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
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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.
City of Fountains & BBQ
What an awesome race! Run by Garmin, so you're well cared for with ample water stops and spectator support, the course is exceptional. I ran the half-marathon, so got just … MORE
What an awesome race! Run by Garmin, so you’re well cared for with ample water stops and spectator support, the course is exceptional. I ran the half-marathon, so got just a great look at downtown and Country Club Plaza, with awesome Fall weather to boot. GREAT BARBECUE AND BEER at the finish. Will have to do the full someday! And the pre-race expo was great, too.
Enjoyable race for a native son
I grew up in Kansas City and my brothers still live there. This was an especially enjoyable course for me, because almost all of the neighborhoods in it are so … MORE
I grew up in Kansas City and my brothers still live there. This was an especially enjoyable course for me, because almost all of the neighborhoods in it are so personally familiar to me. Beware that Kansas City is hilly! The race expo was a little less elaborate than I had expected, but it was in the beautiful Union Station and had everything one needed, including an easy packet bib-up process. Aid stations were numerous, and I believe there were porta-potties at every one of them, which was very convenient, because I needed them more than I had expected. Volunteers and crowds were friendly. Finisher’s medal in 2023 was very cool. It can be propped up for display and features the Shuttlecocks in front of the Nelson-Atkins (the museum that the race starts and finishes at). Course swag also included a long-sleeved shirt that is useful for running when it’s around 40 degrees F.
BBQ and Hills
The marathon course is front end loaded with the hills which can burn you out if you aren't ready for them. The back half is more gentle rolling through residential … MORE
The marathon course is front end loaded with the hills which can burn you out if you aren’t ready for them. The back half is more gentle rolling through residential and older commercial areas but the course and community support is pretty good. The end is a series of turns which will make you second guess if it will ever end but you will be rewarded with a very nice finish line area by the art museum and sculpture garden.
Garmin in KC, Just Do It
The course is very hilly, so be prepared for that. You run all through KC and it makes for beautiful scenery. I stuck with the 2:55 pace group just to … MORE
The course is very hilly, so be prepared for that. You run all through KC and it makes for beautiful scenery. I stuck with the 2:55 pace group just to take it easy and really enjoy the city and the course. The food post race is excellent, Jack Stack BBQ provided pulled pork sandwiches and they had beer other than Mich Ultra (which is a huge win in my book). This was race 1 of 2 on the weekend for me as part of the I 35 Challenge (Des Moines up the next day).
Bonus: Free race photos were provided post race, as well as a cool statistic email about portions of the race. One thing they tracked is how many people you passed in the last quarter mile, that was fun to see.
It was ok
Maybe because I’ve completed other races that were smaller, this felt like nothing special. The starting chute was tiny for the volume of runners. Volunteers in the course weren’t engaged … MORE
Maybe because I’ve completed other races that were smaller, this felt like nothing special. The starting chute was tiny for the volume of runners. Volunteers in the course weren’t engaged with the runners. The expo location was gorgeous but very cramped. The course was much hillier than I was expecting even after looking at the elevation gain.
HILLS and more HiLlS
Awesome race awesome course. The hills were challenging. But the view was awesome. Nice expo for a mid sized race. I had a good day and ran a good race. … MORE
Awesome race awesome course. The hills were challenging. But the view was awesome. Nice expo for a mid sized race. I had a good day and ran a good race. Best in a long time. Good swag and a super post race area with food and music
Who Knew the Midwest had so many hills?!
