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Nebraska > Buffalo County Stampede Half Marathon & 5K
Kearney, NE • Sunday, June 9, 2013 • Course Map
This small central southern Nebraska city -- which proclaimed itself the "sandhill crane capital of the world" in 2010 thanks to the more than 500,000 sandhill crane birds that converge here in the early spring as a pitstop on their annual migration northward -- plays host in early summer 2013 to the 6th annual running of its Buffalo County Stampede Half Marathon.
Sponsored by Kearney's Buffalo County Historical Society, the race saw just over 270 runners cross the finish line at its 2012 running, which unfolds largely along the paved, eight-foot-wide pathways of the city's Kearney Hike & Bike Trail, a 17-mile-long system of trails that wind through the city and the Platte River Valley area all around.
Runners start the out-and-back course for the race in front of the offices of the historical society, at 710 West 11th Street, which also lies near the city's Rails & Trails Museum. From there, runners head west toward Yanney Heritage Park, an 80-acre park on the southwest section of the city that's been transformed from a cornfield into a park complete with an amphitheater, gardens, children's playground areas and a lake and wetlands preserve.
Once runners reach the park, they then turn onto the Hike & Bike Trail and head south toward the Platte River. Runners continue on the trail as it winds along the riverbank, heading eastward with the winding river all the way until they reach the Great Platte River Archway Monument, which straddles Interstate 80 and stands as a monument to Kearney's and the Platte River's role in the westward expansion of the United States.
After reaching the monument, runners then turn around and head back along the Hike & Bike Trail in the opposite direction, covering the route they've just run all the way back to the finish line along West Street in front of the Rails & Trails Museum. This being Nebraska, the terrain is largely flat and paved for the entire route.
While in previous years the race has featured only the half marathon distance, in 2012 race organizers added the 5K distance to the race for the first time.
Race
Weather & Climate
Nestled along the northern bank of the Platte River that winds through the southern half of the state in rough parallel to Interstate 80, just over 180 miles southwest of Omaha, Kearney typically sees mild to moderately warm weather in June, when average monthly temperatures range between 81°F and 58°F.
On the day of the race (June 9), the average high is 80°F and the average low is 57°F, while rainfall totals average just over 3.7 inches for the month, making June the city's second-wettest month of the year.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Buffalo County Stampede Half Marathon
Fees
$40 for the half marathon, if registered by May 19, 2013
$45 after May 19
Registration
To reserve your spot in the late spring/early summer 2013 running of Kearney's Buffalo County Stampede Half Marathon or 5K race, register online at GetMeRegistered.com.
Official Race Website
www.bchs.us
Leave a Comment
Ever run in Nebraska's annual Buffalo County Stampede Half Marathon? Share your impressions, stories and tips from the event.
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