WoodsStock 5K & 10K
Overland Park, MO
- 10K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Let your hair down and join this fun event recalling the days of peace and love! The WoodsStock 5K & 10K will be held in Corporate Woods and will feature a groovy finishers medal and tie dye participant shirt for all registrants and far out age group and overall awards … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Sep 20):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 80 | 94 | 83 | 98 | 85 |
| L (°F) | 65 | 70 | 63 | 72 | 65 |
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Not a groovy road
Oh Corporate Woods…will I ever enjoy you this year? As the stats stand, probably not. While many locals enjoy Corporate Woods, I do not. I have run numerous races at … MORE
Oh Corporate Woods…will I ever enjoy you this year? As the stats stand, probably not.
While many locals enjoy Corporate Woods, I do not. I have run numerous races at this location over the years, and still cannot muster the passion to get excited for the course. As always, the first mile was started in the parking lot. I was hoping to get on the trail after the first mile or so, but due to some construction the “traditional” trail section was cutoff. It worked out in my favor because due to the heat, muggy and 8am start time, I was able to avoid an unofficial tunnel run challenge with my running partner. I surely would have lost the tunnel run. Thankfully, I am still the challenge winner.
Back in the parking lot, shortly after a literal uphill battle for mile 2, we zig-zagged our way in another short lot. Previously, the runners were rewarded with a straight downhill after the uphill. I hate that the satisfaction to running up a hill is now a quick left turn, sharp right for a partial downhill, right flat run and rounded out with a left downhill.
Again, due to construction, the modified course created for turns and awkward two-way traffic of runners as some embarked on the other part of the trail and front of the packers returned from the trail. I can’t remember how many water stations were on hand, but I do remember the water was not as cold as the prior day races. I am grateful for the volunteers, many young teenagers, but on days like this, spending an extra few bucks for ice in the 5-gallon water dispenser would be absolutely wonderful.
I finished up the race with a faster than grocery-store stroll pace, but definitely not an ideal pace. I ran a half marathon the day prior, so I will give myself some grace. As much as I may not like Corporate Woods, I do enjoy seeing the long straight stretch to the finish line and the music ablaring. Creedance Clearwater Revival on a Sunday morning will always bring a smile to my face.
In true form, my racing partner came back for me seeking some vengeance for the tunnel challenge. He won the finish line sprint by a foot. The tunnel is still my victory.
This is part of the Heartland 30K Series, which I unfortunately will be out of town and will not be able to finish. The colorful medal and tie-dyed shirt fit the theme perfectly. My only gripe on the shirt is that the sign-up had women sizes as an option, and they were not. I received an oversized unisex shirt, which I’ll probably use to sleep or give to someone else.
I’m not sure if I have any other races at Corporate Woods this year, but I really hope the construction is completed by the next race. I really do want to like this course, and hopefully one day I will.
Weird route
So nobody who has ever spoken to me thinks I like the Corporate Woods routes. This was my least favorite of them. I heard a rumor it was due to … MORE
So nobody who has ever spoken to me thinks I like the Corporate Woods routes. This was my least favorite of them. I heard a rumor it was due to some construction on the trail somewhere, but there were more out and backs and U-turns than I cared for, and the loop at the ballfield was larger than typically done. It was hot, it was hilly, it was humid, and it places where traffic was going both ways it was hard to pass (on the bridge). There also seemed to be a lack of water stations in the second 3 miles of the race, which I think was inappropriate considering the conditions.
The medal was a heavy colorful tie-dye theme to fit the race, and the shirt was a heavy (and kind of coarse) tie-dyed T. But for the fact that I hate tye dye, I might have really enjoyed the medal, but it does fit the theme of the race nicely.
As the middle race of the Heartland 30k series, several of us were there “because we have to” for the series, so we weren’t really pushing that hard, but if this is your jam, you should really like the people dressing up and bringing the vibe to the right decade.
Rebranded middle race
So this is a "new" race. It's the middle race in a 3-race series. The old people pulled out of the old middle race. This is the same course and … MORE
So this is a “new” race. It’s the middle race in a 3-race series. The old people pulled out of the old middle race. This is the same course and still the second race in that same 3-part series, so while it says “first year” I’m going to put repeat runner down for my review.
This race occurs in a 20/80 (felt like, at least) split between the roads on a business park and the asphalt paths (double wide) in the adjoining woods. Sometimes the race is 40/60. Sometimes it’s 50/50, but for the most part there’s very little major elevation change on this out and back followed by another out and back, then a return back to the start. There are a lot of mild rolling hills and one larger one that’s only really rough in winter when it’s iced over. In September that is less of a concern.
Somehow without fail I get injured before this race. Last year it was at Rugged Maniac (RIP) and this year it was at a gravel ruck march the day before. As such, I just went out there and putted around with all the gusto of someone grocery shopping for “just the right” box of sandwich bags. It’s a necessary race to complete the series, so I couldn’t skip it, but I was in too much pain to give it much, so I put up the worst 10k time I’ve had, well…ever. The shirt and medal fit the “WoodsStock” theme (play on words). I do think it was a pretty dry course though. I was wearing a camelbak so I may have missed a water station, (or they tore it down early because I was in the last 50 or so people and just never saw it), but I think the course could have used at least one more there. I believe there were only two, but it was a humid day already and back in the woods add another 5-10%. I met up with some people I used to race with and just stayed in the back with them for the whole race, so that’s why I’m rating my performance a 2, not because the course was hard.
I love this series (Heartland 30k), so I’ll be back doing it again next year as well. Maybe one of these years I can actually not be on the injured list when I show up.