Race Information

• Race timing since 1982.
• Over 60 events per year.
• Course measurement and certification.
• Ipico chip system.
• Triathlons, duathlons, road races, trail races, adventure races.
• Registration staffing.
• Consultation from start to finish.
• Permit completion.
• Securing of sites.

7/24/2010 - NPOA Doughnut Run & Tribute Triathlon

We get to experience so many different places with our races. We had never been to Windsor, MO until this weekend. We found it to be a delightful little farm town, blessed with a very nice lake named Farrington.

It is clear that these folks loved late triathlete Fred Overton, as they paid him the kindest tribute with this weekend's triathlon. It was well supported with volunteers, spectators, and participants. To further explain the commitment of the local triathlon community to Fred, you must visit the website: http://site.wcmmc.com/.

You may have noticed that Nixa has many races. You also may have noticed that they are well attended. I wonder if this has anything to do with the Nixa Running Club and training groups?

What could be more appropriate than a Doughnut Run put on by the Nixa Police Officers' Association? There were some fast times, motivated by doughnuts at the finish line, of course.

Keep up the good work, Nixa running community.

I have published results for both races on my website.

7/17/2010 - Run for a Reason, El Dorado Springs, MO

Rather than crash the women's run, many of the males traveled to El Dorado Springs to Run for a Reason. There was a good turnout for the race, and the organizers did a great job.

Thanks Joe and Jared for covering this for ORS.

Thanks Kevin for having us again.

7/17/2010 - Girls Just Wanna Run

I've never seen men so willing to volunteer as they are each year for the Women's Run. This year's race, with 868 participants, set a new record for the event. The humidity kept a course record at bay, but the lead pack separated themselves early from the rest of the field. The fastest time was turned in by Courtney Waltbilling, formerly a Rogersville runner, now at Missouri Southern.

The expo was eclectic and enjoyable. I could tell from the smiles on the race crew at packet pick-up that they admired the scenery.

In the chute, it was fun to watch the small children up thru the seniors as they crossed the finish line -- each on their own mission.

I liked being able to run this one. It is one of my favorites.

7/11/2010 - Lake Freebird Triathlon

Cynthia MacPherson, along with friends and family, put on quite the shindig yesterday in Mountain Grove. Lake Freebird is a private lake and makes for an intimate setting to host this annual triathlon.

Because of the size and distance of the events, it draws many first timers. I think that I like beginner triathletes most, because they are so happy just to reach the finish line. There is no attitude, and they truly celebrate fitness.

It was a good effort on a hot day. Entrants enjoyed ice cream and drinks afterward while picking up handmade awards at the post-race ceremony.

7/10/2010 - Dragon's Breath 5K/1 Mile

We had a blast this morning, and the dragon's breath was smelling pretty sweet. Over 120 runners showed up for this first effort by Wellness Concepts.

The dragon theme was prevalent throughout the shirt design, trophies, and medals. Several ran the mile and received hand-made bead necklaces.

It was a challenge to all race directors to be so creative.

Thanks Jill, Steve, Tania, Eric, and Laney. Thanks also to the staff of Wellness Concepts.

7/4/2010 - Firecracker 5000

Chris Essick put this race together eight years ago. It was staged, at one point, from the Dewey Short Trails, then the Cedar Ridge XC Course at the School. Two years ago it found its home at the Branson Landing. This year, it grew by 40%.

The waterfront from Lake Taneycomo adds a cool breeze as you head into the finish of the 5K or the second lap of the 10K. The 4th of July holiday added a festive and majestic atmosphere to the pre and post-race atmosphere.

It was a very fun and worthwhile experience, and proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association. Results are posted.

6/26/2010 - 7TH ANNUAL ALDERSGATE 5K/10K

It was nice having the backpacks instead of t-shirts, which made packet pick-up go more smoothly. The new course seems to be an improvement for participants. The pancakes and donuts are a treat afterward. (You know you had some.)

Marissa Frazier set a blistering pace on a blistering day for the 10K. Richard Leiboult won overall for the men, followed closely by Brian Todd. We had some great 5K times. It was a no-excuse kind of race. Results are up on this website.

6/19/2010 - FRISCO RUNAWAY TRIATHLON

This was the second year for this tri. Kevin MacDonald and the Willard Parks Dept. were instrumental in pulling it off. The race grew this year. The bike course is still challenging but scenic. It is great having the Frisco trail on which to do the run.

