WEEKEND EVENTS FOR JANUARY 24 - 25

This coming weekend will be even colder than last weekend, with a chance of snow Friday night and Saturday.  One race has already been postponed; the few others still scheduled may follow. 

Springfield:

Jack Frost 5K, Saturday
Bleak Midwinter Endurance Run (1/3/6/12 hour runs), Saturday (cancelled due to loss of primary sponsor)

St. Louis area:   

The Frozen Stick 5K/10K/Half Marathon, west St. Louis County, Saturday (postponed to February 28th due to -15° wind chill concerns)
Time Travel Half Marathon, 10K & 5K, Creve Coeur Park, Saturday
Nippy Niner Trail Run (9M/9K), Sunday

Mountain Home, Arkansas:

David's Trail Endurance Race (25K/50K), Saturday (organizer reports no plan to cancel as of Monday night)

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Weekend race results (January 17 - 18):

Three weekends into the year, we're still waiting to crown the Lake area's first 2026 race finisher. No one was crazy enough to race in subfreezing temperatures this past weekend. Maybe you guys are smarter than I thought. :)

The brutally cold weather didn't deter the diehards who competed at The Shippey Endurance Runs on Saturday-Sunday. There were 137 total finishers in the 100M100K/40M/20M races, and only 30 DNFs. Not surprisingly, eighteen of those DNFs were in the 100-mile race. That race was won--for the third time--by the phenomenal Chris Roberts of Kirkwood (check out his race history here), in a race-record 18:45:51, more than four hours ahead of his nearest rival. The final finisher crossed the line in 33:32:29. During that time, the temperature ranged from 10° to 25°, and the wind chill from 1° to 22°.

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Greater GO! St. Louis Marathon news: For the very first time in its history, the Greater GO! St. Louis Marathon & Half Marathon is offering a one-hour, early-start option.  This is an excellent opportunity for slower runners or walkers who would like to do a marathon or half marathon, but who have doubts as to whether they could finish within the usual time necessary (6:30 for the marathon, 3:15 for the half) to be an official finisher.  (There are few things more anxiety-producing on a race course than having to play beat-the-clock, especially in the later miles.)  For anyone with a decent level of training, a 7:30 marathon is certainly doable, although it's still going to hurt. 

There are some eligibility requirements for the early start.  You can find them on this page.

The race takes place on Saturday, April 11th.

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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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