| Dedication: This
record book is dedicated to the hundreds of men and women who have finished the Lake
Atwood Ten Mile Road Race, more than 3,000 times, over a period spanning more than a
quarter of a century beginning in 1972.
Only race: The Lake Atwood Ten Mile road Race, begun in 1972, is the only road race in the state of Kansas to be held for 29 consecutive years. All other road races still being contested in Kansas were started after 1972. John Rose's LaCrosse Ten Mile race, Arne Richard's Manhattan 20K Race and the Kansas Relays Marathon are older races than the Atwood race, but all of those events were discontinued years ago. Why: In 1978 Atwood staged the largest road race ever held in Kansas up to that time. Over 300 runners started and 286 finished. Ninety-five crossed the finish line in under 60 minutes. Although not the largest race in Kansas after 1978, the race continued to attract some of the most competitive road racers from a four state region through the 1984 race. Beginning in 1985, both the quality and the number of runners declined. Why has the Lake Atwood Ten Mile continued to exist when it is obvious it is no longer as popular. The simple answer is HISTORY. The Atwood race will continue to be the oldest consecutively contested race in Kansas for as long as it is held. The quality of the records that have been established on the Atwood course during its 29-year history is still the third best of all races held in Kansas. |