I like this race partly because it is where I grew up and it is all so familiar.

Craig, Joe, and Jared worked hard as well, and it was a well-run event.

6/19/2010 - 2ND DASH TO THE SPLASH 5K

We dashed and we splashed. We thought the rain would overtake us before the start of this year's 5K, but it subsided, and it was nice and sticky during the race. Jonathan Rono won easily, though Brian Todd also ran a great time. (See results.)

Kathi Schmidt, 17 yrs. old, who resides in Galena was the women's winner. She is headed back to her home country of Germany this week.

All proceeds go to The Caring People, a Christian single mother's organization, started by Jodee Herschend.

6/12/2010 - CHRIS SIFFORD RUN, RUN FOR "RED"INESS, and the SPS RUN FOR COMMUNITY

Three great races today. I always appreciate the loyalty of Chris Sifford's friends, who keep this event going. The ballpark theme, with the baseball sleeves, is very unique -- just one of the benefits of participating. Each entrant also gets tickets to see the Springfield Cardinals. Clayton Moore and the Potthoff family are key in the details of the day. What a great way to remember a good friend!

The Red Cross Run for Rediness was an inaugural event, held at Cox North. A safety theme was pervasive throughout, with the first-aid kits and other reminders of the purpose of the American Red Cross. Joanne Moore directed the event and did a wonderful job.

Josie McPhail put together quite a package with the race and community fair over a Parkview. Many runners stayed after the race for pancakes, music, exhibits, and sampling. The whole parking lot was hopping. Many racers stated that they liked starting and finishing on the track at JFK. Many participants were educators who simply came to support the cause and had little interest in running. It was a lot of fun.

Thanks for supporting running in Springfield.

Once again, we could not pull this off without such a great staff.

6/5/2010 - COX MED MILE AND 5K

This was the 19th year for the Medical Mile, and it has maintained its family feel while being competitive.

The 5K was added last year, and it grew tremendously. Around 950 folks participated in one or the other.

This is a complicated but fun event as enthusiastic parents, wearing their 5K race chips, escort their children over the finish line of the mile. The preliminary results are posted, and if you have questions or changes, please e-mail us at ridge1@mchsi.com.

The parking lot was a fun fest with snow cones, inflatables, drinks, and Sheryl's great music.

Thanks to Chris Flouer and the staff at the Meyer Center for a great event.

5/31/2010 NIXA RELAY FOR LIFE; ROLLA BSA 5K

Our tour of Missouri continued on as we headed to Rolla for the Boy Scout 5k then on the Columbia to visit family. A local dentist, Judd Boehm, manages this event.

We were also in Nixa at the second annual Memorial Day Relay for Life, put on by Allyn Wollard. It seems that running a road race is a very fitting tribute to the Holiday.

I hope that you all had a happy and safe Memorial Day.

5/29/2010 HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

We had a great showing at the MOTHER ROAD 5K & MILE. The Hammons Tower makes for a very nice venue for registration, awards, and bathrooms. Richard Leiboult took over the director's position this year from Richard Johnson. From our perspective, everything went well. Results are published.

The Kid's for Kamp 5K celebrated it's eighth year at Phelps Grove Park. There was a light showing, but it was a beautiful, fun day. The folks at Washington Avenue Baptish Church are so kind and put forth a good effort.

5/22/2010 SQUIRREL RUN, RUN FOR THE BRIDGES, SEAS INNAUGURAL RUN

All results have been posted.

It finally felt like spring today. It was beautiful.

We had 348 people in Marionville. No white squirrels were sighted.

There were at least 100 at Jordan Valley Park and at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton race as well.

It's a great day to be a runner and it's a great day to live in Springfield, MO.

5/14/2010 - CASA RUN FOR A CHILD, JOPLIN ARMED FORCES DAY, HILLCREST RELIEF FOR LIFE 5K

It was another fun, wet day.

The CASA Run for a Child grew in number of participants. We are so appreciative of the staff and board members who stood on the streets, handed out water, cooked pancakes, secured awards, and did a wonderful job of organizing the event.

Matt Van Arkel, home from Indiana for the summer, led the entire duration of the 8K. Kevin Zimmerman did the same for the 5K. They are both former Drury athletes, coached by Jon Van Arkel.

