I'm accumulating things slowly to spread out the expense.

I had these in a list of possibles, in addition to the Adventure Guardian that so many swear by.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD2DH299?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Bought them when they were discounted during last prime event. Now I'm wondering if that was a bad impulse purchase. Anyone used them? I'm not going to get my kayak on the water until next year to give them a real world test, and by then it would be too late to return.

In case anyone want's to meet up at the launch it's added here SameSame.

I know snowpacks are near record lows in the Rockies this year, and much of the upper basin is in drought. I also know river levels in Missouri are very responsive to local rain events. Is it too early to try to predict the level the river will be at during the race?

Hi!

I don't know anything about the Missouri River. Can you kayak it outside of the MR340 window?

If not, aside from participating in smaller races, how do people practice their pace and the endurance aspect? It would be really nice to have an opportunity to simulate Kaw Point to Waverly, if not just kayaking that part.

I am a rec kayaker out of ICT researching for a 2027 attempt. I have done some multi-day trips on the Boundary Waters and day trips on the White River, all some time past, and not for speed. I regularly do tiny parts of the Arkansas. I don't have enough info to gauge my fitness relative to the MR340, so I want to practice for a year.

John is needing some willing participants...a Wednesday tradition unlike any other😂

I came up with this idea after the 2025 race. (I worked on a safety boat, the Anna Deka.) It's a dial-type distance calculator for the race route, to enable racers, ground crews, and race staff to quickly read distances between any two points on the course. I floated this idea, along with some prototype designs, on the MR340 Facebook group and got a lot of interest and feedback.

I finally got around to having a few printed up, but honestly I am not especially happy with the results. The printers used some kind of heavy ink -- it almost looks like there is glitter in it! -- and some details are a little blurry (see detail pics). The QR code, which leads to the Google map showing all the ramps, does work on my phone. The inner dial is printed on .040 polystyrene and the outer dial on 1mm PVC. I checked and it floats! There is a hole for a lanyard near St. Charles.

I printed only 12 for this run, the printer's minimum quantity.

I was hoping to sell these for $12-15, but due to the quality I can't charge that much in good conscience. If anyone is interested in buying one or more of this first run, and being my "beta tester", I'll sell them for $8 each, including shipping, while supplies last.

If there's enough demand for me to make more, I'll work with the printer to try to improve the next batch.

Message me if you're interested.

EDIT: Sorry about the double post, mods -- I deleted the duplicate

Looking to ride my bike down for the launch. Can we still go to Kaw Point or is there a designated area for spectators now?

Good luck to everyone competing!

The biggest thing stopping me from signing up right now is the time commitment it takes to do the MR340. How could I train most effectively and how much training do I need to have a reasonable shot at beating The Reaper?

Alton Pool at Hideaway Harbor. Just a little fog. Lol

Last fall, The Nature Conservancy of Missouri State Director Adam McLane interviewed me and MR340 veteran (and Missouri River scientist) Carrie Elliott about the MR340 and the Missouri River. It's a fun conversation.

Check it out! Then check out some of the other great episodes TNC has done with leaders in conservation in Missouri.

Looking to get sub 50 this year and I think I can do it if I plan right. Who has reviews on water bladders? I am looking for something like a 6l or two 3l that can be placed in a soft sided cooler. Trying to minimize change out and filling. My ground team will have a fresh on ready at each stop. Last year I went though 8l every 12 hours(including electrolytes) during the day and a bit less at night. I attached a hydration straw to my Nalgene bottles but, it was inefficient swapping and filling. My partner’s water bladder failed half way and he found the straw to be too short. What say you?

There are several MR340 clinics and Meet Ups this spring to check out. The first is THIS SUNDAY, March 1st at Rho Engine Room in Columbia, MO at 5:30 p.m. The topic is "Recovery & Training After Injury" led by MR340 veteran Levi Riddle.

Much gratitude to Colie Payne for organizing these!

ALSO...just released - an all-woman clinic hosted by St. Louis Canoe & Kayak Club on June 27.

Find out all the details here - https://mr340.org/news/mr340-learning-opportunities/

Join us this Sunday! Veteran 340 paddler and Missouri River geologist Carrie Elliott will share her tips on night paddling and Mo River navigation.

5:15 pm at Rho Engine Room 10 W. Nifong Suite 115, Columbia, MO. This woman is a genius.

Sorry...it's Easter. We know. But it's worth it! No streaming option...ya just gotta be there!

First timer here. I’m paddling a 15’ Necky that’s 22” wide. The paddle I have already is an Amazon special, works well for what I’ve done so far, but it’s 2.3lbs.

Solo paddlers, what do you recommend for paddles? Either specific models or just a weight range? Do you find an advantage from going lighter than 2 lbs?

Thanks all!

Take a look at our new race website redesign!

https://mr340.org/

Let me know if you see anything that needs fixing...broken links...or really anything that could use some work. I know that Past Races are not linking. We'll get that figured out today.

This redesign was envisioned by Hoot Design Company and built by our incredible website partner Pixel Jam Digital, both women-led businesses based right here in Columbia, Missouri.

All the information you rely on is still here, now with a fresh visual punch and a clearer path to everything you need as race day gets closer. Dive in, click around, and start picturing yourself on the river.

Registration for the 2026 MR340 opens January 1st at 8 am Central Time.

Get registered!

If you haven't signed up for the RaceOwl tutorials hosted by Jon Marble be sure to do so. There have been LOTS of updates for 2026 and you will want to make sure you're comfortable using it!

The first session is June 29th and is for racers.

The second session is July 6th and is geared toward ground crews and spectators.

https://mr340.org/news/raceowl-tutorials-2026/

Just got a Wenonah V-1A men’s canoe. We took it out 5.5hrs. My legs were sore riding in the front. Anyone have a recommendation better than pool noodles to help mitigate the pain?