Kansas City Marathon
Kansas City, MO
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Don’t miss your chance to participate in Kansas City’s largest and most exciting annual race event that takes runners on a tour through the coolest neighborhoods and past the most beautiful landmarks – including the World War I Museum & Memorial, the Country Club Plaza, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Oct 17):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 85 | 70 | 71 | 51 | 72 |
| L (°F) | 67 | 42 | 40 | 36 | 44 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Major Dropoff from 2024
Positives: The race swag is absolute top notch and this year they really stepped up their game. Race medal was fantastic and the long sleeve shirt they gave out is … MORE
Positives:
The race swag is absolute top notch and this year they really stepped up their game. Race medal was fantastic and the long sleeve shirt they gave out is high-quality. Both were major upgrades over last so a major kudos there. Packet pickup was super easy and in a great location. The course itself is pretty scenic and a great way for out of towners to get a general feel for KC. Even with a major drop in spectators the crowd support is pretty solid and it does offer a number of locations for people to move around and follow someone their supporting. Tons of restaurants, bars, etc for those not running to enjoy a quick bite or drink. Post race festivities and amenities are decent too. Plenty of water stations, bathrooms, etc. In addition, when going through the Brookside area the locals are EXTREMELY supportive, friendly and typically have addition water/food for runners.
Negatives:
The 2024 KC Marathon was my first marathon, with the 2025 KC marathon being my second marathon. Compared to 2024, the course was actually more difficult due to routing changes near Rockhurst University and more confusing at the start. I ended up bettering my time by nearly 30 minutes, but the experience was just much worse this year.
On top of the weather being unseasonably hot (of course no ones fault), my bib never even registered this year nor did my running partners bib. So neither one of us were able to get photos or official race/pace/section breakdowns from the marathon. Understandable that with the streetcar construction the course needs to go through odd areas, but it made an already difficult course even more difficult. Was a pretty substantial drop off in spectators this year too. The Ward Parkway down-back between miles 18-23 is maybe a necessary evil I guess, but is a really big slog when you’re at that point in the race. With KC being such large city, expanding the route into the River Market area, a wider radius in the Downtown area or simply going down Pennsylvania to Ward Parkway (instead of a 3 mile down and back repeat) would greatly improve the experience.
Overall, I think issue with the marathon this year were nearly all related to the course. I appreciate that these are difficult to put on, but as someone that has lived in the KC area for 25 years I think there are far better route alternatives that should be studied (see my comments on miles 18-23).
Advice for any first timers: the hills are inconsistent and unrelenting. They’ll vary from slow, long inclines to large rolling hills. I’ve had numerous people tell me that this is one of the toughest marathons they’ve completed, so I would certainly start slower than your typical pace and save your energy here. This is definitely not a race where experience runners will likely PR, the only reason I did was that I had only done the KC marathon the year before.
Being a local that has already completed this twice, I likely will skip out on this marathon in 2026, with the Gobbler Grind in Overland Park just being a better alternative. Good luck to all wanting to compete in this, hopefully my information provides some solid advice.
Oh the hills!!
Coming from a flatlander - the hills were insane!! I did NOT love/like the hills. Otherwise, it was well put on. Easy finish line. Stayed nearby and was able to … MORE
Coming from a flatlander – the hills were insane!! I did NOT love/like the hills. Otherwise, it was well put on. Easy finish line. Stayed nearby and was able to walk to and from the start/finish line before heading to IA for the next state in the I-35 challenge.
A Race with Hills, but no Heart
Since October 20, 2024, I have been looking forward to the 2025 KC Garmin Marathon. Well, maybe Oct. 22, 2024. I typically allow myself a few days of rest after … MORE
Since October 20, 2024, I have been looking forward to the 2025 KC Garmin Marathon. Well, maybe Oct. 22, 2024. I typically allow myself a few days of rest after a race. Yet, the KC half marathon? It will always have my heart, and I will wait to sign-up immediately.
Aw, but just like any well-intentioned date, sometimes even the most charming man can make a good date go awry. The 2025 KC Garmin Half marathon got cocky and missed out on a proper good-night kiss. From a new (longer) route, congested (and confusing) start corral, lackluster DJ, and missing cups to smaller support crowds and avoidance of some of the best neighborhoods, the KC Garmin half marathon lacked its traditional spark.
