Plan and Prep
Table of Contents
Knowledge is Power
Up to 1/3 of racers will not see the finish line in St. Charles. There are a variety of reasons for this, but if you can make plans and prepare yourself ahead of time, you can increase your odds. You don't have to reinvent the single blade. Thousands of folks have taken on this challenge in the past. Better to learn from their mistakes before you even leave your couch. We'd love to see you at the finish line! Please check out all of our advice and resources we make available to you.
Check out YouTube for videos to assist. The MRR channel as a playlist dedicated to the MR340. Here you'll find some informational videos along with the safety video that is posted a few weeks before the race and is required for all racers to watch.
Chris Luedke has years of great videos on his YouTube channel to shorten the learning curve.
"MR340 First Time Finisher" is a book by racer Stephen Jackson written in 2013, so some of the race details are out of date. But it has tons of timeless advice on training, preparing, gearing up and strategies for finishing your first time in the race.
Check Your Info
Please check your info on the roster. The roster is updated manually so it might take up to three days to show up on the roster.
When checking the info, make sure your name, boat name, division, teammates or spots open in the boat are correct. If you are a team or tandem boat, make sure your teammate(s) are registered and added to your boat. If you think they registered but see a TBD in your boat, make sure the teammate(s) used the same team name and send racing@riverrelief.org a note. Be sure to let us know the number of racers expected in your team boat as each team division has an allowed range of number in the boat.
Did you register solo but are now teaming up with someone as tandem or dropping from a team? Email us at racing@riverrelief.org if you need to make a division change and we'll get you sorted out on the roster. Changes can be made until June 23, 2025 so get those changes in as they come up.
The roster will also let you know of your assigned boat number. You need your official assigned race/boat numbers on both sides of your bow. Please use numbers at least 3 inches high and reflective. Check out the list of required gear for more information. If you do not want the numbers to stay on your boat permanently you can try putting duct tape down first and then sticking the numbers on top of the duct tape. Racers will have the option in 2025 to pick up numbers at check-in on July 7, 2025 or add their boat number to their boat themselves prior to check-in.
Your Waiver
Electronic waivers will be emailed this spring to registered racers. The use of paper waivers will be discontinued. Racers under the age of 18 are required to have their parent or legal guardian's additional signature included. See race rule #10. More information about Check-In can be found here.
Get Out and Practice
There are some early season races in the area that can get you out on the river so you can see what you need to work on and even see at how other folks have rigged their boats.
If you haven't paddled on the Missouri River before, one of the races on the Missouri can be a great way to experience it with a group.
Visit our River Race Calendar.
Practice launching and arriving at ramps- including launching and landing when crowed and you must land perpendicular to the ramp vs turning sideways.
Get on Google Maps or Google Earth and scope out the ramps you plan to use for restocking or stopping. Check what the approach looks like and then plan practice runs at those ramps. Pay attention to ramps you plan to use at night. See what those look like in the day so you know what to expect and if possible, practice coming to those ramps at night.
Getting out on the river with your gear, practicing with all your equipment and food is the best way to know what will and won't work and to make adjustments.
Facebook Group
Our Facebook group is over 17500 strong! A great community of racers, crews, and volunteers who share news about training runs on the river, gear for sale, ground crew information, shuttle opportunities, etc. Ask a question and you'll get an answer FAST. It's also where some of our sponsors can share info on sales and promotions.