The Show Me Your Free State Marathon and Ultra is designed to showcase the stunning beauty of the “Show Me State” and the “Free State,” where Missouri and Kansas converge along the Missouri River valley. The goal is to provide all participants an unforgettable running experience in a welcoming environment …
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The Show Me Your Free State Marathon and Ultra is designed to showcase the stunning beauty of the “Show Me State” and the “Free State,” where Missouri and Kansas converge along the Missouri River valley. The goal is to provide all participants an unforgettable running experience in a welcoming environment that they and their supporters will cherish forever. All proceeds will benefit Saint Joseph School District Cross Country and Track & Field programs.
The Show Me Your Free State Marathon & Ultra is a single event offering 100-mile, 50-mile, 50-kilometer, marathon (26.2-mile), and half marathon (13.1-mile) distances. The course consists of a 25-mile loop beginning and ending near the entrance of Rosecrans Memorial Airport.
• Elevation gain: ~138 feet per loop
• Surface: ~10 miles paved roads, 1 mile dirt road through a cornfield (may be muddy after rain), remainder gravel or crushed limestone levee trail
• Major crossing: US Highway 36 in Wathena, Kansas (monitored by volunteers)
The route is mostly quiet and scenic, offering views of farmland, the Missouri River, and autumn foliage in full color. Wildlife sightings (including deer and bald eagles) are common.
The name Show Me Your Free State reflects the unique geography of this race. The course starts and finishes in Missouri (the “Show-Me State”), but the majority of the route is located in Kansas (the “Free State”). The Missouri River famously changed course after the 1951 flood, leaving a section of Missouri to the west of the river. The 25-mile loop course crosses this historic region — following the riverbank, traversing the Gladden Bottoms, brushing against the Loess Hills, and returning to Rosecrans Airport for the finish.
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