Garmin, world-leader in GPS navigation and technology, published a longer than 13.1 half marathon. My Garmin Forerunner 165 clocked in at 13.29. I understand the logistics of running the perfect distance race involves sticking to the curb, avoiding bob-and-weave, and other such factors, but the official, published Garmin course link posted a distance of 13.42 miles. With towering Kansas City hills, the extra length makes a distance. In this case, it was not necessarily welcome. Every step counts, and on a day with average temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, every inch matters.
I won’t fully complain about the new route. In the general sense, I welcome a new challenge – even if I struggle or complain in the midst of finishing. I know new challenges will give a greater sense of accomplishment and push my limits. I can appreciate the challenge. However, the new course, was admittedly on the boring side.
We missed out running through the Plaza.
We missed running through Westport, KC’s original bar and entertainment district. As such, we didn’t have one of the local live bands and adult beverages traditionally found at this aid station.
We missed out on the jazz band and intimate aid station at 18th and Vine. Instead, we had an aid station that ran out of cups with volunteers playing a game of pour Powerade (badly) and water into the mouths of runners.
These wonderful, hype-filled neighborhoods were replaced with Broadway. We ran ALL of Broadway in its long, hilly, devoid of hype and massive crowd support. The only true crowd support on Broadway were the hills as they mocked our legs and killed our spirit.
The once “motivation mile” on Paseo was nowhere to be found. I practiced the Paseo (18th Street to Linwood) all summer. As tough as this portion may be, I always enjoyed it because the numerous motivation signs posted along Paseo would push me along. This year, organizers missed the mark and zero signs were posted. I realized after the race that I didn’t even see the sign-making booth at the expo.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised at vibe of the race. I heard that this was the largest crowd since, I believe, 2014. This is maybe where KC Garmin got cocky and forgot to bring flowers to the date. Instead, of an opening-the-door date, runners got a honk from the curb and shout from the window. The opening DJ was lackluster. I honestly cannot even remember what music was planning. I could have forgotten though because I was distracted by the confusing starting corrals. The new route had runners heading east instead of west. It seems like it wouldn’t be all the complicated. KC found a way to do so though. Based on the positioning of the start/finish line, the corrals heading east were a shorter distance than previously. The parked commercial truck on Oak forced runners to line-up parallel to the start and take a U-turn before getting into the corrals. It was so unmotivating that even the KC mayor got bored and was on his phone at the start line rather than hi-fiving runners. I’m not sure why that rubbed me the wrong way, but it did.
Maybe an unhealthy dose of 90’s rom-coms taught me “but he’ll change!” because even with all the random mishaps, I will sign up for the 2026 half marathon once early bird registration opens. The KC Sports Commission, who officially runs the race, is also in charge of Hospital Hill (May 2026) and FIFA World Cup 2026. I can’t help but wonder if this year’s misses are due to the increased attention on the World Cup and the KC Sports took the marathon for granted. Or it could be due to the streetcar construction. Or the construction at 18th and Vine. Or the construction at 12th and Wyandotte. Or the continuous struggle to find volunteers.
Whatever the case may be, I will always love KC, and it will be habit I will never quit. The challenging hills, frolicking through the city and jamming to hyped-up music are the heart and soul of the KC Marathon. I won’t blame my lackluster performance on the mishaps. The 2025 half marathon should not have been an awkward teenage date with parents sitting in the wings. KC and I have tangoed before. We ran an awesome race last year and was hoping to relive the magic. We both failed. Yet, as the eternal hopeless romantic, I know “he’ll change” and next year, KC and I will have the finish we both deserve – proper good-night kiss and all.
Pains me to write this.
KC has been my favorite race since I started. It's been my PR half for the majority of that time. If you ask people from the area to name their … MORE
KC has been my favorite race since I started. It’s been my PR half for the majority of that time. If you ask people from the area to name their top 3 half marathons, you’ll get some combination of this, Hospital Hill, Running With The Cows, Liberty, and St Jo (if they consider that this area). It’s a high energy race that people get pumped for well in advance, and it’s one of the races that you mark on your calendar when registration opens. The production quality this year made it seem like it was some small town race held at a local park with minimal crew that was organized (or not) last month.
