Garmin Olathe Marathon in the Land of Oz
Olathe, KS
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Join us for a marathon, half marathon, 10k or kids run through the beautiful streets and trails of Olathe. The event began in 2003 as the Olathe Marathon, and is now hosted by Garmin at their world headquarters. The city of Olathe is just 20 minutes southwest of downtown Kansas … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Apr 25):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 75 | 65 | 61 | 66 | 60 |
| L (°F) | 53 | 57 | 52 | 41 | 41 |
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It was fine, but won't do this one again
I was surprised by how little swag we got, but the parking was in a parking garage which was nice. The expo was average but had little merch other than … MORE
I was surprised by how little swag we got, but the parking was in a parking garage which was nice. The expo was average but had little merch other than shirts and hoodies.
Good race poor performance
Enjoyed checking off Kansas in Olathe. It's a good modest marathon experience. No complaints about course, production, support etc. It was actually a much hillier course than I expected (with … MORE
Enjoyed checking off Kansas in Olathe. It’s a good modest marathon experience. No complaints about course, production, support etc. It was actually a much hillier course than I expected (with no research) at +1100 ft elevation gain and nearly 40% of the race run uphill. Wow!
Pretty disappointed by my performance but again indicative of a lack of training. First 16 miles at a rock-steady 7:40 pace, then completely fell apart in the back half, probably avg pace >9:00. Need to train further at goal pace.
At least the medal is nice...
I liked the medal....and it pretty much ended there. I hate downing a race, because I know a lot of time and effort goes into putting on a race, however, … MORE
I liked the medal….and it pretty much ended there.
I hate downing a race, because I know a lot of time and effort goes into putting on a race, however, this race was draining rather than invigorating.
First the good, the medal was a Dorothy-theme with red glitter and a double-spinner. The medals are specific to the distance, which I always appreciate. The soft cotton t-shirt is perfectly fine. I’ll have to check the stats for elevation gain, but the race was a rough one. Any runner will get a good workout of the of the race and will continuously wind through the neighborhoods.
Now for the not so pleasant. First aid station had ZERO cups 30 minutes into the race. The 10k runners did not get any water stations. When water stations were available, some were same plastics cups, others had small water bottles and others paper cups. Those details matter to a runner. The sports drink was a watered down version or what you find at regular races. I didn’t see any energy gel, so if there were any, they were closely guarded. One of the aid stations did have some bananas, and I only saw them because the little girl actively held out her tray. If you were a back of the pack marathon, aid stations were quickly picked up.
The crowd support is pretty much non-existent. The only real cheerleader was a local lady who made her way from the beginning of the race to the end. She was a genuine supporter happily cheering on runners. The high school cheerleaders were about two miles from the finish line, and they were friendly. The majority of the other volunteers seemed like they were out there to check the boxes either for work or school, but not so much for the runners. Fanfare was nice at the finish line, but most runners will tell you that on-the-course support makes a WORLD of difference.
While the t-shirt was soft, it is more on the thin side. Nearly 10 years ago, I did my first 10k here. The only think I remember about the race was I received a really nice, medium-weight, technical shirt. I held on to the shirt for a long time (it’s probably still stuck in closet somewhere). So, I was disappointed that the quality of the shirt went down – kinda like the race itself.
What happened?
So I had a unique perspective on this event. I ran the half with my vest on, like I normally do, but since my running partner and I needed extra … MORE
So I had a unique perspective on this event. I ran the half with my vest on, like I normally do, but since my running partner and I needed extra miles for our 50M/25k combo weekend, we decided to then run the full marathon course in reverse, so we could cheer in the back-of-the-packers for the full marathon, then knock out a little bit more for a nice round 40. That turned into around 45, but there were extenuating circumstances.
Anyway, the shirt seemed really thin. Now for someone who runs several times a week, 52 weeks a year, I don’t mind having tshirts of different weights. There were a lot of complaints that this one felt cheap. I also cannot disagree with that. The medal seemed pretty polarizing, with everyone loving it or hating it. I thought it was less impressive than when I did it before, but with a sample size of 2, I’m not one to speak on where the trend lies.
