Dispatch #2 (2026)

March 28, 2026

Hello Racers!

This is your second Dispatch for the 2026 Missouri American Water MR340. It's short and sweet. I'll be sending another in a the next couple weeks where we'll be digging deeper into your preparation for this race.

This Dispatch is focused on this week's Registration Fundraising Deadline, with a couple other tidbits thrown in.

In this email -

March 31st Fundraising Deadline
Awesome Fundraiser Perks
Check your Racer Info
Upcoming MR340 Community Clinics and weekly races

If you have registered in the past month, you may not have read Dispatch #1. OR even if you have, it's a great time to revisit and dig into your research for the race.

Here's where all 2026 Dispatches will post.

Fundraising Deadline - March 31!

Avoid the Auto-Charge...

MARCH 31st is the LAST day that donations made to your personal Peer to Peer Fundraiser will go towards covering your registration cost.

On April 1, any remaining balances will be charged to the card on file you used to pay the $75 initial registration fee. This charge will include the remaining balance, a small late fee, and any debit/credit card processing fees.

Use your fundraising link (copied below) to pay off your remaining balance.

AND

Use these last few days to share your link again with your social media fandom, and your family and friends network to AVOID the AUTO-CHARGE!

Your personal Fundraising Page Link: Find it in the confirmation email you received when registering. OR you can find the link to search for your page here - mr340.org/the-race/fundraising

Know when to fold them

If your plans have changed and you need to WITHDRAW from the race, please contact racing@riverrelief.org NOW to avoid the April 1 Auto-Charge.

Keep Fundraising to get cool Perks!

Missouri River Relief, the nonprofit host of the MR340, relies on community support to do our innovative work bringing people to the Missouri River.

Racer Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers are a huge boost to us. They will remain open until noon on Friday of the race. Meaning you can still reach out to your network to raise funds for Missouri River Relief.

The more support you build, the more Fundraising Perks you are eligible for!

You will pick up your Fundraising Perks at Race Check-In at Kaw Point on Monday, July 27. Top Fundraising Prize awards (and additional perks earned during the week) will be the Finish Line Party on Friday, July 31 at Lewis & Clark Boathouse.

Check out the Fundraising Leaderboard here!

Here's a rundown of what we've got. If you raise the amount below or higher, you'll get....

$340 and up! - "Big River Energy" and "Paddle Like You Stole It" stickers! These will not be available for purchase at the race.

$500 or more - a "Big River Energy" performance hat. It's an REI "On the Trail" cap. These will not be available for purchase at the race.

$1,500 or more - An NRS Pilot Knife with case. Value $60.

#3 Highest Fundraiser - Garmin eTrex 32x - Value $300

#2 Highest Fundraiser - Garmin InReach Mini 3. Value $450.

#1 Highest Fundraiser - Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED Sapphire Watch (Value $1,100) A $300 Llama Rack Gift Card

PLUS! The person who has donations from the most number of unique donors will also win a $300 gift card for a Llama Rack!

Registration Cost Increase - April 1 and June 1

Just a heads up. On April 1, the baseline cost for registration increases to $300. On June 1, that baseline registration cost increases to $340 per entry.

So, if you have others on your team that have not registered, you might encourage them to do that by the March 31 deadline to avoid the $25 increase.

Upcoming MR340 Clinics and Meet Ups!

There are several learning opportunities coming up. Get these on your calendars!

THE FIRST ONE IS NEXT SUNDAY APRIL 5!

As new events get scheduled, we'll be posting them (and updates) on our News & Dispatches feed on the mr340.org website at this link.

MR340 Meet Ups at Rho Engine Room in Columbia, MO

Rho Engine Room is hosting a series of "MR340 Meet Ups" at their Columbia, MO gym. Here's the latest schedule. All are FREE and EVERYONE is welcome! They are designed for informal conversations on a variety of topics related to the MR340. Whether you are a new or returning racer, these are helpful gatherings. It's always nice to have experienced paddlers in the crowd.

These Meet Ups are designed to foster open conversation, and for that reason these are not recorded or streamed. Our gratitude to MR340 veteran Colie Payne for organizing these.

Location - Rho Engine Room - 10 W Nifong Blvd Suite 115, Columbia, MO 65203

THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 5 - "Navigating the River & Night Paddling" - Sunday, April 5 at 5:15 p.m.
- led by Carrie Elliott, U.S.G.S. Missouri River Geologist and MR340 Veteran
"Ground Crew: Paddler First Aid" - Sunday, May 3 at 5:15 p.m.
- led by Beth Burkhart, Critical Care Flight Paramedic, EMS Instructor and MR340 Veteran

"Women & the MR340 Race" Clinic - Sat. June 27, 2026

St. Louis Canoe & Kayak Club is hosting a special clinic designed for women who have registered for the MR340 in 2026 and have not finished the race before. This is a really special opportunity limited to 16 participants. The clinic is led by a staff of 8 MR340 women veterans who have a depth of race experience and knowledge.

Date & Time: Saturday, June 27 from 1:30 pm to 10:30 pm.
Location: Weldon Spring Conservation Area to Blanchette Landing, St. Charles, MO
Cost: $25
Purpose: Building a community of female racers with emphasis on fun, confidence, skills, and river knowledge
Supported by a grant from River City Outdoors.

It will include -

On-the-water exit and re-entry experience with experts on hand.
On-the-ground clinic with story sharing, skill and knowledge sharing and race tips.
Night-time paddling experience as a group from Weldon Spring Conservation Area Access to Blanchette Landing in St. Charles, covering the final 20 miles of the MR340 race course.

5K Paddling Groups in Missouri

There are several informal groups that meet up every week for 5K races, community and knowledge sharing. Many MR340 newbies have found these to be a great way to build skill and learn from other experts. These are all based around Facebook groups. Here are the ones I'm aware of -

Shawnee Mission Lake Hump Day 5K - 6 pm every Wednesday March thru October
Mid Mo Paddle Collective - 5:30 pm every Wednesday March thru October. Usually at Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area. Super informal.
Creve Coeur Lake Show Me Oars Day 5K - Creve Coeur Lake south boat ramp by the flag pole at 6:30p on Tuesdays during warm weather months (Apr - Oct)

Alright! That's enough for now! I'll have more race specific info to share in our next Dispatch in a couple of weeks.

I can’t wait to meet all of you.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to our Race Staff with any of your questions!

Steve Schnarr
Race Director – Missouri River Relief
racing@riverrelief.org
MR340.org

2026 Dispatches

Special thank you to our sponsor Missouri American Water. These are the folks that transform Missouri River water into drinking water for St. Louis & St. Charles County and Jefferson City. In addition to their cash support, they are huge on-the-ground partners of the race, helping prepare the Finish Line for you!

And a huge shout out to our "River Captain" Sponsor Rocca AudioVisual. They have a deep connection to the Missouri River and to this race. We are so grateful for their support.

Please check out our full list of amazing Race Sponsors.