Course Preview
Link to this route in Google Maps can be found HERE.
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| The 2014 route, with one climb highlighted. |
Not too much has changed for 2014, though runners that participated last year will notice the final short-yet-ridiculously-steep climb up the cobblestones on Delaware Street is missing. Instead, only the ascent out of Riverfront Park remains, and the entire route is basically a run from River Market to Riverfront Park and back. The nearly 3 remaining miles in Riverfront Park is flat.
Route Basics/Metrics
Here are the basics for the new 2014 route...
- Distance: 3.11mi
- Route Type: Out-and-Back
- Terrain Type: City, Park Roads (blacktop, concrete)
- Start/Finish Location: River Market, Kansas City, Missouri
- Start Elevation: 832ft
- # Climbs: 1
- Tot. Elevation Gain: 148ft
As mentioned, only one climb adorns the route: the climb out of Riverfront Park, sitting at about a quarter mile from the finish, and ascends about 42 feet or so at an average of 5%. Here's what that one looks like...
- River Market Finish: 0.27mi (2.84-3.11mi) @ 5.0% average grade (9.0% maximum), +42.6ft (757-798ft), 1/10 rating
Virtual Run (all images courtesy of Google Earth Street View)
The run starts from the Northern edge of River Market, and runs North-by-Northeast in to Riverfront Park. Though there is a touch of an ascent at the opening of the bridge, the majority of the bridge is a descent in to the park.
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| Approximation of where the start line would be (though likely closer to the edge of that red line in the center of the image). |
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| Not even a tenth of a mile in, the road picks up ever-so-slightly on to the bridge that will ultimately descend in to Riverfront Park. |
The real descent begins about a quarter mile in, as runners pass under the Heart of America Bridge (Hwy-9) and turn towards Riverfront Park.
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| About a quarter-mile (closer to 0.30) in: Heart of America Bridge above, Riverfront Park ahead. |
At a half mile, runners will finally be in the park. Most of the run in the park is flat from here. Once in the park, be sure to keep to your right, though volunteers do well to keep you on-course.
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| At just past a half-mile, runners hit the park. There's a split up ahead -- be sure to stay to the right. |
The road eventually becomes divided by a median (so it becomes easier to stay to the right), and continues along the Park's main road, East Front Street. The turnaround on Front comes at about mile 1.15. Careful at the turnaround! There's like to be sand and/or debris that can make a quick switch-back a bit slippery (I fell last year).
Before reaching the Heart of America Bridge again, runners will turn right on to River Front Road, which will turn them back Eastbound.
At just past the 2-mile marker, another turnaround on River Front Road (this time marked by cones -- River Front Road does not have a median), and runners will be heading back Westbound.
The turn right back on to Front Street comes at about 2.5 miles. This time runners can head back under the Heart of America Bridge, and the final run-in to the finish. Remember: the last quarter mile is all uphill. And steep. |
| Right at the edge of the median is the turnaround. In this image, we are looking back West-bound. |
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| Mile 1.6: Heart of America Bridge is up ahead, but first runners will turn at the next right. |
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| About where the 2-mile marker would be. Turnaround is just ahead (edge of the red line). The Bond Bridge (I-35) is to the left off in the distance. |
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| 2.75mi: Just over a quarter-mile to go, the road picks back up as runners take the Front Street up and under the Heart of America Bridge, and towards River Market. |
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| 3.00mi: The view of the finish line, just past the factory line overhang. This point is also about where the only major climb on-route hits its peak. |
This one is an easy one to PR. The start has always been wickedly fast, even on older iterations of the course. The opening descent gives runners fast feet, although some quick cadences will be required to keep the pace high. Take advantage of the flat roads a much as possible while in the park, keeping in-mind the ascent to the finish line. This race is a great race to red-line nearly the entire way, so if shooting for competition, pick out a faster runner and stay nailed to him: the final hill will be the deciding factor more than anything else. Runners fresh off the previous week's Kansas City [Half-] Marathon will particularly be in the advantage (if you recover quickly, that is), as aerobic fitness will still be high - the perfect advantage to have on such an even-keeled route.
Race report to follow.
Keep R/B/S-ing.
-tds
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