Here are the issues I have. The 10k people started 10 or 15 minutes behind the half/full wave starts. I got to the first aid station in what I think would be the first half of the pack, despite starting in a late wave, because I passed a whole lot of people at the start and caught up to at least two prior waves, despite mine and ccruiz03’s battle plan of a nice slow steady performance today, since, you know, 40 miles. What can I say I am a creature of habit. When the first aid station arrived, they were out of cups. I doubt there were more than a handful of 10k runners that had even caught up at that point, which means they’d have nothing until around mile 4. How do you run out of cups THAT early in a race. Speaking of early in a race, after we completed the half and started on the reverse-course full, we noticed one runner who was very much still within the time window to finish in time. Unfortunately for him, all the aid stations were shut down at that point. I know, because remember, I’m doing the course backwards, so I’ve seen the end to the finsih line. I hate it when races close down when runners are out on the course and there is no reason to believe they won’t finish on time. Heck, for that matter, maybe they’re going to surge at the end. Can we give them the benefit of the doubt. My guy, if you’re reading this, I really hope you got your medal. You may have been last, but you were smiling, and you were staying strong, and you’re the runner I most enjoyed sharing the course with. Next to probably Jack. Jack was a great guy doing his first marathon. Made it to around 24.8 miles and cramped up hard. The police course marshal right there had nobody to call apparently, or the race organizers just didn’t think of that, but people go down on races and cramp up for different reasons. Some of them can be serious. I look at the races that have mobile aid stations of ice water and electrolytes in saddlebags on bicycles or golf carts who rush out to assist struggling racers (lookin’ at you Running With The Cows…) and the ones that just leave everybody to fend for themselves (and can’t even count on cups at aid stations, or aid stations being manned as I came to learn). After ccruiz03 gave up her electrolytes I had the esteemed honor of escorting Jack across the finish line. In that mile I learned that it was his very first full attempt, and I’ll be darned if I’m letting anybody get to nearly 25 and DNF. If you’re reading this buddy, you made my race, and all the suck that was to come was worth it.
For those looking to check off Kansas, THAT is the one to hit (RWTC), because that community cares, and is glad you’re there. Honestly, I felt like the local community is kind of sick of this race. Unlike my other year, and a great many of the stories I’ve heard, the crowd support was nonexistent this year. If you like big screaming throngs of fans or even friends and families in lawn chairs with card tables, this is going to be a disappointment. While this is not the least bit the RD’s fault, there was a weird particulate in the air that quite a number of us were coughing over, so it was just more a punch in the gut that the community didn’t seem to really want us there any longer. Garmin was present in name only, missing out on a great opportunity for them, and speaking of missed opportunities, once you left the starting arch, don’t expect to see anything Wizard of Oz related until you come back through it at the end. Nobody thought to pump that up and get a real theme going? This felt more like a Sunday run with ccruiz03 than a race, and while I love our training runs (running is my therapy), I could print up a shirt and/or there’s always a virtual to find and we could have the same overall effect.
This race used to be the last in a three-race series. The extra medal and swag (windbreaker) was handed out to those who had completed 3 half marathons in 5 weeks (every other weekend). That at least gave it some heft. As the now-middle child in the series, it’s just the race we do because we have to in order to get the series checked off. There is a great wine bar called Vintage ’78 that was the unofficial meeting place for a number of racers afterwards, and I cannot speak highly enough of them. There was more love and camaraderie in that wine bar than I’d seen on the entire course, and if anything gets me back to Oz in the future, it’ll be that. The full course has a nice out and back through the park that has some lovely wetlands and some decent hills to run, and honestly I could see myself going and just doing 20 or so on the trails to merge up with races I’ve run further north along the trail, but the curtain has been pulled back on this one, and the wizard has been found lacking. I do hope they recover though, as it pained me to rate them so lowly, but honestly some of it was generous.
Missed Opportunity
Overall, a decent race. Packet pickup went smoothly and every volunteer we encountered throughout the weekend was extraordinarily helpful and kind. The medal is nicer than I anticipated, though the … MORE
Overall, a decent race. Packet pickup went smoothly and every volunteer we encountered throughout the weekend was extraordinarily helpful and kind. The medal is nicer than I anticipated, though the shirt feels a bit thin.
The race itself was largely forgettable, if perfectly fine (it ran mostly through some lovely and quiet neighborhoods and alongside a creek/on a forest park path). It was also hillier than I expected and the lack of shade was no joke, so wear sunglasses and sunscreen! Disappointingly, the Wizard of Oz theme wasn’t very hyped throughout; the start/finish line had some decoration and there was a cardboard cutout of characters at packet pickup, but otherwise nothing. (Ok yes, the medal and t-shirt were themed too, but I don’t think of that as day-of hype.) Also, Garmin didn’t feel present at all — we started and ended at their headquarters, but otherwise you’d never know they sponsored this (at least on race day).
Finally: I didn’t verify this with anyone official, but my watch told me the course wasn’t properly marked and ended up being too long by 2/10ths of a mile. Another girl on the course said her watch read the same as mine, so if true — annoying!
