WEEKEND EVENTS FOR MAY 4 - 5

We have two local races this weekend--both on Saturday morning. As of Tuesday evening, there are chances of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast for Saturday, and for Sunday afternoon. Wet weather over the next few days will make for sloppy conditions for the weekend's trail runs and bike races.  Be careful out there. 

The Lake Regional Fun Run 5K & Honor Walk starts at 8:00 a.m. at Lake Regional Hospital, with race-day registration opening at 7:00 a.m.   The walk starts at 8:00 a.m., followed by the 5K.  The 5K will be a timed race.  A post-race breakfast is free to all paid participants.

At the Lake of the Ozarks State Park off of Highway 42, the LOZ Traverse (trail run/paddling race) starts at 7:00 a.m., the Trail of Four Winds 25K trail race starts at 9:00 a.m., and the Wandering Bobcat 5-Mile trail race at 10:00 a.m. 

Details and links about both of these events can be found under "Upcoming Events" further down this column.

Columbia:

TriZou for MS Triathlon/5K, Kids triathlon and 5K on Saturday evening; triathlon on Sunday

Hermann:

Tour of Hermann Gravel Challenge (bike races), Saturday-Sunday

Sullivan:

Art & Soul 5K, Saturday

Springfield and vicinity:

Girls on the Run 5K, Saturday
Do Not Stop 5K/10K, Saturday
Iron Horse Gravel Grind (multi-distance bike rides and races), Willard, Sunday

Kansas City & vicinity:

Tower 2 Tower 5K, Saturday
Outpacing Melanoma 5K, Sunday
Truman Trot 5K, Independence, Sunday

St. Louis area:

APTA MO 5K Run, Frontier Park, St. Charles, Saturday
Jim Schoemehl Run for ALS (5K/10K), Webster Groves, Saturday
Babler Bongo 15K Trail Race, Babler State Park, Saturday (inaugural race)
Fiesta de Mayo, Webster Groves, Sunday
Rookies & Rock Stars Triathlon, St. Peters Rec-Plex, Sunday

Cape Girardeau:

Muddy River Marathon, Saturday

Wartrose, Tennessee:

Strolling Jim (40-mile/marathon/half/10K), Saturday

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OZARK GREENWAYS FRISCO RAILROAD RUN  (posted April 29th)

The 17th annual Ozark Greenways Frisco Railroad Run (Facebook) (50M/50K/marathon/half/8K) was held on Saturday at the pancake-flat Highline Trail in Willard. 

Tucker Seise and Brittany Parrish represented the Lake area well at the race, with Tucker placing 6th overall in the marathon, and Brittany placing 10th among the 69 women in the 8K. Tucker finished in 3:29:57; Brittany in 45:19.

Complete results can be found at UltraSignup.com.

Participation was up 20% over last year.  Here are the number of race finishers each year since 2014:

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KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL MARATHON & MINI MARATHON  (posted April 29th)

The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & mini Marathon (the worst monicker for a half marathon, ever!) was held on Saturday, one week before the 150th running of the world's most prestigious horse race. Eight runners from the Lake area were among the ten thousand participants.

Seven of the Lake-area participants, plus Cristan Rayl of Kansas City. Three-time previous Kentucky Derby Marathon finisher April Leonard was away at the time the group photo was taken. (Photo provided.)

Here are the results for our local runners:

Complete race results can be found here.

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Other weekend races:

While most races this past weekend saw an increase in attendance over last year, the CCVI Trolley Run 4-miler in Kansas City experienced a 27% decline. There were 1,962 finishers on Sunday, down from 2,704 last year. While the weather was dry during the race, steady rains Saturday night and early Sunday morning may have kept some away. The prize purse for this race always attracts some elite runners. The winner, from Grand Prairie, Texas, crossed the line in 17:52--a pace of 4:28 per mile--and took home $1,500.  (The Athlinks.com results run 40 pages long, and I don't have time to scroll through them to look for local runners.  If you ran it, let me know.)

The remodeled Greater St. Louis Marathon (formerly known as the GO! St. Louis Marathon) had its biggest turnout since 2017, and has returned to its pre-COVID size. While it still has quite a ways to go to match its peak size of the early 2010s, the race no longer appears to be in danger of a major downsizing.  I scrolled through the 26 pages of marathon results posted on Athlinks.com, and didn't find any local runners.  I didn't have the time (nor patience) to scroll through another 90 pages of results for the other races in search of locals, so let me know if you ran the race, and I'll post your results.

Michelle Waters of Camdenton ran the Lub Dub 5K in Sedalia on Saturday. Michelle finished in 48:01, placing 6th (of 8) in the women's 50-59 age group. The Sedalia triumvirate of Kim Ream, Millie Cavanagh and Lori Hurt, who race several times a year in the Lake area, were among the 10K finishers.

Mike Malone of Lake Ozark moved up from 8th overall last year to 5th this year at the Molly Miles 5K in Columbia. Mike finished in 18:52, giving him a victory in the men's 30-39 age group.  There were 588 5K and 125 10K finishers this year, little changed from last year.

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LAKE OF THE OZARKS ENDURANCE RUNS  (posted April 19th)

The Trail of Four Winds 25K trail race, LOZ Traverse trail run/paddling race, and Wandering Bobcat 5-mile trail race will take place at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park on Saturday, May 4th.

Please visit the event's UltraSignup page for complete information, and to register. 

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LAKE REGIONAL FUN RUN & HONOR WALK (posted April 19th)

The 15th annual Lake Regional Fun Run & Honor Walk, will take place at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach on or Saturday, May 4th.

Race-day registration will open at 7:00 a.m.   The Honor Walk will start at 8:00 a.m., followed soon after by the 5K Fun Run.  The Fun Run will be timed.

The entry fee is $35.  T-shirts will be given to those who pre-register on or before April 19th.

The menu for the post-race breakfast has changed for this year.  Pancakes are being replaced with egg-and-cheese breakfast burritos, bacon and assorted fruits.  Breakfast will be free to all paid run/walk participants.   Others can enjoy breakfast for just $5.

Online registration is available.

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RUNSTOCK (posted April 19th)

RunStock will return to the Lake of the Ozarks State Park on May 17-19th.  The weekend's races start with a 5K on the evening of Friday, May 17th.  On Saturday, a 12-hour run starts at 6:00 a.m., followed by a 10K at 8:00 a.m., and a half marathon at 5:00 p.m.  Sunday starts off with a 6-hour run at 6:00 a.m., and a marathon at 7:00 a.m.

Meals, entertainment and other festivities are planned for the weekend.  Complete information and online registration are available at the RunSignup.com page.  Refer to the event's Facebook page for still more information.

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RUN WITH THE COPS, NOT FROM THE COPS 5K/10K (posted May 1st)

The Miller County Sheriff's Office's Run with the Cops, Not from the Cops 5K/10K will be held on Saturday, May 18th, at the Air Park (adjacent to the aquatic center) in Eldon.

Race-day registration opens at 8:00 a.m.  The 10K will start at 8:30, and the 5K at 8:45.  Entry fees are $30 for the 10K and $20 for the 5K.

Click here for registration and other information.

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ROCK ISLAND ROAD RACE (updated March 17th)

Registration is open for the seventh annual Rock Island Road Race, 5K/10K/15K, taking place on Saturday, June 8th.

The race's Facebook page has a link to the registration page.

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