We knew the beginning of the race would be different due to some local politics. Okay, it is what it is. I have some strong opinions there, but this isn’t that. The opening chute (ha!) heads east. Runners will return heading west and cross that finish line. What once was a long enough chute for all the runners to actually get in was oddly truncated so much this year that well over half of the participants and all pace groups after 1:45 at least were just hanging out in the parallel road and flocking over as it cleared out. Did we honestly not know how many people would be here? Did we really think parking trucks at the start to force the chute to stop there was a good idea? You know how the DJ will get everybody pumped up in the chute before a race? Nah we’re not going to do that this year. Of course, since there wasn’t much of a chute to be in, I guess they figured let’s just phone it in all the way and save on pyro and speakers. Meh.
Kansas Citians do show up on the side to support this race, but there have always been far more music performers on the course than this year. Especially come 18th street you could hear them from quite a ways off, and it would motivate and entertain. I’ve seen more music at races a third this size, and it really was a shell of former years. Additionally, it was brought to my attention that two aid tables ran out of cups prior to the two-hour mark. I get it. Stuff happens. Racers grab a few cups when it’s as unseasonably muggy as it was. One is a fluke, two are poor planning, especially so early in a race.
The swag was amazing as always, with a lightweight dry wick hoodie as the shirt and a very stylish black medal with highlight colors to match the distance ran, blue, red, green and yellow for full, half, 10k and 5k.
I did manage to beat my time from last year by a pretty big margin, but unfortunately I didn’t carry on the tradition of PRing here. When I come back next year, and I’ll absolutely be back, despite the hot slop at the start (and elsewhere), I hope to PR again, and I hope there’s some music to celebrate when I do.
There’s free beer and pulled pork BBQ at the end of the race, as well as some commercial IV medical people and stretches from the great folks at Athletico. There used to be a vegetarian portabella sandwich but honestly it was so bad its absence wasn’t really missed this year. There are a ton of great food options in KC though, so you are surrounded by great food. The 80s cover rock band was good and seats were plentiful, but we had lunch plans so we didn’t stick around long
Very hilly!
The first half of the course was very hilly then tapered off but still had moderate hills later on. Being from Florida I was not ready for the hills but … MORE
The first half of the course was very hilly then tapered off but still had moderate hills later on. Being from Florida I was not ready for the hills but I thought I did pretty good overall.
Humid & hilly
This race was enjoyable but tough! Multiple hills throughout the first half and a few inclines the second half. It was pretty warm and humid with temps in the mid-60s … MORE
This race was enjoyable but tough! Multiple hills throughout the first half and a few inclines the second half. It was pretty warm and humid with temps in the mid-60s at the 7 am start. The course itself was a nice mix of it and neighborhoods, with well-manned aid stations and super encouraging volunteers. Spectators were able to find runners at multiple areas along the course which was nice.
Before the race communication was great and the expo was also quite nice. I did the I35 challenge (Des Moines marathon the next day) and logistics were straightforward – if you have specific questions feel free to reach out.
I-35 Challenge 2 States
Take the challenge and accomplish 2 States - Missouri and Iowa - More Bling! We stayed at the KC Marriott Country Club Plaza and walked to the start and walked … MORE
Take the challenge and accomplish 2 States – Missouri and Iowa – More Bling! We stayed at the KC Marriott Country Club Plaza and walked to the start and walked back to our Hotel after the race – It’s a hilly race, weather was great and nice medal and pretty race hoodie. Plenty of bathrooms and water along the route – the locals really come out and support this race. Drove 3 hours to Des Moines Iowa to complete the I-35 challenge the next day for an extra medal
Awesome city course with some difficulty
Kansas City's layout is perfect for a half marathon. The stretched city and course go hand-in-hand as you get to run through several major neighborhoods - The Plaza, Westport, Downtown, … MORE
Kansas City’s layout is perfect for a half marathon. The stretched city and course go hand-in-hand as you get to run through several major neighborhoods – The Plaza, Westport, Downtown, Power & Light, WWI Memorial – in one loop. The course has some noticeable hills over the first half and the last 2-3 miles has a steady incline. For marathoners, the back half is mostly neighborhoods, so less scenic or festive. Half feels like the way to go.
