[COURSE PREVIEW] KC Zoo 4-Mile Run

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The event's official site can be found HERE.

KC-area runners get really lucky with autumn-season races. Starting with Blazin' the Burg 5k, it seems every week there's a foot race that offers something truly unique and original; such as the wacky theme-ry of the Mustache Dash 5k, or the gorgeous routes of the Cliff Drive 8k. And then you have a combination of theme and route in this run: the KC Zoo 4-mile. When else can you run through a zoo full-tilt (without breaking rules and demolishing pedestrians, that is)??

Plus, the cause is great: every year the KC Zoo chooses an endangered animal to donate the proceeds to. Last year it was penguins, and this year it's...well, penguins again. But more specifically, the uber-cook King Penguin.

Let's check out the course, shall we?

Course Preview
Link to this route in Google Maps can be found HERE.

Opposite to the last run, this one, on paper, looks a bit complicated. Course organizers must have had a bear (no pun intended) of a time mapping this one out, with the overall route looking like the abstract musings of a 2 year-old. However, on-foot, this is as simple as it comes. The course is VERY well-marked, VERY well-staffed, and VERY flat.  An point-to-point layout, the whole of the course is downhill. In fact, the only thing really that would slow faster runners down is the constant switch-backs and changes in direction.

Here are the basics for the 2014 10k route...
Distance: 4.00mi
Route Type: A-to-B
Terrain Type: Park Roads (concrete, multi-use trail, some plank bridge, some crushed gravel)
Start/Finish Location: Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City, Missouri
Start Elevation: 934ft
# Climbs: -none-
Tot. Elevation Gain: 275ft

The twisting-and-turning KC Zoo 4-mile run course.

There are NO significant climbs on-route. Upon coming out of the The Lagoon and African exhibits (and back across the bridge), there is some up-hill, but it is far from substantial. There are also short (like, three or four strides short) inclines upon making your way through the exhibits. As noted before, the only thing that will slow people down are the constant switchbacks, and maybe also the tight quarters (which makes passing a bit difficult). Also note there are some crushed gravel roads on the entrance in to the park (W. Zoo Rd.), but they are few and far between, and are far from loose.

Competitive runners will want to jockey for position out of the gate while on Starlight Road before entering the park: this is the only part on-course that has roads wide enough to allow for safe passing. Once in-park, passing becomes fairly tricky, due to them not only being narrow, but with tight bends as well. After the entrance in to the park, just hold as fast a pace as possible -- you won't have any real inclines to wrestle with.

Race report to follow.

Keep R/B/S-ing.

-tds

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