The Tough Mudder race, an endurance obstacle course that holds events throughout the world, will be in Shamrock in Callaway County today and Sunday.
The event is expected to bring in more than 8,000 competitors who wish to test their physical prowess through a series of rigorous, muddy obstacles in a 10- to 12-mile course.
Check-in is from 7 a.m.-1:30 p.m. today and from 10-10:45 a.m. Sunday. Runners are released in 20-minute waves from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. today or from 10-11 a.m. Sunday.
The Callaway County Sheriff's Office, Callaway County Ambulance District and Missouri State Highway Patrol have all been coordinating logistics with event organizers on traffic and public safety. Sgt. Clay Chism with the Callaway County Sheriff's Department said incoming traffic was encouraged to travel from the west through Route B, while outgoing traffic would be ushered eastbound on Route D through Missouri 19 in Montgomery County.
"The roadways in that area are all two-lane, with lots of curves, lots of hills and bad intersections," Chism said. "Preferably, we're trying to bring them in from the west and send them out east so we're not fighting incoming and outgoing traffic from both ends."
Chism advised local motorists to use caution and state Routes A and B and county roads in the Shamrock area would be most congested.
He also said Kingdom City, Auxvasse, Williamsburg, Montgomery City and New Florence were expected to see the most economic impact at convenience stores and lodging.
The Comfort Inn in Kingdom City, listed on the Tough Mudder's website toughmudder.com as a partner hotel, has already seen a boost in business, according to manager Kim Syed.
"We have quite a few people that are here for Tough Mudder, and we have a lot of people coming in tomorrow," Syed said. "We are booked for the weekend. We have the construction crew (for the event) staying here, and they've been here the last two weeks."
Crane's Country Store in Williamsburg has also extended its hours - 6 a.m.-8 p.m. today and 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday - in anticipation of runners traveling through the area. Co-owner David Crane said that though event organizers worked more closely with the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce than Callaway County's officials, he still anticipated big crowds through the area.
Pre-registration has been cut off, but thousands of runners are registered to compete in the grueling course with the potential for more signing up for day-of registration. For more information, visit toughmudder.com.