I added this race to my list to knock off Kansas but didn't have the best experience. Positives: Pacers, aid stations, cool finisher medal, free parking and easy enough logistics. … MORE
I added this race to my list to knock off Kansas but didn’t have the best experience.
Positives: Pacers, aid stations, cool finisher medal, free parking and easy enough logistics.
Negatives: Smaller race field for the full marathon (especially if you’re slower), race was short (wasn’t a huge deal for me but MAJOR for BQ and 50 staters), the finish line was tore down when I finished, was some food but didn’t feel supported as I finished.
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Not my favorite
I added this race to my list to knock off Kansas but didn't have the best experience. Positives: Pacers, aid stations, cool finisher medal, free parking and easy enough logistics. … MORE
I added this race to my list to knock off Kansas but didn’t have the best experience.
Positives: Pacers, aid stations, cool finisher medal, free parking and easy enough logistics.
Negatives: Smaller race field for the full marathon (especially if you’re slower), race was short (wasn’t a huge deal for me but MAJOR for BQ and 50 staters), the finish line was tore down when I finished, was some food but didn’t feel supported as I finished.
They shorted the course. Yikes.
It was short. Besides that not much to see running a lot of neighborhoods that is about it. Swag was good. Was just expecting a bit more I guess. MORE
It was short. Besides that not much to see running a lot of neighborhoods that is about it. Swag was good. Was just expecting a bit more I guess.
Challenging as Always
One of my favorite half marathons! This particular race involves most everything one could want; scenery of all types-parks, residential, business; plenty of hills to challenge, and plenty of flat … MORE
One of my favorite half marathons! This particular race involves most everything one could want; scenery of all types-parks, residential, business; plenty of hills to challenge, and plenty of flat areas to just enjoy the pace. Fellow runners are always pumped for this particular run, so this definitely adds to the excitement & fun. Just be prepared for any given weather. It’s early spring in the Midwest.
What a Wonderful Race!
Don't get caught up thinking about the location (Olathe) or if you aren't a fan of the Wizard of Oz.... Location is so close to Kansas City and the surrounding … MORE
Don’t get caught up thinking about the location (Olathe) or if you aren’t a fan of the Wizard of Oz….
Location is so close to Kansas City and the surrounding areas that there are loads of things to do… we spent almost a week there and still missed out on a lot of things.
From what I have been told the theme varies from year to year (within the Oz world) with 2022 being the year of The Witch. The volunteers, posters, signs, medals and such were all wonderful.
Only complaints were: Expo was really small, they cut the course 1/4 mile (doesn’t matter much to anyone except those trying to BQ) and apparently this year they had higher than usual winds, so strong that I got wind burn but aside from that the course was clearly marked and I felt safe the whole course.
Theme great, logistics off
Pros: If you love the Wizard of Oz and Garmin this is the race for you! Wizard of OZ Theme Option to dress in costume or just take pictures of … MORE
Pros:
If you love the Wizard of Oz and Garmin this is the race for you!
Wizard of OZ Theme
Option to dress in costume or just take pictures of those in costume
Visit to Garmin Headquarters
Garmin Digital Badge
Overall fun Atmosphere
Cons:
Logistics could be improved.
Confusing shuttle and barely making the race
Mile markers off by .3 miles, do to a turn around cone be dropped to short
2nd water station out of cups
No direction or volunteer for final turn
Beautiful course, great production
We had Oz tornadic-like wind gusts of 35-40 mph, and a quick, but powerful rainstorm at mile 18, but the rest of it was dreamy! We prepared for the hills … MORE
We had Oz tornadic-like wind gusts of 35-40 mph, and a quick, but powerful rainstorm at mile 18, but the rest of it was dreamy! We prepared for the hills (just rollers, nothing too scary) but couldn’t overcome that wind very easily. The RD and staff were SO kind to save us veggie burritos at the finish, when we made it known that the meat ones wouldn’t work for us, despite the half marathoners consuming all but what was tucked away for us. Plenty of GOOD beer and recovery drinks, staffed tables with fruit and granola bars and in the parking garage, to avoid the inclement weather. The shirt and medal are great, too! Funny enough, they mismarked the course, so it was a tad short, but I wasn’t trying to qualify or PR, so no biggie for me.
Well organized race and pretty course
This is a great race! Very well organized with excellent after race food and drinks. Excellent support along the route. Loved the shirt and medal. Loved this one! MORE
This is a great race! Very well organized with excellent after race food and drinks. Excellent support along the route. Loved the shirt and medal. Loved this one!
