Bass Pro races: Expect more than 3,000 runners on the streets of Springfield on Sunday

Jackie Rehwald
News-Leader

There will be more than 3,000 runners on the streets of Springfield on Sunday during the 12th annual Bass Pro Shops marathon and half marathon and News-Leader 5K races.

All races begin and end at Bass Pro Shops, 1935 S. Campbell Ave.

The Bass Pro Conservation Marathon is Sunday.

Melissa Bondy, director of the Bass Pro Shops Fitness Series, said motorists should expect their ability to drive from east to west Springfield will be "compromised especially between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m."

The majority of the runners — those participating in the 5K and half marathon — will be done by 10 a.m., she said, but some roads will still be blocked for the marathoners who will be running 26.2 miles.

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Online registration is closed, but you can register in person at the free health and wellness expo Friday and Saturday at the John A. and Genny Morris Conservation Center. The expo is open to the public and features more than 50 vendors.

Registered runners can also pick up their bib and T-shirt packet at the expo.

Bondy said signs and digital signs went up throughout Springfield on Friday, warning drivers their route might be disrupted Sunday.

According to the National Weather Service on Friday, there is a chance of rain Sunday morning. Temperatures will likely range from 45 to 55 degrees.

It was a sunny day for the Bass Pro Conservation Marathon Sunday, Nov. 6 2016. Near the races end, Shawn Etzenhouser (93) has a slight lead over Anthony Mugo. Shawn won the race.

Only lightning will cause the races to be canceled, Bondy said.

"Lightning is a no-go," she said. "Rain, sleet, snow, all that — you run it."

Find a map of the race routes at fitness.basspro.com.

Neighborhood, spectator support 

The courses span over 13 neighborhoods in Springfield. Those neighborhood associations encourage residents to come out on race day and cheer for the runners, in part to win some money.

Bondy said neighborhoods are judged on theme and participation level, but each will get some sort of cash prize. She said $10,000 from race proceeds is set aside to be given back to the neighborhoods.

"Outstanding neighborhoods" can receive up to $1,000 for cheering on the runners. That money can then be used to make improvements or for events hosted by the neighborhood associations.

And not only do the neighborhoods benefit from the cheering and prize money, Bondy said it's a huge boost of encouragement for the runners.

"When you are out on a course and you come to a crowd of people cheering, it gives you the lift you need to keep those legs moving," she said. 

It was a sunny day for the Bass Pro Conservation Marathon Sunday, Nov. 6 2016. Shawn Etzenhouser, second near the 22 mile marker, ended up winning the marathon.

Who's running?

As of Wednesday, there were about 1,100 people signed up for the News-Leader 5K, about 1,400 signed up for the Maynard Cohick Half-Marathon, and more than 400 registered for the Bass Pro Conservation Marathon.

Bondy said the oldest person registered to run was 87-year-old Gee Williams, who would be participating in the 5K race (3.1 miles).

"She ran the half up until a few years ago," Bondy said. "We have 40 people who are over 70 running marathon weekend. That's a testament to being active across your life span."

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Bondy, who is also an avid runner, said she wants everyone to know, when they see the racers out on the streets Sunday, that it's much more than just an opportunity to go for a run.

"Everyone that is going to be on the course this weekend is trying to achieve a goal and make a change in their life," she said. "These are people who are doing something really healthy and positive and achieving something in their lives that is pretty special."

Bondy suggested those running Sunday should be on the lookout for some stuffed animals from the Wonders of Wildlife collection. There will be a moose, deer, giraffe and polar bear.

The event is sponsored by Bass Pro, Bondy said, and the proceeds go to charities, as well as the neighborhood associations.

This year, volunteers' time earns money for the charity of their choice from this list: Girls on the Run, Champion Athletes of the Ozarks, the Ozark Greenway, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks and the Dogwood Canyon Nature Foundation.

"Our goal is to improve the health and well-being of the community and to do that in a way that connects them to the love of nature," Bondy said. "That is the beauty of being able to run in this part of the country.

It was a sunny day for the Bass Pro Conservation Marathon and half-marathon Sunday, Nov. 6 2016. Kym Craft, right, hugs friend Robin Schilling at the finish. They both ran the half-marathon.

More about the races 

Marathon Weekend will attract participants from 40 states with more than 1,000 community volunteers on-hand to help bring the event to life. This year marks the 12th anniversary of the Bass Pro Fitness Series, celebrating health and wellness, outdoor adventure and wildlife conservation in the beauty of the Ozarks. 

The Bass Pro Shops Fitness Series is designed to offer activities for people of all ages, backgrounds, fitness levels and areas of interest. Ozark Greenways, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, The Dogwood Canyon Foundation, Girls on the Run and Champion Athletes of the Ozarks will share proceeds from the events.