Excellent race for a fantastic city
This is a mid size race with about 3000 runners for the half running together with another 1500 for the full marathon. Expo was at Union Station, which I found … MORE
This is a mid size race with about 3000 runners for the half running together with another 1500 for the full marathon. Expo was at Union Station, which I found architecturally beautiful. It had about 30 vendors, mostly locals.
The race started and ended in the same place in the art district area. I found the start chute quite packed and a bit chaotic. It only had a couple of side entry points, which of course were jammed. They ask runners to line up with their expected time. But as usual, most people don’t. I end up starting in the back, which was much more comfortable to run, even if it took 10 minutes to start after the gun (it is chip time for us mortals, so no problem with that).
I divide the race in 4 parts. The first 5 miles is a gradual incline most of the way. From 5 thru 7 is downtown hell, I mean hill(sss) … and those are long steep steps. From 7 thru 9 the course flattens considerably. Thankfully, after mile 9 the gradual descend goes on and on …until the very last 2/10th of a mile, with this annoying short climb to a flat finish line. I’m sure that last hill isn’t as steep as it felt, but after 12.9 miles, c’mon bruh!
The race takes you to the main highlights of the city core. Never mind the half rant above, I seriously had a good time at this race. But more than the race, I enjoyed this city very much and had a great time. I certainly would come back to Kansas City, even if is just to visit.
By the way, “the historical weather” info on top of the page for 2024 is way off. It says rainy and 59F. I don’t know where that was. In Kansas City it was a beautiful perfect running day. There wasn’t a cloud in the crisp clear sky with temp about 48F at the start. Somebody check that weather guy !
Hilly race but well supported & fun
I ran as a first timer as part of the I-35 challenge. I metered my effort knowing I had to run again the next day. Very well supported marathon through … MORE
I ran as a first timer as part of the I-35 challenge. I metered my effort knowing I had to run again the next day.
Very well supported marathon through lots of city and surrounding neighborhoods. I was surprised how well supported the race was at all turns. Hilly race as other have commented on but I felt like you got equal parts downhill so it balanced. Opening chute was a little tight as were some of the cities segments. All in all great race and enjoyed Kansas City.
Great race to run for Kansas City
Yes, this race has hills but what goes up does go down. Using the Galloway method, I did hills at 30/30 and downhills at 5/30. What I liked about this … MORE
Yes, this race has hills but what goes up does go down. Using the Galloway method, I did hills at 30/30 and downhills at 5/30. What I liked about this race – the pacers. If you run between 2:30 and 2:45, in this race you can choose between 2:35 or 2:40 pacer. This I had never seen. These pacers knew the course and did slower on the up and faster on the down. You could clearly see their pace scenes and as you got to the back of the pack, it was less crowded to enter. The course was clearly marked and there was plenty of water stations. They had an app which I downloaded which answered all of my questions – where was the free parking for the race, where was the gu (between mile 7 and 8), some bands on the course to cheer you on, perfect running weather – started at 7:00 – love that start time, we started with the full and the 5/10k started later. Everyone got the same shirt but half and full got a beanie. We were running on the streets so there was plenty of run without having to weave through other runners. Great post race – with tables and chairs to sit and relax – listen to the band. I also wish they would have pulled beef as the vegan option was mushy. Shirt and medal celebrated Kansas as City of Fountains. Also looking forward to seeing race photos because they are free. Overall, this race was well organized – good expo open until 8:00 day before and code if you parked in the correct lot you didn’t have to pay for parking to pick up your bib.
Still an exciting PR
I've done flat half marathons. This isn't one of them. I PRed on it a year ago and of the nearly 20 that I did in the interim, I couldn't … MORE
I’ve done flat half marathons. This isn’t one of them. I PRed on it a year ago and of the nearly 20 that I did in the interim, I couldn’t touch my time at KC, until this year where I raised the bar pretty significantly. The energy at this race is amazing, and it remains in my top three races. It is one of only two races locally that I will do every year, and that I would fly back for if I was out of town. (Shout out to RWTC!)