Let us know your feedback.

The Joplin Armed Forces Day 5K, put on by Steve Benfield, also had record attendance. There are many other things going on at this event, which make it unique -- a corporate challenge and the overall military presence to name a couple. We enjoyed being there.

The Relay for Life 5K, in conjunction with the overall Relay for Life has a very passionate following and offers a unique course across town at Hillcrest High School. Joni Stant is the race director and gives so much to make this happen. There were a few folks, such as Brent Barnett and Bruce Stansberry, who ran both races in Springfield.

5/7/2010 - LAW DAY 5K

It was a beautiful afternoon to be in the park. All money from this event goes to the SMBA Scholarship program. I know that folks who work on Saturdays enjoy having the option to race at atypical times.

5/8/2010 - KITCHEN 5K, SUMMIT TRAIL RACE

It is such a pleasure to work with Pat Dierking and the crew at City Utilities. The Kitchen Run is among the favorites in Springfield. We had over 700 folks participating in the 5k or one mile. It seems that Mother's Day has become a draw to families who want to brand a new tradition. There were twice as many women than men in the race this year. That is very unusual. It was very enjoyable, and we hope the you enjoyed it as well.

Preliminary results are posted. Please contact us with any questions: 417-882-5590, ridge1@mchsi.com.

The new Summit Trail Run overcame some obstacles, and those who came out enjoyed the beautiful Ritter Springs Park woodsy setting. Many of the trails were off limits due to blasting in the area, but the overall effect was unique. The intent is to have more usage of the trails next time and extend the distance of the longer course.

4/30/2010 -- MAROON RUN 5K

This was a great effort by MSU students. We had a reasonable turnout for a Friday night. They were very organized. No one got lost. We got started on time. The giveaways were unique -- such as seat cushions and other prizes.

It is definitely a good foundation upon which to build.

5/1/2010 -- MAY DAY 5K, BRADLEYVILLE RACES, RUN FOR RECESS, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY 5K

May brought showers of races. We remained dry throughout all of them. The scenery was beautiful at Bradleyville. The clientelle at Republic was very youthful and showed up in throngs. The Pershing event had more kids than adults and lots of good fun. The Habitat Race enjoyed a new course and location with solid attendance.

Thanks for supporting these local efforts and for bearing with us whenever we are weary.

4/24/2010 SCS 5K, PANERA 5K/8K, RUNNING RIVER TRAIL 5K

Wherever you were on Saturday morning, you were probably wet. The rain and wind created a few problems in keeping signage and equipment in place.

We hope that your experience was a good one. If it wasn't, there will be more races next weekend.

We were at the Panera Run, then the Springfield Catholic Run. Joe travelled to Hermitage for the Runnig River Trail 5K. I would love to go there sometime. I hear that the trail is beautiful.

I got the opportunity to run the Oklahoma City half yesterday and spend some time with friends. The memorial is extremely touching and adds a special emphasis to the entire race. The running pales in comparison. It was a very fun and memorable weekend.

4/17/2010 LEAN GREEN RUNNING MACHINE

Page Zendehrouh and the PTA at Wilder Elementary put on a mean green race. There were 408 entrants in both the 5K and mile. There were plenty of volunteers, lots of food, fun, and entertainment with the band - Super Charge.

We really enjoyed it and appreciate all of the effort put into the cause.

4/17/10 THINK PINK, UNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY, TIRED OF CANCER 5K's

As the race names indicate, everyone has a cause and there is no better way to raise awareness and money for that cause than a road race.

Marshfield had a walk, run, pancake breakfast and activities to last throughout the day. Republic had their first "Think Pink" 5K to contribute toward breast cancer research. Aurora also tried to stomp out cancer with their 5K today.

It is nice to be able to run and feel good in many ways when you finish.

4/10/2010 EISENHOWER RACES, RUN FOR THE TIGER, CRAPPIE DAY, CONQUER CANCER

We travelled to Abilene, KS for the Eisenhower Races this weekend. This was a record year for attendance. The wind cooperated in that it was at your back the entire second half of the race -- whether you chose the marathon, half, 10k, or 5k. The Viola Family Foundation works very hard, as does the city of Abilene, to make all runners feel welcome and to keep them fed.

