Flat Branch Ultra
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Flat Branch Ultra - Columbia, MO
Flat Branch Ultra is a USATF-certified 50K rails-to-trails race based in Columbia, Missouri. The start and finish are at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park, 800 West Stadium Blvd. The out-and-back route begins on the MKT Trail for about 7.5 miles, intersects the Katy Trail just west of McBaine, then continues west on the Katy Trail. The course runs along the Missouri River and beneath bluffs and passes a nearly 400-year-old Bur Oak at about mile 8.5.
Aid stations are located at the start/finish, Scott Blvd, the Bur Oak, and the Halfway Home (mile 15.5). Drop bags left at the start are transported to the Halfway Home aid station and returned to the start/finish after the turnaround. All competitors must check in at the Halfway Home Aid Station by calling out their bib number and last name, and must reach that aid station by 12:00 p.m. Competitors must be off the course before dark. Packet pickup is race day only at the start/finish line, and a signed USATF waiver is required at pickup.
The event limits the field to 125 entrants and lists a registration closing date. The 2026 edition produced multiple Missouri single-age records and two Missouri overall 50K state records. Awards include finisher recognition and overall cash prizes for top male and female finishers. Photographs from the race are provided at no charge. No refunds are offered. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
