Walnut River Gravel Run
El Dorado, KS
- 50K, Marathon, Half Marathon
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
The Walnut River Gravel Run is dirt roads, rolling hills and prairie. During the race you will see wheat, soybeans, cotton, hay, sorghum, and corn. Cattle will be your biggest spectators! Time limit is 7.5 hours. We encourage headlamps as you set out on the run. There will be aid … MORE
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Click Your Heels 3x and Get to Kansas
I'm not trying to leave Kansas without running this great race, and neither should you. You want the best of a trail run mixed from non-technical to Rocky "Don't Roll … MORE
I’m not trying to leave Kansas without running this great race, and neither should you. You want the best of a trail run mixed from non-technical to Rocky “Don’t Roll Your Ankles ” Roads mixed with just enough rolling hills to push your time towards a great PR, this is the run for everyone – especially you.
Having ran Grandma’s Marathon and taken the ferry tour, I had a better understanding of the large number of corn fields that lined the course, that had just been harvested. The course was filled with runners of all ages and abilities — have your mountain bikes to ride if you’re going out to cheer on your favorite runners — from first time Marathoners who were the third generation of runners in a family to soloist ultra Marathoners, who were convinced by their ultra elite running friends that they could weather the course.
Speaking of the course, the volunteers were great from start to the out and back and finish. Led by an amazing RD, they were well stocked and well equipped to ensure your success. This was the first course I’ve ever ran where volunteers rode up and down looking for runners to encourage along the route. Even the RD went out and got a runner who was lost at the tail end of the course and couldn’t find their way back after taking a wrong turn. And yes, the course was well marked. But when you begin in the dark just before dawn, things don’t look the same when flashlights are shining and voices aren’t yelling this way while you blindly follow the trail of runners at the beginning. Add to this the fact that you’re just over 31 miles amongst other factors, and you’ll find yourself really looking for the yellow brick road.