Kansas City Smoke

🥇 DOMINANT WIN FOR REID BUCHANAN 🥇

Reid took the overall victory in the Cotton Row Run 10K this weekend, running an incredible 29:18 to win against a field of 1,753 runners.

🔥 1st Overall
🔥 4:43/mile average pace

Another huge performance from one of KC Smoke’s elite athletes.

🔥 KC Smoke is excited to welcome Evan Landes back to the team. 🔥

A Kansas native and former Division I runner at the University of Kansas, Evan brings elite-level experience and serious firepower to the Smoke roster. He’s a 2x U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and one of the top road racers in the Midwest.

🏃‍♂️ PRs:
• Marathon – 2:15
• Half Marathon – 1:04:13
• Road 10K – 29:47
• Road 5K – 14:20

Evan’s combination of strength, consistency, and experience makes him a huge addition to the team, and we’re excited to see what’s ahead. 💨

Welcome back to KC Smoke, Evan!

Welcome to the Smoke, Jack Young 🔥

Kansas City native and former University of Kansas track & XC athlete Jack Young is joining KC Smoke.

Jack has built an impressive post-collegiate resume while balancing a career as an architectural designer focused on multi-family and affordable housing projects throughout the KC area. His consistency, range, and long-term development have made him one of the stronger distance athletes in the region.

PR’s:
• Marathon – 2:26:42
• Half Marathon – 1:12:04
• 10K – 32:20
• 5K – 15:17
• 8K XC – 25:56
• 1000m – 2:28.19

We’re excited to have Jack continue building with the team and look forward to seeing what’s ahead. Welcome to KC Smoke 🔥

🚨 SPONSORS WANTED – METRO MILE (ELITE MEN’S & WOMEN’S RACES) 🚨

KC Smoke 🤝 KC Running Company

We’re bringing something BIG to Kansas City. The Metro Mile will feature the Men’s Elite Mile and Women’s Elite Mile, with a deep, competitive field and a PRIZE PURSE built to attract serious talent.

Now we need your help to fund it.

💰 Goal: $6,000 total prize purse
• $3,000 Men’s Elite Mile
• $3,000 Women’s Elite Mile

🏆 Prize Breakdown (each race):
1st – $1,000
2nd – $750
3rd – $500
4th – $350
5th – $250
6th – $150
⚡ Top 6 get paid = deeper fields, faster racing, and a better event for everyone

This is about more than one race; it’s about building a true showcase for elite running in Kansas City and giving BOTH men and women a platform to compete and earn.

By sponsoring, you’re:
• Supporting elite and emerging athletes
• Investing in the KC running community
• Putting your brand in front of a highly engaged audience

Whether you’re a business, brand, or individual, every contribution helps.
📩 DM us to become a sponsor
🔁 Share this post to help us find the right partners
Let’s make the Metro Mile a must-watch event. 💨

🔥 Welcome to KC Smoke, Davis Ramstad! 🔥

From grinding his way up the ranks as a high school freshman to earning a championship roster spot as a senior, Davis knows what it means to trust the process and keep improving.

Now representing Smoke while attending Johnson County Community College as a chef apprentice, Davis is chasing goals both on the roads and in the kitchen. Future café owner in the making ☕🥞

📍 Overland Park

PRs
🏃 Mile – 5:06
🏃 3200m – 10:37 (current specialty)
🏃 5K – 17:24

We’re excited to see what’s ahead for this young athlete. Welcome to the team, Davis! 💨🔥

A TOP AMERICAN TIME 🇺🇸🔥

Reid Buchanan delivered a historic performance at the , winning the race in 17:35 while covering the 4-mile course at a blistering 4:24 pace.

That mark is the top American time since 1998!

🏆 1st Overall
⏱️ 17:35
⚡ 4:24 pace
🇺🇸 American Best

Huge congratulations to Reid on an incredible run and a massive day for KC Smoke.

KC Smoke showed out at the Trolley Run this morning 🔥

Depth, wins, podium finishes, masters success, and strong racing all across Kansas City.

And an American Best 4 mile time to boot!

