KC Run for the Cup 5K
Kansas City, MO
- 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Celebrate the spirit of the world’s game with a fun, high-energy 5K designed for runners and walkers of all levels. Whether you’re representing your favorite country, running with friends, or chasing a new PR, this event is all about community, competition, and celebration. Wear your country’s colors, bring your team … MORE
Local Historical Weather (May 30):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 78 | 76 | 79 | 86 | 83 |
| L (°F) | 70 | 53 | 63 | 65 | 72 |
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Carpool and BYOB?
So bad part up front, and this is not all on the Race Director's head: The USPS lady was really adamant we couldn't park there, and spent the better part … MORE
So bad part up front, and this is not all on the Race Director’s head:
The USPS lady was really adamant we couldn’t park there, and spent the better part of her shift shooing away runners. In the lot we always use. Because “customers are coming.” Clearly they weren’t too busy since she had nothing better to do than come out every 10 minutes and shoo off runners again, but sometimes us kids just gotta be told to get off their lawns. Two, the winery that has always been open before and after the race was closed this time, and that’s the designated location of the unofficial after party. I know they were making enough to open early. 40+ runners can drink some mimosas, believe me.
The course. The course was the standard Martin City course, but backwards. My Martin City Whiskey Run or Oktoberfest reviews will have details on the course, and while I prefer the original, it was nice to have a variety, and it was nice to get the hard hills finished early, and the slow gradual uphill now became a downhill. The tradeoff was losing the fast downhill to the finish. Either way, the course runs fast and the energy is high, and we greatly mourned the ability to go get a couple bottles and mimosas after the race. Get that and parking squared away and this can easily be a 5-shoe race. The shirt and medal were both nicely done and had “echoes of World Cup” without violating any trademarks or whatnot, and the energy was great. I honestly have no idea how the aid stations were or how many were on the course. I was neck and neck with somebody faster than me and I wasn’t going to lose the remote opportunity to finish ahead of her because I stopped for water. Whoever actually uses water anyway? What’s it do? Just fall from the sky. So with a new PR and an unexpected victory in my pocket, I came to the conclusion that while I do prefer the other course, if they want to keep this one in the summer, I think it makes for a nice mix, and I hope this variant sticks around as well.
Goooooooool!
Kansas City is playing host to six World Cup games and four national teams, including Argentina, the defending champion. So, there is a bit of World Cup fever going around. … MORE
Kansas City is playing host to six World Cup games and four national teams, including Argentina, the defending champion. So, there is a bit of World Cup fever going around. As a fan of the international tournament, I am thrilled to bear witness to the excitement. I was equally pleased that the running community played into the once in a lifetime event and put on a World Cup-themed race.
The race itself was in Martin City and used the typical Martin City course – in reverse. We don’t get to run Martin City often, so this was a nice change of pace, and we were able to decide which direction we liked best. I think the vast majority of us preferred the regular route. With the regular course, we run off with a streetwide flat start and then turn into the neighborhood. We hit one hill in the residential area before veering left for the huge v-dip down and up hill. Normally, the final mile is the up and down, with a downhill finish. Not this time. This time around we started with a heavy dose of hills.
I can see the advantage of getting the hills out of the way first, but it also takes a lot out of me. Runners were already coming back when I was still on the first mile so we did not have the entire street. We shared the road for a longer stretch than normally, or least it seemed that way. I guess we always share the v-dip stretch, but since it’s at the end, the crowd has evened out more and you are not trying to bob-and-weave to find your pace.
The reverse course also meant the finish turn was flat and longer. As soon as I turned the corner, I could see the finish line but it was still too far away to run to the finish. I still ran a good portion of it, but my eyes deceived my feet.
As for the swag, I was just to opt-in for the tshirt since it’s a World Cup theme. The shirt sported the medal design, which feature a close replica of the World Cup trophy. The finish line carried out the same soccer theme. Instead of the typical photo backdrop, there was an inflatable soccer goal and trophy. Despite the rain, which continued throughout the entire race, nearly 500 runners came out for the race. There seemed to be a lot of first-timers, or at least people who don’t run as often, and I really hope they enjoyed themselves and come out to more races. It goes to show what a good theme can do for a race.
I was a bit disappointed that the local winery was not open. Yes, it was hours before their usual opening, but they have opened early for other races previously. I know there was talk of a group hangout post-race, and it was a shame that it didn’t materialize as planned.
I am curious as to how other Martin City races play out, though. Other races have been on a Sunday and this was Saturday. Typically, runners park in the Post Office parking lot, but an employee was shooing people away. I also heard that the owner of the lot across the street was also upset. I parked in that lot and didn’t get chastised. The next Martin City race isn’t until October, so I hope these parking issues get resolved. If they don’t, I may have to get there 1.5 hours before the race to secure a parking spot.