Fantastic race
Beautiful, scenic route with amazing course support. The race was very well organized and the people are all so very friendly! Great finish line food and 2 free beers! MORE
Beautiful, scenic route with amazing course support. The race was very well organized and the people are all so very friendly! Great finish line food and 2 free beers!
Windy Fun!
This was my first race in Kansas and I was expecting some wind but nothing like what Mother Nature had in store. Packet pickup was easy and organized. Expo was … MORE
This was my first race in Kansas and I was expecting some wind but nothing like what Mother Nature had in store.
Packet pickup was easy and organized. Expo was small but expected.
The course was a good combination of hills, flat, residential, and paved trails.
Aid stations were plentiful but the second station did not have cups so that made it hard with it being so windy. I felt like the wind was zapping every drop of water from my body.
Several people dressed up which was cool.
There were several vendors at the after party so that was nice.
All in all it is a good race.
Well-organized, fun race
You would expect Garmin to know how to put on a distance event- and they do! Plenty of parking at the start/finish in their parking garage. Plenty of porta-potties. Packet … MORE
You would expect Garmin to know how to put on a distance event- and they do! Plenty of parking at the start/finish in their parking garage. Plenty of porta-potties. Packet pickup was easy.
The race is run primarily on urban park trails and residential streets. The course has a couple of hilly portions (basically a repeat of an out and back portion), but otherwise was flat or rolling. There were plenty of volunteers and hydration stations. I did miss one marked turn and ran an extra 1/2 mile, but that was mainly on me. I struggled due to a recent illness, but the course is not too hard.
The race has a Wizard of Oz theme and several people ran in costume. It is not overdone, but made for some pretty ugly race swag (in my opinion.) Overall, a great race. I recommend it.
Hometown Race on my birthday
This was the second time I have run this race. Due to postponement I got to run this race on my 42nd birthday. Small expo, but a quick and easy … MORE
This was the second time I have run this race. Due to postponement I got to run this race on my 42nd birthday. Small expo, but a quick and easy packet pickup. Driving into Garmin HQ made parking easy on the day of the race. plenty of porta-potties as well. The course was a mix of bike trails, neighborhoods, and downtown Olathe (nothing noteworthy). a little hilly, but it was well marked and the aid stations were great. The Olathe PD did a great job at traffic control and were very encouraging. Nice medal but it had the original date of the race….offered burritos and a few other snacks…didn’t see any beer….will run it again as it is only 10 minutes from my house and is a well organized event.
Solid race. I made my own fun this year!
Expo was normal for the covid era we are in, yet not impressed being slightly badgered by the water filter guy. I don’t want someone selling me something for my … MORE
Expo was normal for the covid era we are in, yet not impressed being slightly badgered by the water filter guy. I don’t want someone selling me something for my home at a sporting event expo. I wish he actually had water to pass out. Course was actually prettier than I expected although more rolling hills than I expected on the paved trail between mile 8-15 out and back. All the aid stations were well placed and great volunteers. I dressed up in a Dorothy costume so I got great fellow runner feedback and race volunteer motivation. I was pretty slow, but I did have Toto in a basket in tow. Due to covid this was postponed from April and I don’t know what the Emerald City celebration was suppose to be like as they felt they needed to cancel the after party. The finish was lack luster with minimal post race food and NO chocolate milk. I compared this to a very successful after party recently at Hartford CT with prepared food bags, beer tent, live music in a very spread out environment. I was a little more hopeful there would be a little more “hoopla” at the finish. It is a solid race for my 50 state endeavor. Oh and a helpful man at the expo entrance names Kelly suggested I go to the ymca for a shower, since I needed to check out of my hotel. It was perfect!!!
Good race in a nice place
It is NOT flat. Train for hills. Also be aware that if you opt for the parking shuttle you might not have a ride back to your car. Good race … MORE
It is NOT flat. Train for hills. Also be aware that if you opt for the parking shuttle you might not have a ride back to your car. Good race though, nice scenery and support. Lots of running on trails but they are very pretty and HILLY
Nice Course Room to Run
Good mixture of roads and asphalt running trails. Good support at the water stops, plenty of cheering and volunteers. The race pacer provided encouragement and inspiration to get to the … MORE
Good mixture of roads and asphalt running trails. Good support at the water stops, plenty of cheering and volunteers. The race pacer provided encouragement and inspiration to get to the finish line.
