Rock Island Trail Half Marathon
Pleasant Hill, MO
- Half Marathon, 5K
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
Starting from Pleasant Hill, MO, the Rock Island Trail Half Marathon features an out and back course to the southeast on the Rock Island Spur of the Katy Trail. There will be hydration stations and mile markers along the course and all participants will receive a custom finishers medal and … MORE
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First time on a hot course
It is rare when I do a 5k if there is any other length available. I elected to skip the half and do the 5k here because everyone I talked … MORE
It is rare when I do a 5k if there is any other length available. I elected to skip the half and do the 5k here because everyone I talked to said it was an unbearably hot course, and with a bad ankle I knew my time would be lousy. The start of the race is on the road and transitions to dusty trails and eventually a brief rails-to-trail section, which I understand is what most of the race consists of if you do the half. What I saw was incredibly pretty and it did feel cooler under the canopy of the rails-to-trail part. Snacks at the end included watermelon and reasonably low fat bars. The tshirt (cotton for the 5k and tech for the half) were nice and the medal (same size, different ribbon) was large for a 5k (typical half marathon size). Maybe a cooler year I go back and give the half a shot.
Fun Summer Run
This the third Rock Island Trail for both myself and the race organizers. The course is a straight out & back, and is pretty easy as there really aren’t any … MORE
This the third Rock Island Trail for both myself and the race organizers. The course is a straight out & back, and is pretty easy as there really aren’t any hills to speak of excepting a few slight inclines. Since this run takes place at the end of July, be prepared for the usual hot & humid temps. Aid stations were sufficient and the canopy of trees make this a fine race, and one could possibly attain a PR. Scenery is nice comprised of rural countryside fields, pedestrian bridges and creeks.
Low Key Summer Race
Pretty bare - bones. There's a timing mat and aid stations, and you're running on an old rail line, so it's flat with a pea gravel surface. If it's hot, … MORE
Pretty bare – bones. There’s a timing mat and aid stations, and you’re running on an old rail line, so it’s flat with a pea gravel surface.
If it’s hot, skip it.
Great Summer Run
Great summer run on the former Rock Island Railroad converted to a trail! Beautiful scenery and lots of shade as the trees form a canopy for much of the distance. … MORE
Great summer run on the former Rock Island Railroad converted to a trail! Beautiful scenery and lots of shade as the trees form a canopy for much of the distance. This is an out & back course with the start & finish take place next to old town Pleasant Hill, MO, which is fun to walk through to do an after-run stretch. There is a little bit of road surface at the beginning and at the end. Ample water stations but I did notice quite a few runners carried their own.
Rock Island Trail
This was my first trail run and I loved it. I’m always in my happy place in nature. This is a great course. Very flat and out and back. I … MORE
This was my first trail run and I loved it. I’m always in my happy place in nature. This is a great course. Very flat and out and back. I got my PR on this course.
This is a smaller race, but has great support. It’s organized by runners for runners which makes a big difference I think. The only caution is that there is a soft 3 hour limit. But you’ll probably run it faster than other courses, so I’d give it a go.
Well Done first time race
Rock Island Trail Half Marathon is a first time race, based in Pleasant Hill, a small town southeast of Kansas City. The Rock Island Trail is an extension of the … MORE
Rock Island Trail Half Marathon is a first time race, based in Pleasant Hill, a small town southeast of Kansas City. The Rock Island Trail is an extension of the Katy trail, which stretches across Missouri. The completed Rock Island spur will connect Kansas City to Saint Louis via trail.
The Kansas City Running Company put on this smallish (200 or so entrants) race in July, using mostly the trail (crushed rock and gravel) for an out and back race from the Fairgrounds. There was some portion on a road, but it was well marked and supervised. Packet pickup, both pre-race and on site, was well run, the medals spectacular, and the out and back meant that the water stops and other support were always close.