So, tldr: this race was pleasant, but it felt like such a missed opportunity to capitalize on both the Garmin sponsorship and the Wizard of Oz theme. I’m glad I ran this (my dad was so excited for it!) but I wouldn’t repeat.
Decent race
For a Garmin marathon, I expected a lot more grandiose... Slightly low key. Other than that it was a good marathon. Finish line festival could have been better arranged. Weather … MORE
For a Garmin marathon, I expected a lot more grandiose… Slightly low key. Other than that it was a good marathon. Finish line festival could have been better arranged. Weather turned out to be perfect
Love the medal!!
Come for the swag! And the easy parking/start/finish line. Super easy race to navigate since it’s small. Love the medal and the t-shirt! Course was fine, mainly through neighborhoods, sidewalks, … MORE
Come for the swag! And the easy parking/start/finish line. Super easy race to navigate since it’s small. Love the medal and the t-shirt! Course was fine, mainly through neighborhoods, sidewalks, and pedestrian trails. Early start at 6:45 means early finish. Friendly people. Good little race for Kansas.
A low-frills marathon in the Land of Oz
To start, while the race begins and ends at Garmin HQ, Garmin itself is minimally involved to my knowledge. The race is hosted and organized by the city of Olathe, … MORE
To start, while the race begins and ends at Garmin HQ, Garmin itself is minimally involved to my knowledge. The race is hosted and organized by the city of Olathe, KS. I think it’s important to point this out, since people might see Garmin in the race name and think it’s a big-budget endeavor.
Pros:
* Packet pickup at the expo was quick and painless
* Pacer for the 4:30 did a great job announcing plans ahead of time for aid stations and different segments of the race
* Crowd support was surprisingly excellent, both from the community and the volunteers. The aid stations were well-staffed with people clearly communicating water/Gatorade and handing out plenty of each.
* Plenty of aid stations, roughly every 2-3 miles, at least 4 stations with fuel. I believe every station had water AND Gatorade.
* The medal is big and shiny and beautiful!
Cons:
* The route was not very exciting. About 1/3 of it was on a closed-off lane in the street, another 1/3 on a paved bike/walking path through the woods, and 1/3 on sidewalks.
* Post-run fuel as far as I saw was banana halves, bagel chunks, and chocolate milk. Since they were already sliced and tossed in a box for self-serve, the bananas and bagels were not very appealing.
* The hills on the back half are no joke. I trained on those hills, but hitting them on legs after >20 miles was a completely different beast from training at <20.
* Lack of porta-potties on the bike path, which accounted for the middle 1/3 of the race. Not a big deal if you don’t mind ducking behind a tree, but worth mentioning.
* The expo itself was tiny, and the race shirt was generic for all distances. I bought a nice customized shirt from a vendor after the race that had all of the Marathon and Half Marathon participants listed on the back.
Bottom line, this was a low-cost, low-frills race with big crowd energy right in my backyard. I am glad I ran it once, but I do not expect to repeat it.
I was expecting more
As a race that starts and finishes at the Garmin headquarters I was expecting more from Garmin. I know we were at their building, but that was really the only … MORE
As a race that starts and finishes at the Garmin headquarters I was expecting more from Garmin. I know we were at their building, but that was really the only signage that said Garmin. Garmin definitely missed the mark on embedding themselves in the endurance community here.
The packet pickup had a few exhibitors, but again nothing from Garmin devices. I didn’t find anything useful at the pickup. I was in and out in a few minutes.
The pre race bus from the suggested hotel area did not leave enough time for gear check and bathroom break before getting to the start. We arrived only 15 minutes before the start of the race and had to walk from bus drop off to race area.
Little to no crowd support on course.
The course utilizes a bike path in some spots which included running on gravel for a short distance. The biggest issue here was just how narrow the course was in those spots. The course is also never flat. You are constantly either going up or down which prevents locking in to a pace. The last few miles are a gradual uphill.
The finish line festivities were in the Garmin parking garage which provided protection from the elements, but didn’t really offer much.
Post race buses were not very well marked and the bus drivers didn’t exactly know where they were going. Considering this was a Garmin sponsored event, they should have had a Garmin GPS to guide them.
Overall this race was just ok. If I had it to do over again, I would pick a different Kansas race.
Nice race, nothing fancy
I like smaller races, easy to navigate to and from the race. Great parking in the Garmin garage. Plenty of porta potties and aid stations were about every two miles. … MORE
I like smaller races, easy to navigate to and from the race. Great parking in the Garmin garage. Plenty of porta potties and aid stations were about every two miles. The hills were mostly at the end of race (miles 17, 18) and I didn’t like running on sidewalks. I would recommend this race if you want to run a marathon without all the bells and whistles.