Babler Bongo 15K Trail Race

Babler Bongo 15K Trail Race is held in Wildwood, Missouri, on October 24, 2026. The single format is a 15K trail run (about 9.3 miles) starting at 7:30 AM. The name refers to Babler State Park, and the distance sits in the sweet spot between a 10K and a half marathon, long enough to feel like a real trail test without requiring ultra-style preparation.

A 15K is a good choice if you are moving from road races to trails, or if you want a hard fall effort without the recovery cost of a half marathon. Eight to ten weeks of training with one weekly trail run and some hill work will prepare you well; add a few strides to keep leg speed for the runnable sections. Experienced trail runners can race it as a tune-up before a late-season 50K. Expect rolling terrain and plan to run by effort, since trail 15K times rarely match road times.