Show Me Your Free State Marathon and Ultra

06/01/2026

Some individuals share their personal stories willingly while others tend to hold their cards very close. Every human being has his or her own unique story that most of the people around them would find absolutely fascinating. We value every single member of our running community and we want to understand what makes each person tick.

Some folks are extremely competitive by nature, while many of us don't measure our own satisfaction by comparing ourselves to others. Some of us run for health and some run for adventure. Some run to heal. The organizers of the Show Me Your Free State Marathon & Ultramarathon firmly believe that every runner's journey matters, so here's a challenge:

The Show Me Your Free State Marathon and Ultra is a 100mi, 50mi, 50k, 26.2mi, and 13.1mi foot-race through the Missouri River valley near St. Joseph Missouri. The inaugural event will take place on October 24-25, 2026.

06/01/2026

Last night's SMYFS group training run along the third quarter of the course was a blast! We got on the levee and ran adjacent to the Big Muddy as moon rose out of the clouds on the eastern horizon. We shared the course with a million fireflies and a few other critters as well. The humidity helped everyone break a really good sweat as we worked toward our common goal of stepping up to the SMYFS start line in top physical and mental condition on October 24th.

This is the joy of long-distance running: putting in the work while supporting each other along the way. Please come out and join our SMYFS community. More information can be found here: https://showmeyourfreestate.org

05/31/2026

Meet our most recent SMYFS Featured Runner, Andy Beaver of St. Joseph, Missouri!

Andy started running in 2024 after joining the Measly Mile Mafia. Andy was looking for a challenge he could build on and improve at over time. Working in IT, Andy also wanted a reason to spend more time outdoors instead of behind a screen. What started as a goal to run one mile a day quickly turned into a passion for trail running and ultrarunning. As of today, Andy’s on day 602 of his running streak!

Andy has always loved the outdoors. Hunting, fishing, and spending time outside have been a big part of his life, so trail running felt like a natural fit. Andy’s favorite local trail is River Bluff Trails. Last November, he set a goal to run every trail in St. Joseph and was able to complete them all. It was a great way to explore parts of our hometown that most people have never seen before.

Since Andy started running, he’s completed numerous races of varying distances, to include the St. Joseph Marathon as well as countless other self-supported marathons and 50Ks with friends. Andy’s longest distance to date has been the Kansas Rails-to-Trails 50 Mile race, where he finished in just under 11 hours. Some of Andy’s greatest running memories aren’t from races at all; they’re memories of meeting up with his buddies, picking a route, and spending a day on the trails seeing what they’re all capable of.

When Andy is not running, he is a devoted husband and the proud father of three kids who keep the family busy with sports and dance. Andy also help teach tumbling classes at his daughter’s dance studio. Professionally, Andy works in Information Technology for the Federal Reserve Bank.

This summer, Andy hopes to complete his first 100K race as he continues to prepare for the Show Me Your Free State 100-mile ultramarathon in October. Andy is very excited to keep learning from the ultrarunning community and to see just how far he can push himself as he continues this journey.

05/10/2026

This week’s SMYFS Featured Runner is Casey Arney! Casey is a seasoned runner with 20 half marathons, a full marathon, and countless 5K races under her belt. She recently achieved a new PR of 1:57:47 at the 2026 Garmin Olathe Half Marathon. While interviewing Casey, she quipped, “Half-marathon has been my favorite distance to run because it feels like an accomplishment to finish, but your body is still in one piece so you can walk to the refrigerator for snacks later.”

Casey’s favorite race fuel for long runs is PB&J sandwiches and dill pickles (we’ll have them at all SMYFS manned aid stations), together or separately. Casey is a member of the Measley Mile Mafia and as of today is on a 1,264-day running streak. The discipline she has demonstrated through her many achievements will propel Casey to her goal of crushing the SMYFS 50-kilometer race this October.

Casey is a giver. She was the boys and girls varsity cross country head coach at Osborn for a number of years before assuming a counselor position at Central High School in St. Joseph. Casey spends her days helping others…she helps kids develop their academic schedules the right way so that each student can achieve his or her educational goals, whether they be to graduate into the workforce or to get into an elite university. Casey also lends an ear to those students who need a caring adult to help them through difficult personal challenges. Finally, some really great news: Casey is transferring to Benton High School next year to serve as a counselor in our building! (SMYFS is a Benton High School athletics fund raiser.)

If all that didn't blow your mind, Casey is also a coach for the St. Joseph Nighthawks MTB Composite Team. More kids on bikes! Casey Arney is a model of a life well-lived. She hunts, she fishes, she reads, she runs, she does pilates until she pukes… in case of emergency, look for Casey and follow her lead! We are extremely honored to have Casey Arney and her über-studly husband, Brett, and her maiden-goddess of Missouri daughter, Soleah, as members of the Show Me Your Free State community!

05/09/2026

SMYFS Course Training Run #1 was a great success! So much fun sharing the miles and the beauty of this course with an amazing group of individuals. It’s such a joy forming a community of friends in this adventure we’re all preparing for. Until next time, keep charging!

https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=131546

05/05/2026

Can't wait to see all these incredible people on October 24th! The only thing missing is YOU! Get signed up today at https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=131546

04/29/2026

SMYFS Featured Runner: David Ball

Dave is 100-percent old-school. He's tough, he's fast, and he's seen it all. Dave ran cross country at Center High School in Kansas City and at Truman State University. At the college level, he ran the 8K in under 27 minutes.

That wasn't tough enough for David Ball. He then joined the Peace Corps and served in Africa for a number of years during the 1980s, helping countless people overcome poverty and live better lives. Dave is as unselfish as they come.

As a longtime citizen of St. Joseph, Dave was a keystone member of the "Saturday Morning Runners" group, which was a thing back when Bill Bowerman was still making trainers with his wife's waffle iron. But David Ball probably never fell under the Nike influence like the rest of us, because those of us around St. Joseph always knew him as "Barefoot Dave." If the guinea worms didn't get to Dave back in his Africa days, then the tiny bits of broken glass and other debris along the Parkway sure as heck weren't going to hold him back, either!

Dave is registered for the 50K and he's been training hard. He's planning to plug in to the SMYFS 50K training program when it picks up on June 8th.

We would also like to point out that Dave has volunteered at Benton's Duane Kimble Cross Country Invitational almost every year for the past 12 years, and has done a great deal to make our program what it is today! If you see ol' Barefoot Dave out training on the Parkway (he wears Altras now), be sure to honk and wave.

Thank you, Dave, for all you have done to build a running culture that has endured for decades here in St. Joseph!