I ran this for my 9th state in pursuit of the 50 and as my first ultra. While it was a very soggy and cool day I have to commend the volunteers who took long shifts out in nasty weather to man the aid stations. Yes they are a little far apart (roughly 2.5 miles) but if you plan accordingly you should do fine...although dropping extra porta potties would be a great addition. Because this is an out and back there is a ton of fellow racer encouragement but also be prepared for long stretches where its just you and nature. Also - invest in some gaiters as I wore them and can't tell you how many runners I saw having to stop and pick things out of their shoes. Medals were very nice (love the ribbon) and shirts were good - overall a nice experience in Missouri.

Note: my comments pertain to the 50-mile race, but many of them would be the same for the marathon distance. Aid stations were poorly stocked with food and deserted on the return. Ran out of finisher medals - were mailed a month later. Trophies were glasses, ok, but not the rail car trophies promised on the website when I registered. Timing mat and finish chute had been removed when I finished. Just go run past that cone over there!

For a small race (in number of participants) this event offered 5 different distance options. They had:

1) 8K
2) Half-Marathon
3) Full-Marathon
4) 50K
5) 50 Miler

Pros:
1) Distance options mentioned above
2) Flat course on firm trail surface
3) 75% of the marathon course with shade
4) Chip Timing
5) Parking 'right at the start/finish'
6) Inside restrooms at the start/finish
7) Nice medal & tech shirt

Cons:
1) No expo (if that matters to you. Not me)
2) Packet pickup was delayed, due to waiting on bibs & chips

The course was 'out & back' with water stops every 2.5 miles. This year's temps were hotter & more humid than I wanted but you can't blame the organizers for that. They offered post-race food, but I didn't have time to get any, due to needing to meet my hotel checkout deadline, so I can't comment on that. The 'ice cold' bottle of water I got, when my medal was given to me, was VERY much appreciated.

Would I enter this race again? Of course!!!!

If you are looking for a small, friendly race to change things up from the larger marathons on the calendar then this is one to take a look at. It's a very rural race in a small town (Willard, MO) along a converted railroad line. It's almost exclusively a gravel trail, which is a nice break from marathons on pavement, and the scenery and lush greenery are very beautiful. Crowd support will be at a minumum so don't count on that for motivation, and for stretches of the race you may be on your own. I found this refreshing and very enjoyable. Bring a water bottle as aid stations are sporadic. The organizers were very friendly and accessible for questions or comments. Great job with food at the finish line including fruit, bagels, pizza and water. All in all a very good race for the money, I would reccommend it as a breath of fresh air among the bigger event-style marathons.

I loved this race! It is a small town race so don't expect rock n roll bands at every mile. It had the perfect mix of quiet and hoopla for my taste actually! :)
Pros: Flat-fast course
.well organized
.helpful volunteers
.shady tree lined course, sheltered from wind and sun
.crushed gravel course, I did not wear trail shoes for this.
.The spectators who were there were very enthusiastic and helpful

cons:aid stations had just water and powerade, not much food.
.low spectator turnout compared to bigger city races (but personally I thought it was perfect), remote location along rural highway.

This was only my 2nd full marathon and a last minute decision. I knew getting into it that it would be small and not all the hype of the other 1/2and full marathons I've run. The volunteers were great at the aid stations, and the few spectators were as well. The trail is mostly gravel, but after mile 10 and until the 13.1 turnaround, it is more rough...large rocks and uneven terrain. The company that the shirts were ordered from were waaay smaller than normal, but the race director has remedied that. Nice medals, nice trophies, a luncheon afterwards for runners (I didn't stay but I love the idea). It felt like being out on a training run. I loved this race and will probably run it next year.

This is the 1st marathon I've ever run; so I can't compare the race to any others. If you want lots of spectators, this isn't the race for you. But if you want a relatively flat course, a small field, volunteers who were extremely friendly and encouraging, and nice scenery, then you might want to try this race out. A large portion of the course is tree-lined, which helps block the sun, and somewhat cuts down the wind. While I didn't come close to posting a great time, I really enjoyed this race.

I ran the 50K, but there was also a marathon and a 10-mile run. There were a number of very good things about this small race.

1) The course was flat - good for a fast time.
2) Post-run, hot food was provided for the ultra runners and the marathoners.
3) There weren't many runners (23 ultra runners and 35ish marathoners, but volunteers were prevalent on the course if someone got into trouble.
4) The tech shirt and the medal were both great!

There were a few things that could be improved:

1) At the finish there was confusion over who got age group awards. Really no reason for this - just have a checklist available while you hand out the awards. My brother finished first in his age group and didn't receive a his trophy.
2) Some preregistered runners had to wait for their tech shirts. I can understand day of race waiting, but if you preregistered, a shirt should be available then.
3) The water/food stops had pretzels and chips, but only big bags of them. Individually wrapped bags would be better.
4) The last couple miles of the course did detour off the trail and next to highways. There are nice wide shoulders and I didn't feel like I'd get hit, but this wasn't ideal.

All in all, a fun race and I'd recommend it. In a small race like this, all of the runners are very encouraging and it is a great atmosphere.

I like small to medium races, and I like trails. After running the Frisco Marathon, I left happy. The rails-to-trails course was wonderful, offering a very enjoyable run in the countryside. I was concerned prior to the race about the transportation logistics but it worked out fine and provided time to make new running buddies. The shirt, medal, and trophies were nice. Put this race on your schedule if you like small, casual events.

The day after the event I was excited that I had run my first marathon. It wasn't till I ran Columbia and KC that I realized what a real race was supposed to be. The lack of road access to the trail prevented spectators and aid stations. It would be bad to have a real emergency out there. As a slow runner this was pretty much a solo event. Lot of time alone with just me and the trees. However there were some huge benifits. I love the gravel - much better on the knees than asphalt. It's nice and quiet. The trees block most of the wind. No crowded porta-potties. Again the trees are your friend. It's a very small race. And the race ends in my home town, so it's too convenient not to do again.