Boulevard 10K Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
- 10K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Join this September for the Boulevard 10K (fka Great Plains 10K)! The race will start and finish on Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard in Kansas City, MO. This flat and fast course will provide a picturesque setting for the run. If you are looking for a PR this is a great course … MORE
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Pretty flat out and back
So it's not a pancake, but it's the flattest 10k you're going to find in these parts that doesn't involve laps on a track. It's a tree lined 4-lane split … MORE
So it’s not a pancake, but it’s the flattest 10k you’re going to find in these parts that doesn’t involve laps on a track. It’s a tree lined 4-lane split median road, short out and back to the west, then longer out and back to the east. There’s not a lot to look at on this race, but you can congratulate/motivate the other runners going the opposite direction twice here. Nobody does this race because it’s scenic, they do it because the medals are always awesome, and as a Heartland 30k series race, you gotta be here to finish the series, which also always comes with a great medal and great shirt, so two great medals and two great shirts and a possible PR time, that’s why we’re all here. We’ll all be at the one next year as well. Parking can be a little weird based on the GPS directions. It’s across the street from the location listed. Cross a vehicle bridge (4-lane) and look for the fountain on your left. Then you’re at the right place.
Energy seemed lacking on this fast 10k
As the final leg of the Heartland 30k challenge, there were a number of us there who were looking forward to our extra swag (great hooded long sleeve tshirt and … MORE
As the final leg of the Heartland 30k challenge, there were a number of us there who were looking forward to our extra swag (great hooded long sleeve tshirt and extra medal).
Honestly I struggled with how to review this. It is a fast course that I PR’ed on by a pretty good margin from a fast race even 2 weeks earlier. After the first short out and back you pass the starting/finish line for what’s probably 4 miles on another out and back. It’s you and the road, which while they took great effort to close off, some drivers did decide to infiltrate the course on the crossings that had volunteers not actual cops. There’s not a lot to look at on this one. I found a few shell casings on the ground. There are lots of trees lining the road, but they’re too far off to provide shade. I was stoked because I knew at mile 4 I was going to PR it, but my friends who weren’t all agreed that the crowd felt low energy that day. Maybe it’s because it was a new race, maybe it’s because there was some early morning confusion on where we could park and where we shouldn’t. There’s a pretty park with a stream cutting through it off the course, but it’s too narrow through there to reroute the course that way. I’m not opposed to all-road courses either, but this wasn’t in a commercial area or in a residential area with much charm or architecture to it, and subsequently there was nobody along the route to cheer/encourage/celebrate with.
Up to that point it was my 10k PR for the year though, so if you want a local fast course (Yes, I even beat Plaza 10k) then this may be the one for you. Then you can drive to the Plaza to celebrate 😉
Nice and Easy
This is a semi-small 10k that fit great into my schedule. The first 2 miles the road was not the best with a lot of potholes. it was advertised as … MORE
This is a semi-small 10k that fit great into my schedule. The first 2 miles the road was not the best with a lot of potholes. it was advertised as a mostly flat course; however, don’t be fooled there are some hills.