Cross Country Sundown Showdown
About this race
The 2nd Annual Cross Country Sundown Showdown
July 17, 2026
REGISTRATION AND BIB PICKUP
Carterville Community Center, 120 N Greebriar Rd, Carterville
Friday, July 17, 2026 5:30 PM
Shirt Deadline July 5, 2026
Race start and finish behind the Carterville Community Center
Join us for the 2nd Annual Sundown Showdown 5K!
Hosted by the River to River Runners, this unique event brings the excitement of a classic cross country meet to runners of all levels. The race will start and finish behind the Carterville Community Center, offering a fun and spectator-friendly atmosphere.
Designed to resemble a traditional high school cross country meet, the Sundown Showdown uses standard XC scoring on a 5K course. This is primarily a team-based event, with teams consisting of 3 - 5 runners, and the top 3 runners scoring for each team.
Teams will compete in three divisions: male, female, and mixed. Mixed teams must include at least two female runners among their five participants. Don’t have a full team? No problem...individual runners are welcome, and we’ll gladly help match you with others to form a team on race day. You can also choose to compete solo if you prefer.
The course features a true cross country experience, with mostly grass terrain complemented by sections of gravel and paved path, making for a dynamic and enjoyable run.
Whether you’re chasing a team title or just looking for a fun and competitive race atmosphere, the Sundown Showdown is a great way to experience cross country racing at its best.
Awards:
Medals will be presented to the top 25 male and female finishers, as well as awards for the top 3 teams in each division (Male, Female, and Mixed).
Team Scoring:
Team scores are calculated by adding the finishing positions of each team’s top three runners. Each runner earns points based on their place (1 point for 1st, 2 points for 2nd, etc.), and the team with the lowest total score is declared the winner. Teams may include 3–5 runners, but only the top three finishers will count toward the team score.
Race Markings:
Race will be marked with the following paint colors.
Mile 1 - Red
Mile 2 - White
Mile 3 - Blue
There will be a lead vehicle to guide the runners through the course.
Pick your distance
Running
XC 5k
Typical race-day weather
Based on 2 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Carterville, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 5:47 AM and sets at 8:17 PM local time (CDT) in Carterville on July 16, 2027 — 14h 30m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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Results — Cross Country Sundown Showdown
Other races near Carterville
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Snowman Shuffle
Gavin's Hallows' Eve 5K
Art and Kevin Reveal Memorial Turkey Run
Operation Jake
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Carterville
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Carterville 5K Races 5 races
- Carterville Running Calendar 2026 5 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 7 Carterville events
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