🏆 Reid Buchanan – 1st Overall – 17:35 (4:24)
🔥Top American time since 1998🔥
🥇 Clara Mayfield – 1st Female – 20:51 (5:13)
🔥 Bryce Merriman – 6th Overall / 1st AG – 19:04 (4:46)
🔥 Jordan English – 8th Overall / 1st AG – 19:50 (4:57)
💥 Michael Zinser – 19th Overall / 4th AG – 21:43
💥 Johnny Harley – 21st Overall / 4th AG – 22:04
🌟 Mary Frances Lueger – 5th Female / 1st AG – 22:14
🏅 Eddie Grier – Top Overall Masters / 1st AG – 22:17
💪 Vern Cushenberry – 1st AG – 22:22
💪 Kaitlyn Shea – 2nd AG – 22:22
💪 Oliver Drambour – 5th AG – 22:29
💪 Matt Schmidt – 4th AG – 22:59
💪 Kirstin Williams – 1st AG – 23:05
💪 Christina Kromminga – 2nd AG – 23:29
💪 Tom May – 1st AG – 24:15
👏 Jessalyn – Paced 28:00
👏 Cindy Blakeley-Cameron – 1st AG – 28:15
👏 Alexandra Bojarski-Stauffer – 1st AG - 28:22
👏 Maria Krauel – 2nd AG – 28:33
👏 Stan McCormick – 2nd AG – 28:49

Proud of every athlete representing KC Smoke today!

Welcome to KC Smoke 🔥

We’re excited to introduce our newest Master’s athlete, Maria Krauel.

From NCAA Division I competition at San Diego State to stepping away from the sport and finding her way back years later, Maria’s journey is one of resilience, rediscovery, and unfinished business.

After returning to running just five years ago, she’s steadily built back her fitness, completed her first marathon in 2024, and is now chasing new Master’s PRs across every distance, while setting her sights on a Boston Marathon qualifier.

Off the roads, Maria supports professional athletes across the NFL, NHL, MLS, and NWSL as they navigate life after sport, making her impact just as strong beyond running.

We’re excited to have her representing KC Smoke.

Personal Bests:
• 3,000m – 10:42
• 5,000m – 18:45
• 6K XC – 23:59
• 5K (road) – 19:15
• Half Marathon – 1:30:05

Master’s Personal Bests:
• Mile – 6:33.53
• 5K – 22:24
• 10K – 46:28
• Half Marathon – 1:44:04
• Marathon – 3:54:09

🔥 KC SMOKE AT ROCK THE PARKWAY 🔥

Top to bottom…this team showed up.

HALF MARATHON�🏆 Bryce Merriman — 1:09:52 (1st Overall) �🥉 Jordan English — 1:10:44 (3rd Overall, 1st AG) �🔥 Colby Kromminga — 1:12:28 (6th Overall, 2nd AG) �💪 Jared Stark — 1:20:01 (Top 25 OA) �💪 Oliver Drambour — 1:20:58 (4th AG) �🏆 Kaitlyn Shea — 1:21:37 (1st Overall Female) �🥈 Matt Schmidt — 1:22:43 (2nd AG) �🥉 Kenadi Krueger — 1:23:06 (3rd Female, 1st AG) .krueger �🔥 Jessalyn Sadler — 1:23:10 (4th Female, 1st AG) �💪 Mike Thomson — 1:25:26 (Top 10 AG) �🥇 Tom May — 1:27:18 (1st AG)�🏆 Monica Erdmann — 1:27:22 (1st Female Masters) �🥈 Spud Ring — 1:27:46 (2nd AG) �💪 Natalie LaMendola — 1:30:58 (5th AG) �🥈 Vern Cushenberry — 1:31:48 (2nd AG)
🙏 Kendall Chenault (pacing)

5K�🏆 Ben Olson — 17:18 (Top Masters Overall) .runnin �🥈 Eddie Grier — 17:38 (2nd AG) �🥈 Sami Harwell — 20:53 (2nd Overall Female, 1st AG)

Depth across the board! Way to Smoke it today, TEAM! 🔥