Weekend race results:

Two more Lake-area runners kicked off their season this past weekend at the Runnin' Against Multiple Sclerosis 5K in Columbia.  Mitchell Allen of Osage Beach finished in 31:23 and placed 32nd among the 60 men finishers.  Karli Wolfe of Linn Creek placed 49th among 108 women, finishing in 35:01. 

The biggest race of the weekend was the Running from Yeti 5K/10K and half marathon in St. Louis, with a total of 693 finishers. The Snowball Series 4-Mile race in St. Louis on Sunday had nearly 800 runners registered, but only 521 turned out, despite much better weather than Saturday.

The Iron Heart Run in St. James had 10 race distance options (5K/10K/20K/10M/15M/20M/50K/50M/100K/100M--the most I've ever seen for a single event--but only 28 total competitors. All but 7 had podium finishes.

The Heart of the Ozarks Half Marathon in West Plains attracts lots of high school and college-age cross country runners from southwest Missouri, making it one of the youngest fields you'll find in a half marathon.  There were 41 finishers in the men's field, and no one over the age of 25 finished higher that 19th.  Three out of four finished in under two hours. If you need a dose of humility, that's your race.

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GROUNDHOG RUN 5K/10K (posted February 2nd)

It took 32 days, but we finally have a 2026 race finisher among our Lake-area runners. Three of our locals traveled to Kansas City for Sunday's Groundhog Run, held underground at the Hunt Subtropolis in its constant 65-68° temperatures. They were joined by 2,600 others fleeing the freezing weather above.

All three of our locals signed up for the 10K. Natasha Boettcher was first to finish, in 54:52, placing 9th (of 59) in the women's 35-39 age group.  Kim Sovcik finished in 1:37:10, placing 57th in that age group.  Christina Wilson had a 58:15 split at the 5K mark, but no reported 10K result.  She placed 731st of 746 overall.

Complete results can be found here.  Total participation of 2,621 finishers this year was up 10% from last year's 2,387.

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Other weekend race results (January 31 - February 1):

Besides the Groundhog Run, six other races were scheduled this races, but four of them were either postponed or cancelled due to the weather and/or course conditions. The two races that did proceed--the Columbia Track Club's Runner's Choice Trail Run (10K/20K) and the Eric's Run 5K in Carthage--had small turnouts, with 26 and 28 finishers, respectively.

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POLAR BEAR STRUT 5K RUN/WALK (posted January 14th)

Registration is now open for the oldest running race in the Lake area, the Polar Bear Strut 5K.  The 25th anniversary race takes place on Saturday, February 28th at Public Beach #2 in the Lake of the Ozarks State Park.  The event is a benefit for Special Olympics Missouri and is hosted by the Osage Beach Police Department.

Strutters must raise a minimum of $50 by race day.

The race starts at 10:00 a.m., and race day registration usually opens about an hour before the start.

More information and online registration can be found here.

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TAME THE DRAGON (posted January 14th)

The St. Louis Orienteering Club is returning to the Lake of the Ozarks State Park on Saturday, February 28th for the seventh annual Tame the Dragon orienteering race. The event is open to non-members of the club. (We've had some Lake-area runners give it a try in the past.)

The race format will be an 8-hour rogaine, and will start at 8:00 a.m.   (Maps will be distributed at 7:00 a.m.)  While teams of 2-5 are encouraged for safety reasons, solo participants are allowed, but they must have prior endurance and navigation experience. 

A "rogaine" (it's name is derived from the first names of three Australians--Rod, Gall and Neil--who developed the idea decades ago) consists of solo competitors or teams navigating a large area to find as many checkpoints as possible within the allotted time.  The winner is that solo competitor or team which finds all of the checkpoints and reaches the finish line first.  If no one finds all of the checkpoints, the winner is the one that collects the most points.  (Checkpoints have different point values, so focusing on the most valuable checkpoints is a possible winning strategy.)

Prior to the race, each competitor receives a map and a list of checkpoint coordinates.  They then plot their own course route, and rely on their navigational skills and speed to collect as many points as possible, as quickly as possible. (Returning over the time limit results in significant points penalties.  You're generally better off skipping a checkpoint if it means returning late.)  Needless to say, GPS units aren't allowed.

Orienteering races are self-supporting.  Competitors should be prepared to rely only on what they (or their teammates) bring or carry with them.  

See the event's webpage for further details and registration information. 

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WHOBILATION 5K RUN/WALK (posted January 15th)

The Tri-County YMCA will hold its eighth annual Whobilation 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 7th, at the YMCA's facility on Airport Rd. in Osage Beach.  The Dr. Suess-themed race will start at 9:00 a.m., with race-day registration opening at 7:30 a.m. 

The entry fee is $30 through the end of January, and $35 thereafter.

To be guaranteed a t-shirt on race day, you need to register by January 31st.

A mail-in registration form can be downloaded here.  Online registration, with more race details, is available here.

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