In the land of Oz
My race was deferred from April 2020 and 2021 then postponed to November of 2021. Packet pick up at the convention center was quick and convenient. Just a few venders. … MORE
My race was deferred from April 2020 and 2021 then postponed to November of 2021.
Packet pick up at the convention center was quick and convenient. Just a few venders.
The race swag was basic. IMO, ugly yellow shirt, breakfast burrito at the finish with water and energy drinks. The medal was pretty nice; however, it has the April 2021 stamped on it. I understand for cost purposes and the strange times with Covid but it kinda sucks.
I love a race that incorporates the use of the city’s trail/bike paths and this race put them to good use! Expect some hills throughout the race, equally up and down. The volunteers/police/city workers were wonderful throughout and felt safe and on course the entire time.
My personal performance has been suffering lately and I’m still working on figuring some heath issue. Overall, I’m happy with my performance at this good runners weather race date!
Hard but beautiful
Packet pick up is quick and easy. There was plenty of parking the parking garage at the start and finish which worked well for me as I travelled with two … MORE
Packet pick up is quick and easy. There was plenty of parking the parking garage at the start and finish which worked well for me as I travelled with two other runners who I knew I would finish about a hour before. It was a tough and hilly course for someone who lives in flat land. The course was beautiful in the fall however this is normally a spring race. I did enjoy the course and the volunteers were all great! I was disappointed that there was no beer at finish. Two separate out and backs which is always tough. The weather was perfect in the fall of 2021.
Marathon in the Land of Oz
This course was relatively easy, but there wasn’t much to look at really. The production was smooth, but it lacked some of the excitement at bigger races. The reason to … MORE
This course was relatively easy, but there wasn’t much to look at really. The production was smooth, but it lacked some of the excitement at bigger races. The reason to do this course is for the swag. Every year the race is themed on a different character from the Wizard of Oz which is pretty cool. I’ll definitely do this again.
The land of oz...
The expo was small, but very nicely presented - even saw a 50 stater table there. I like the shirt design which was wicking and matched the character theme (this … MORE
The expo was small, but very nicely presented – even saw a 50 stater table there. I like the shirt design which was wicking and matched the character theme (this year it was the year of the lion). The course went into a nice neighborhood (but with a lot of hills), and several different bike trails. I feel like we were on a lot sidewalks and roadways – traffic control was great!!! Aide stations were good with water/ Gatorade, and plenty of Gu especially in those later miles. Course was well marked with mile markers and pink arrows on the ground. I absolutely Loved the medals this year (except they had wrong date/year – understandable due to COViD cancellations). I enjoyed dressing up with my group as Wizard of Oz characters. The announcer/DJ did a great job calling out finishers, while keeping the music rockin’. The post-race food was good (burritos), but unfortunately no beer. However, the Red Crow Brewing is right down the street and has plenty of cold beer and space!
So well organized
The race is so well organized, from parking to the expo, it was just so easy to get there and get going. Almost zero hassle, I can tell that Garmin … MORE
The race is so well organized, from parking to the expo, it was just so easy to get there and get going. Almost zero hassle, I can tell that Garmin put this on. Also the post race burritos were really really good too.
"You are capable of more than you know!"
Let Glinda's words be an encouragement to you; follow the Yellow Brick Road and run this race! The OZ Garmin is my single favorite "do-it-again" race. The entry fee is … MORE
Let Glinda’s words be an encouragement to you; follow the Yellow Brick Road and run this race! The OZ Garmin is my single favorite “do-it-again” race. The entry fee is a good value. Kansas City is easily accessible with plenty of lodging options. The race shirts are always clever and the medals are consistently some of my very favorites. The course is moderately hilly and challenging, but Spring is in full bloom along the scenic route. And the OZ costuming is not to be missed! Every size, shape, age (and even gender) of Dorothy will be there. Plenty of Wicked Witches in attendance and always good representation by the Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion. The most impressive outfit I’ve seen was a guy with a wrestler’s build decked out in a movie-accurate vest, fez and full, black, pinioned wings of a flying monkey! Don’t let anyone ever try to convinve you that Aeropetespithekosozophobia isn’t a real thing! Seeing this guy took me back to years of cowering behind the sofa when the flying monkeys showed up. (They’re just not natural!) Race Director, Bubba G, consistently raises the bar and delivers the goods on this event.
Consider dropping by the Red Crow Brewery in Olathe for a post-race celebration of your finish. And don’t forget, “It’s not where you go; it’s who you meet along the way.”