Heartland Spirit of the Prairie 100 Cassoday, KS   Oct 9–10, 2026

The Heartland is an out and back course on backcountry gravel roads with less than one mile of paved surface for the 100-mile race. The 125-mile race starts Friday. Beginning on the original Heartland 100 course with a 25 mile circle out to Eureka, KS beginning at mile 15. The 100K is an out and back on a portion of the Heartland 100 course, to Texaco Hill aid station and back. The Teter Rock 100K is an out and back on the Heartland 100 course with a detour at Teterville rd aid station (the 25 mile aid station). Runners will run to Teter Rock and back. Then back to Cassoday. The 50-mile is an out and back on a portion of the Heartland 100 course to Teterville rd aid station and back. The Cassoday marathon is a point to point course with a 1.2 mile loop in Cassoday, then out to Teterville rd aid station. The Teter Rock 1/2 Marathon is an out and back course from Teterville rd aid station to Teter Rock and back.

Much of the course meanders through open range with stunning views of the vast expanse of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie. The 100-mile course has rolling hills and 6,000 feet of climb. Cassoday is located off Interstate 35 and is 34 miles south of Emporia and 22 miles north of El Dorado. The two nearest commercial airports are in Wichita (55 miles southwest) and Kansas City (146 miles northeast).