I wish I could give 4.5 stars. We hade VIP parking and were supposedly supposed to get an email (as opposed to it being tied to our registration). None of us got that email. I didn’t take off any points (after a long contemplation) because they let us in the VIP parking anyway with no back-and-forth about it when we explained what happened. That’s speaks highly of them. The 2-day expo was great as always and other than the parking issue, pre race communication was wonderful.
The prerace had free coffee the VIP tent, but none inside, unlike former years. Honestly the VIP section had gone downhill a little bit, but the private bathroom trailer was nice. All the same. Would it kill you to have some coffee there so we don’t have to keep leaving and coming back? With the thousands of dollars that tent generated…you’d think…
I thought the chute went pretty smoothly, but I heard complaints that it was too crowded. I think most of that was people in the wrong place (despite more than ample pacers with their poles up to indicate). I personally had no problems passing the slower people in front of me, but I always stick to the sides so plan accordingly if this is a concern. I did miss the fireworks at the start like 2023 had, and the announcer wasn’t as well heard towards the back. Might have been something worth hearing, but with all the energy in the crowd, you gotta have that volume turned UP if you’re going to talk over us. 1291 Marathoners and 3176 Half Marathoners took the chute first, with the 1221 10kers and 1204 5kers who signed up starting a half hour later or so. That worked out well in getting the course thinned out quickly, and by the first hill I didn’t see overly dense packs getting bottlenecked in front or behind me.
Aid stations were decently spaced, though some of my friends complained about the lack of GU. On a half I’m not taking any GU anyway, so didn’t matter to me, but I guess bring your own if you need calories/sugar on the race. Aid station staff was all quick and efficient in their operations, and pretty good at cheering everybody on. The Westport group especially brought the heat, so props to them.
This race hits all the great sites that downtown KC has to offer. There will be hills, so don’t come expecting a flat race, but this is always such an easy race to make a friend on (or run into one for prior years) that it’s easy to get a fire lit under you and start stepping it out before you even realize it.
Tracking stats are great on this race, with the number of people you passed and the number that passed you being reported and the last quarter mile comes with distinct stats as well (thanks Garmin!). The post-race is nice, and there are pork BBQ sandwiches and portobello sandwiches, though I sure wish there was some brisket out there or at least some decent sauce on the portobello. We did the I-35 Challenge this year so we didn’t get to stick around, but it seemed like the band was nice as well.
We’ll have a new course next year since we can’t cross the streetcar line (don’t get me started…) so I hope to see you out there exploring the new course. I’m the guy wearing body armor. Say hi when you pass me.
Great Midwest race
The Kansas City Marathon was a very well organized, fun race - there are a lot of hills but it's well balanced with downhills too so it was easier on … MORE
The Kansas City Marathon was a very well organized, fun race – there are a lot of hills but it’s well balanced with downhills too so it was easier on my legs. The crowd support was sometimes sparse but always high energy, and I loved the mix of downtown running and residential neighborhoods. There was one long out and back that included some road construction which wasn’t great, but I imagine that’s a temporary issue
Great race with rolling hills
I really enjoyed this race. Production was great on all aspects. The post race BBQ was a nice addition. Lots of restrooms along the course so that I didn’t see … MORE
I really enjoyed this race. Production was great on all aspects. The post race BBQ was a nice addition. Lots of restrooms along the course so that I didn’t see lines. I enjoyed running the loop throughout Kansas City. Everyone was friendly. Lots of crowd support. Parking took a while so plan for that. The starting chute wasn’t big enough for everyone so I had to start 5 minutes behind and dodge between traffic for the first half of the race. Partly my fault for not being early enough. Overall great race. I would definitely run it again.
Pretty OK Race
Race was well organized, lots of great spectators and aid stations. Did not love the out and back portions of the race. For such a large city, it seems there … MORE
Race was well organized, lots of great spectators and aid stations. Did not love the out and back portions of the race. For such a large city, it seems there could have been more scenic routes we could have taken. Lots of hills, but knew to expect those. Good food and music at the after party.
A tough, but good one
This was my second year running the Garmin KC Marathon (Half). It's SUCH a tough race because of all the hills, but the crowd support is amazing and keeps you … MORE
This was my second year running the Garmin KC Marathon (Half). It’s SUCH a tough race because of all the hills, but the crowd support is amazing and keeps you going. This was my first half marathon in 2022, and in 2023 I PR’d that race by 20 mins. The only down side is the post-race party is pretty lame compared so some other races, but still good!
