO participants: Justin Uptergrove (50K))

Springfield:

OneSolePurpose 5K/10K, Saturday

Neosho:

Highground Trailfest 5K/10K/15K, Saturday

Kansas City and vicinity:

No races that I can find.

St. Louis and vicinity:

DeClue Loops Trail Race (8M/16M/26.2M/50K), Greensfelder Park, Sunday
Cardinal Glennon Sun Run 5K, Forest Park, Sunday
Check Big River Running Company's calendar for more races

Chicago, Illinois:

Chicago Marathon, Sunday

*   *   *   *   *

MO' COWBELL MARATHON, HALF MARATHON, 10K & 5K (posted October 6th)

For the second year in a row, MO' Cowbell set a new participation record, with a sell-out of all distances offered.

Unfortunately, the virtually unsearchable race results are posted at Athlinks.com, and I simply don't have time to scroll through nearly 100 pages of results. If you raced and would like your results noted here, please let me know.

*   *   *   *   *

THE RUNNING OF THE KNIGHTS 5K/1-MILE (posted October 6th)

Results haven't yet been posted from The King's Academy's Running of the Knights 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run on Sunday.  This page, which has prior year's results through 2024, should have Sunday's results posted soon.

*   *   *   *   *

FROG HILL HALF MARATHON & 10K and LEAPFROG 5K (posted October 6th)

The twelveth annual Frog Hill Half Marathon & 5K/10K took place in Waynesville on Friday-Saturday.

Two runners from the Lake area competed at the race.  April Leonard won her age group (over one other) in the 10K, finishing in 1:08:11.  Jim McDermott was uncontested in his age group in the half marathon, and finished in 2:37:16.

The legendary Bob Gravely, a Salem resident who's a near fixture at the Honoring Our Heroes race in November, finished the 10K in 1:54:18.  Not impressed by that?  Bear in mind that Bob is 89 years old.

Complete results can be found here.  The race's Facebook page contains lots of photos.

Here are the number of finishers of each distance since the inaugural race in 2014:

*   *   *   *   *

HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY MEET RESULTS FOR OCTOBER 3rd - 4th (posted October 6th)

Camdenton High School hosted the Laker Invitational cross country meet at Ha Ha Tonka State Park on Friday and Saturday. A total of 37 teams competed.  Among local teams, Versailles and Osage competed on Friday; Camdenton and Macks Creek ran on Saturday. Here are the schools' top finishers.

The Osage boys and girls took fourth and third, respectively, in the team results on Friday. The Camdenton girls took second place on Saturday.

*   *   *   *   *

Other weekend races (October 4 - 5):

Halle Herbert of Eldon was in Columbia on Saturday for the Betsy Farris Memorial Run, which offers half marathon, 10K and 5K distances.. (This race is descended from the Roots & Blues & BBQ race that ended in 2022.) Halle ran the half marathon, finishing in 2:08:31, and placing second of seven in the women's 205-29 age group. The race had 99 finishers of the half marathon, 62 of the 10K and 93 of the 5K. Complete results are here.

*   *   *   *   *

SAINT JOSEPH MARATHOH, HALF MARATHON & 5K/10K (posted September 30th)

Brandon Sparks of Versailles ran the St. Joseph Marathon on Saturday, breaking four hours with not much to spare. Brandon finished in 3:57:47, placing 6th (of 18) in the men's 30-39 age group.

Complete race results can be found here.

*   *   *   *   *

Other weekend races (September 27 - 28):

The Taylor Swift-themed Swifty Fun Run (half marathon, 10K/5K and 1-mile) in Kansas City had a total of 448 participants on Saturday. It was mostly a female crowd. Of that total of 448, 368--or 82%--were women.   The St. Louis edition of the race back in August was similarly lopsided with female finishers.

*   *   *   *   *

HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY MEET RESULTS FOR SEPTEMBER 27th (posted September 30th)

Here are the top finishers for some of our local high school cross country teams at the Mark Sabala Cross Country Dam Invitational meet held in Hermitage on Saturday. Complete results can be found here.

In the team results, the Osage boys placed 4th of 22 teams. (Eldon was 9th, and Versailles was 20th.) In the girls team standings, Camdenton took 3rd of 14 teams. The Osage girls were right behind, in 4th place.

*   *   *   *   *

2025 Archives
2024 Archives
2023 Archives
2022 Archives
2021 Archives
2020 Archives
2019 Archives
2018 Archives
2017 Archives
2016 Archives
2015 Archives
2014 Archives
2013 Archives
2012 Archives
2011 Archives
2010 Archives
2009 Archives

*   *   *   *  *

LAKE OF THE OZARKS OKTOBERFEST .5K AND 5K RUN/WALK (posted September 16th)

The third annual Lake of the Ozarks Oktoberfest .5K and 5K will be held on Saturday, October 18 at The Sanctuary Brewery on Osage Beach Parkway. (The brewery is located next door to Gran Rally Go Karts and close to Culver's.) The race starts at 9:00 a.m.

The entry fee is $15 for the .5K, and $40 for the 5K. Proceeds from the race benefit Wonderland Camp.

5K participants receive a t-shirt, a custom koozie, and a coupon for a free beer at The Sanctuary.

Those stepping up to take on the challenge of the .5K won't get the SWAG, but will still be able to purchase a shirt for $15.

Online registration is available through 10:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15th.

*   *   *   *   *

PHYLICIA CARSON MEMORIAL 5K (posted September 16th)

The second annual Phylicia Carson Memorial 5K Run/Walk will be held on Saturday, November 1st at Osage Beach City Hall. Phylicia Carson was an Osage Beach police officer who tragically died in the line of duty on Labor Day weekend in 2024, leaving behind a husband and six children.

Race-day registration will be open from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. The festivities begin at 8:35 with the playing of the national anthem.  The run/walk will start at 9:00 a.m. 

The entry fee for those 18-and-over is $25, or $30 on race day. T-shirts can only be guaranteed for those who register on or before October 1st.  Participants under 18 run or walk free of charge. 

T-shirts can be purchase at the event for $20.

Missouri Concerns of Police Survivors (donate here) and the Pregnancy Help Center (donate here) are the event's beneficiaries. Donations can also be made by cash or check at the race.

Online registration and more details can be found here.

*   *   *   *   *