I chose the Kansas City half marathon for Missouri so I could do the I-35 Challenge with Des Moines and get Iowa as well on the same trip. Of note … MORE
I chose the Kansas City half marathon for Missouri so I could do the I-35 Challenge with Des Moines and get Iowa as well on the same trip. Of note you do have to register for separately and pay extra for the I-35 challenge. I had planned to do this trip this year at least a couple years in advance and was really excited when they announced the NFL schedule and my football team the Bills were at the Chiefs this weekend so it ended up being a great trip. I took a couple days off and flew into Kansas City Thursday morning. Friday I went to packet pick-up which was at Union Station in Downtown Kansas City. They gave you a QR code for free parking. Expo was kind of small but had the essentials. Packet included a small tumbler and a long sleeve shirt for the Kansas City race and an I-35 challenge shirt if you signed up. The shirts are polyblend not tech. They are nice quality but I’m not sure how much I will wear them as they are very light material and I usually prefer thicker, warmer long sleeved shirts. I stayed at the Marriott which was less than half a mile from the start/finish. The race starts at 7am and the Marriott has noon checkout so plenty of time to shower for most half marathoners before driving to Iowa. It was well priced for a race day Marriott and I’d recommend it. I went to a concert Friday night so I rolled out of bed as late as I could and got to the race about 20 minutes before the start. There is a special VIP tent for half fanatics/marathon maniacs but I got there too late to really take advantage of it. Probably my biggest complaint about the race was the start corral. It was jammed pack and there was no way to access it except from the back. There were signs to line up by pace. I arrived at the corral really late but I was planning to take my sweet time on this race so the back of the pack was where I needed to be. However there were a bunch of faster running pushing to get ahead. I completely understand why they did that as they should line up where they belong but there should have been several entry points so they could enter at the correct spot. They also could have made it longer and not so tight. The rest of the race was really well produced. The course definitely has great urban views and gives you a really nice tour of the city. Most of it is on closed, downtown streets which is really cool and you can enjoy the architecture and the sights. However it is extremely hilly. I’ve heard it was hilly but having done some very flat races for most of my other midwest races I assumed everyone was exaggerating but it was one of the hilliest halfs I have done. And the uphills were for long stretches and some were steep. Of course there are also some nice downhills including the last mile. As I said I was taking my sweet time this race as I just needed to finish with time to shower and check out by noon and I needed to save my energy to be fast in Des Moines so I could drive back to Kansas City for the late afternoon football game. I walked pretty much all the uphill and ran the downhill at a leisurely pace. There were adequate aid stations about every 2 miles with water and powerade and one with gu. I was disappointed in the number of spectators. Spectator support was pretty sparse for the size of the city but I appreciated those out there and there were some musical entertainment on course. One thing I loved is on the worst hill around mile 9 which was also probably the only boring section of the course they had it lined with home made signs from friends and family members. Some were cute little kid drawings, others funny jokes and others motivational. I thought this was great and I would recommend more races do this. It help entertain me on this awful stretch of the race. As I said the last mile is nice and downhill back to the finish line. One other minor complaint is I noticed the last 2 aid stations were mostly cleaning up when I passed them. The volunteers left out cups of water and powerade but were cleaning and not interacting with us or handing us cups. Kind of disappointing and while I was slow I was still ahead of the minimum pace to complete the marathon which has a 7 hour limit. At the finish line they announce the finishers and get your medal. The medal is nice with shuttlecocks which I guess are a symbol of Kansas City and different colors/size for different race. They had beer and food. I didn’t drink the beer. The food was barbeque pork sandwiches which I don’t eat but they did have some vegetable sandwiches which were literally just grilled veggies on a hamburger bun. It was kind of gross but better than nothing and I took a few bites to hold me over until I could get real lunch. If you do want good vegan barbeque in Kansas City I had a great vegan BBQ sandwich at Tree Hugger Kitchen. Overall I thought it was a good race and a nice tour of the city. I wish there were less hills though and more spectators. It’s a solid choice for Missouri and a great choice if you are hoping to combine states to do with Des Moines.
Great race, so many hills!
Well organized race, enjoyed running past several landmarks I hadn't seen in years. Great support and a clearly marked course. Who put the photographer at the top of a hill … MORE
Well organized race, enjoyed running past several landmarks I hadn’t seen in years. Great support and a clearly marked course. Who put the photographer at the top of a hill though?! ha! More hills than I was prepared for (even after reviewing the evaluation chart).
Stayed within walking distance of the start… plenty of hotels if you don’t mind a mile-ish walk! Didn’t have time to stick around the finish, but looked like there was plenty going on for those who hung out.