I also love that they gave us gloves this year!
GREAT RACE, GREAT CITY - don't miss it!
Did this in 2023 and there was also a home Chiefs game at Arrowhead so that made it a super fun weekend! I heard there were hills and I kept … MORE
Did this in 2023 and there was also a home Chiefs game at Arrowhead so that made it a super fun weekend! I heard there were hills and I kept looking but didn’t see any real hills. Just a steady incline at mile 10. The views were gorgeous, especially at sunrise. The location was perfect…I rolled out of my hotel onto the start line. The Race Expo was small but had everything you need. The race volunteers and organizers were great and the runners were very friendly. I loved all the Chiefs fandom at the start of the race. Great crowd. I highly recommend this race…but you’d better be a Chiefs fan!! (I am)
Iconic Kansas City race
From the expo to pre-event set ups, to the fireworks at start through the finishing photos, this race IS Kansas City. Great Expo at Union Station and many great neighborhoods … MORE
From the expo to pre-event set ups, to the fireworks at start through the finishing photos, this race IS Kansas City. Great Expo at Union Station and many great neighborhoods and parts of downtown being represented on this race, of the 53 races I’ve done this year, truly none of them screamed Kansas City like this one. There are four long-ish hills on this one that everyone had warned me about, but as someone that has done a lot of hill work this year and lives in a hilly neighborhood, they were quite manageable. Not to say that final push uphill to the finish line didn’t suck a little of the “yay!” out of me, but when I heard my name called I kicked it up a notch and annihilated my prior PR. I did pass a LOT of people on the hills though, so if you’re used to running in flatlands this may prove challenging.
I’d purchased the VIP upgrade which I cannot recommend enough. I was parked maybe 50 paces from the VIP tent and having a dry place to sit and stretch in the hour before the race (yes I like to get there early) was quite worth it considering how much dew was out. The medal was neat, in that the bottom folds out to make it capable of sitting on a desk, and is the only one in my collection like that. Energy was high, even when the back-of-the-packers like me finished, and post race options of IV and massages were on hand. My only gripe is for such a great race, the t-shirt design was sort of mid, and there were long stretches of race where there was no real presence on the course of any motivational support. That of course is not the race’s fault, just don’t expect a lot of people out cheering for you. Huge plusses for the course though were the “real time” tracking of participants and the final mile challenge, but would you expect any less from Garmin?
This will be a repeat race for sure, and I highly encourage everyone to come out and see what KC has to offer as far as top notch races go.
Very hilly blah race.
Very little run support along course. The course was not very scenic. Roads were not very smooth. There were not enough portapotty stops. Most aide stations did not have bathroom … MORE
Very little run support along course. The course was not very scenic. Roads were not very smooth.
There were not enough portapotty stops. Most aide stations did not have bathroom stops.
Thar Be Hills!!
Pre-Race: Race communication was very good leading into the race: emails were informative and timely. For those from out of town, a spaghetti dinner was available as an option Friday … MORE
Pre-Race:
Race communication was very good leading into the race: emails were informative and timely. For those from out of town, a spaghetti dinner was available as an option Friday night before the marathon. The Expo was at Union Station and bib pickup was efficient. Parking passes were available so there was no cost for parking.
Race:
I’ve run a decent number of marathons and was impressed with the number of good sized hills in this one. Kudos to anyone who has PR’d on this course … impressive! That said, my time was decent for where my training was at, so don’t let the hills comment intimidate you. After seeing so many hills, I did have a favorite: Wyandotte St around mile 3.5 by the National WW1 Museum. The sun had recently risen highlighting the Kansas City skyline … beautiful!
We had great weather for this race. There were ample water stops with porta-potties. Great volunteers and police presence for traffic control. Spectators were enthusiastic and encouraging. I counted 3 informal beer stops along the way that neighbors had put out for those interested. I didn’t run with pacers but was in their midst at several points during the race. They also were an encouraging and experienced bunch with sage advice and perspective for those running with them. Kudos to them!
Post Race:
Water, banana, chips, and cookies along the exit chute. Beer and a BBQ sandwich along with entertainment were available for those who wanted to hang out after the race.