More specifically answering your question of what to expect. First, expect to be shocked at how cheap housing is compared to big city life. You can rent or buy a very nice house without being in debt the rest of your life. Springfield downtown has started to make a comeback and there is actually a decent number of things to do there now. The weather does suck right now for a runner and it is ver humid in the summers, but that a huge reason why it is so much cheaper to live here.
Here is more about Springfield running that I copied directly from the Missouri State Lady Bears Cross Country page.
www.bearstrack.net
Running Trails: Missouri State's distance runners enjoy a wide variety of options for trail running. The Springfield, Mo. area and its Ozark Mountain surroundings feature numerous parks that provide many beautiful miles of running.
Phelps Grove Park: Phelps Grove is a beautiful tree covered park just ¼-mile from the MSU campus. The park contains a well groomed 1000-meter grass loop allowing Missouri State’s distance runners to complete interval training on soft, cross country specific terrain without having to go far from campus.
Springfield Nature Center: The Springfield Nature Center offers miles of wood chip and chat covered paths through rolling terrain. The nature center is a usual stop for the Lady Bears for distance running. The nature center also connects to greenway trails that run throughout the city.
Ritter Springs Park / Sac River Park: Ritter Springs and the adjacent Sac River Park combined for over 10-miles of trail running through the rolling hills of Springfield’s north side. The park features grass and dirt paths through wooded areas and open fields. These two parks are normal spots for distance runs, hill workouts and fartlek workouts.
Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield: “The Battlefield” was once the site of the first major civil war battle west of the Mississippi, now it is the usual home for the Lady Bear’s weekend long runs. The Battlefield offers more than 15 miles of trail running through open fields and wooded paths
Lake Springfield Park: Lake Springfield provides the Lady Bears a challenging training site through its open fields that overlook the lake. Missouri State’s runners commonly use the park for hill workouts and fartlek runs. The park also features a 5,000-meter cross country course and a connecting greenway trail.
Frisco Highline Trail: The Frisco trail is a “rail to trail” project that extends from Springfield to Bolivar, Mo. providing 35-miles of smooth crushed limestone running path great for steady tempo running.