Everything went smoothly and we really enjoyed the experience.

I could not do four races simultaneously without such great people -- obviously. I appreciate so much Joe Lomosi, Linda Barnett, Miriam Flouer, and Melissa Sharples who ran their own show this weekend. It was all good.

It was also great having Jared Meyer and Alex Goss along for the trip across Kansas. Great food, a fun trip and great memories.

4/3/2010

We were involved in three great events this morning.

Craig, along with the help of Alex and Jim Smotherman took care of Laci's Run, the Inaugural 5K, which hosted 266 runners. Paul Adler did a fine job of emceeing, and it was a wonderful event.

I, along with Linda Barnett, took care of the Mercy Me 5k & 10k in Lebanon. This is sponsored by St. John's Medical Center Lebanon, and this year the 10K was new. The wind was gentler this year, as we positioned ourselves on top of the hill at the finish line.

Joe Lomosi and Linda Brewer travelled to Marshfield to time their Project Graduation 5K.

We certainly live in a health-conscious community, all of these results are published.

2010 Frisco Run for Scouting - 3/27/2010

The weather was kinder this year -- that is if you don't mind 20 mph headwinds on the second half of the race. The new pavement made the going a bit easier. The turnout increased by 34%. The B.S.A. Organization is all about building character and everyone who participated was able to build on theirs today.

2010 Lance Armstrong Foundation 5K - 3/20/2010

It was a tale of two Matt's today, as three runners broke away and led for the entire race. Matt Van Arkel was the overall winner in 16:57 and Matt Wegenka followed closely with a 17:01 to win the masters. Daniel Childers hung on for third with a fantastic time of 17:05.

Rosie Laughlin cruised in to win the women's race with a 22:10 with Cecily Cornelius-White on her shoulder in 22:26. Pam Sailors took home the masters with a 22:38.

Chris Yates and his mom, Ann, worked very hard to bring this event to you. There were many great prizes and most of all it was a great occasion to remember and honor those who have struggled with and overcome cancer. Chris does this to remember his father Ricky, who passed away two years ago. Thanks so much for your contribution.

2010 Pitter Pat Races

As we have come to expect, the Jr. League outdid themselves and moved the Pitter Pat Races up another level. It was great being indoors for registration and awards. The vendors were a nice touch, and overall it was high in quality.

We hope that you had a wonderful time.

The results are published.

2010 Ozark Upper Elementary Tiger Streak Races

A record number of participants showed up this year to participate in the 5K and/or the mile. It is a fast course and the weather cooperated -- cool and crisp at race time. The funds go to the PTA. Results are posted.

2010 Winter Games 5K - February 27

It was a cool, crisp, beautiful day. Runners enjoyed the course, which travels through the historic Meadowmere Place neighborhood. It is always nostalgic to be back on the Smillie's IGA parking lot.

There were nice medals and the t-shirts were very well done. The Winter Games, spearheaded by Jeff Collins, draws thousands of kids and adults to Springfield throughout January and February to play racquetball, basketball, wrestle, do gymnastics, and various other things. It has become extremely successful, and the run is just one small piece of the Games as a whole.

2010 Run 4 Relief - February 20

It is unfortunate that people did not know about this event. All members of this organization are pre-med students and wish to assist with the medical needs for the children in Haiti. It was a light turnout but a good effort.

2010 Valentine's 5K for Girls on the Run, Saturday, February 13
It was all smiles today as giant snowflakes greeted us for the start.  We were up by ten percent over last year. The Girls on the Run, led by Trish Hopkins and sponsored by the YMCA, were very organized and enthusiastic.

Find out how you can get involved with this worthwhile organization by contacting the downtown YMCA.

2010 Polar Bear Races, Saturday, February 6
All races began at the same time this year to make the start of the 5k/10k and the finish of the mile less congested. That part went much smoother.

We apologize for the few who did not make it to the start on time. We made adjustments to the three folks who contacted us.

I would love to see this race get back to its glory days of 400+ participants. We appreciate the Bolivar YMCA for keeping it going.

2010 Estimated Time 3000, Saturday, January 16
We had a good crowd, a great sale, and a lot of fun.  Michael Willis was the best guesser this year -- estimating within 1.23 seconds of his actual time.

With only one event in January, it is definitely our rest month.

We are looking forward to the coming year and sharing it with all of you.