The Show-Me State Games began nearly 40 years ago and has become the country's largest statewide amateur sports festival. The SMSG provides top-quality amateur competition over a wide range of activities. While some events are held throughout the year and around the state, most are over three weekends in and around Columbia.
Show-Me State Games Cross Country Info
The June 8-11 weekend saw ten activities: 3x3 soccer, archery, disc golf, golf, lacrosse, par 3 golf, pickleball, swimming, high school volleyball, and table tennis (in Springfield).
The July 21-23 and July 28-30 weekends have 31 more events scheduled. Track and Field for ages 14 and Under is tomorrow, Saturday the 22nd, while Ages 15 and Over will compete Sunday, July 23, at Battle High School in Columbia.
Online registration for Track and Field is closed, but on-site, day of meet entry is available.
Show-Me State Games Track and Field Sat-Sun, July 22-23
Cross Country will be at Gans Creek on Saturday, July 29.
Currently, two races are scheduled, a 2-kilometer (1.24 miles) at 8:00 a.m. and a 5-kilometer (3.11 miles) at 8:30 a.m. A final schedule will be updated three days before the meet. Online registration has closed, but show up early to register on-site the morning of the race.
Missouri Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame member Jim Marshall, who coached cross country and track coach at North Callaway and Jefferson City High Schools, and Westminster College and William Woods University, is the commissioner for the sport. Marshall is a member of the Mizzou officials organization that officiates the MU home meets and works others, including the state meet.
The world-class cross country course that is Gans Creek is nearing the 4th anniversary of its opening and will host its fifth season of meets in a little more than a month. The course has hosted 4 MSHSAA State Cross Country Championships, the 2021 SEC Cross Country Championships, and the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional. Gans Creek will host the 2025 NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships in just over two years.
A summer race (relaxed or all out) at Gans Creek Cross Country Course offers many opportunities for high school and college cross country runners, alums, coaches, and runners who've taken up running later in life or outside the competitive ranks. So, try on those spikes or put on those trainers and plan to be in Columbia next Saturday at Gans Creek for the Show-Me State Games.
A few reasons, motivations, or opportunities that SMSG XC offers:
- To measure fitness during summer cross country base training
- To take a break from regular summer training
- A different and fun option for one day of summer training
- A chance to run Gans Creek in a more relaxed atmosphere
- Opportunity for current high school teammates to compete against other MO HSers
- Opportunity for high schoolers to run with, against parents, coaches, other adults
- Opportunity for coaches and athletes to run/race together
- A chance for high school alums to toe the line against current high schoolers
- A chance for high school alums to run/race with old teammates, relive the good old days
- Opportunity for college runners to test their fitness, race high school/college rivals
- To motivate oneself for the upcoming season and races at Gans Creek
- To motivate oneself to qualify for state at Gans Creek or have best state finish
- To get a good visual of Gans Creek
- To lock in the imagery and layout of the Gans Creek for future race visualization
- To run thru and enjoy the beauty of Gans Creek without traditional race stress
- To test out cross country for inexperienced runners
- To see what distance racing is like for those who've only raced on the track
- To give distance running a try for sprinters, athletes from other events/sports
- A chance for team bonding with a road trip and race before the season
- A chance to meet up & run with college teammates while apart over summer break
- To see who is the fittest coach/staff in the state
- To challenge oneself to earn bragging rights over friends, teammates, the rest of the state
