Overview

Welcome to the first ever River Bluff Trail Run put on by our local trail running club, the Pony Express Trail Runners.  In this race you will run through two of our beautiful parks including the historic Krug park and our famous River Bluff Trail Park.

About the Course

This course will consist of two 15.5 mile loops to complete the 50k distance and one loop for the 25k distance. There will also be a 10k and 5k option. For the full loop you will start at the top of Krug park at the entrance to the trail. From there you will run half of the Krug park trail and turn left to exit onto the road, there will be plenty of markings to guide you. From the road you will enter the River Bluff park Trails and do your full loop which leads you back to the Krug park trails where you will finish the second half of the Krug loop.

The course is a smooth dirt trail with some roots and rocky areas. Each loop is around 2000 ft of gain which is equal to 4000 ft total gain for the course. You will be running the bluffs next to the Missouri River and if you have never seen them, they are pretty steep!

The Course will be very well marked so that you will not get turned around or lost! The last thing we want to do is send out a search party to find you, that would not be fun for anyone.

A map of the course will be provided at a later date, along with a strava link.

Start Times and Cutoff

50K – Start time 8am
25K – Start time 8am
10K – Start time 9am
5k – Start time 9am
All runners must finish by 5:00 PM, this gives runners a 9 hour cutoff to finish all distances.

If you plan on a DNF while on the course notify one of the volunteers at the aid station or one of the race directors and we will get you back to the start safely.

Aid Stations

Along the course we will provide a manned aid station every 4ish miles stocked with water and snacks.  You are authorized a drop bag at the start of the race that will be monitored by the volunteers in case you want to use your own supplies. 

Packet Pickup

Early Pickup: Friday December 18th, time and location to be determined
Race Day Pickup: Begins at 6:30 AM at the start of race.

Swag

All distances will receive a pretty cool shirt that you will want to show off to all your family and friends.
50k and 25k finishers will receive extra swag according to their distances.

Race Location/Directions/Parking

The start and finish of the race will be at the entrance to the Krug Park trails at
3500 Saint Joseph Ave, Saint Joseph, MO 64505.

Once you enter the park from St. Joseph Avenue go straight until you get to the flagpole and can see the pond. Hang a right and go all the way up the hill to the top of Krug Park. Once you level off you will see a large parking lot on your right and you should see our tent set up for the race. You can park in the parking lot and there should be plenty of parking, but there is overflow parking a short distance up the road if need be.

Trail Hazards/Conditions/Rules

This is a trail running event on uneven, rocky, and steep terrain with risks to your safety. Signing up for this event you ae stating that you are responsible for your own safety and well-being. Please stay on the course at all times, sometimes we all get a need to explore the great outdoors, but please do that on your own time. Taking a shortcut on the course or deviating from it will result in a DNF. This is also a bike trail so there may be some bike riders out on the course, so use caution when running and look out for other people.

This is a very challenging course, so please make sure you stay hydrated and are taking in plenty of calories. We will make sure we have plenty of water provided, but it is your responsibility to drink enough of it.

We are very proud of these trails and the people/city of St. Joseph work very hard to keep them nice for everyone to enjoy. We are not the only ones that use the trails, people hike, bike, and run on them all of the time so please do not litter or tear the trails up in anyway, we want to keep having this event in the future.

Refund/Transfer Policy

All registrations are non-refundable.
Transfers and deferrals may be considered at the discretion of the Race Director.

Lodging

Runners traveling to the event will find a variety of lodging options throughout Saint Joseph. The newest and most convenient hotels are located on the north side of town along North Village Drive, near the Shoppes at North Village. This area offers easy access to shopping, dining, and is just a short drive from Krug Park and the race start/finish area. Additional food and nightlife options can be found along Frederick Avenue and in downtown Saint Joseph, where you’ll find a mix of local restaurants, bars, and historic character. Whether you’re staying close to the course or exploring the area, Saint Joseph offers convenient options to make your race weekend enjoyable.

Questions

For any questions or concerns please contact ponyexpresstrailrunners@gmail.com.

Event's current local time: 4:18 PM CT