Documenting Kansas Connections Without Forcing One Definition
Kansas Ultrarunners is a supporting project of Kansas Ultrarunning History built to document runners connected to the state’s ultrarunning story with clear, transparent affiliation and evidence labels.
“Kansas ultrarunner” can mean more than one thing.
A runner may have been born in Kansas but moved away. Another may have been born elsewhere, lived in Kansas for decades, and completed dozens of Kansas ultras. Another may live across the state line but have a long and meaningful history with Kansas races.
Rather than erase those differences, the registry identifies the nature of the connection.
Birthplace connection
Born within the state of Kansas. Independent verification may be offered later for runners who want a stronger verified designation.
Residency connection
Lived in Kansas during a meaningful portion of an ultrarunning career.
Historical or participation connection
Established a substantial documented relationship to Kansas ultrarunning through participation, performance, history, or contribution.
Documented is not the same thing as independently verified.
The project is designed to show the difference. Race results, historical publications, public records, runner submissions, and other reliable sources may document portions of a profile. Stronger designations may later use independent third-party verification when appropriate.
Minimum necessary verification.
Kansas Ultrarunners does not need to become a warehouse for birth certificates or sensitive identity documents.
The intended model for future Kansas-born verification is for an independent service to confirm the qualifying fact and return only the minimum verification result needed by the registry.
One piece of a larger historical system.
Kansas Ultrarunning History is the umbrella historical project. KansasUltrarunners.com focuses specifically on the people. A separate supporting property, KansasUltraRaces.com, is intended to focus specifically on Kansas ultramarathon events.
Eric Steele
The Kansas Ultrarunning History project and its supporting properties were initiated by Eric Steele, a Wichita, Kansas-based ultrarunner, race founder, race director, writer, and longtime participant in the Kansas ultrarunning community.