The organizers did a fantastic job this year, especially considering it was only the second year that the race was back. The course was a great tour of the city. It featured many of Kansas City's beautiful fountains and historic neighborhoods. I especially liked running through the Plaza, Brookside, and the 18th and Vine district. Yes, there were some hills; however, a good portion of the course was relatively flat and there were some nice declines. The bands along the course were great. The "finisher" t-shirt (a Dri-Fit running shirt) was a nice touch. The volunteers did a great job at the aid stations and there was plenty of water and PowerAde. The spectators that did come out were awesome; however, considering the population of the metropolitan area, the crowd support was fairly thin in a lot of areas. I look forward to next year's race and hope that the weather will be a little cooler and the pollen count lower. Overall the organizers produced a great product this year and I would recommend this race to other runners.

This is the second time that I have participated in this race. The course was great this year and it was an awesome experience. This will be one that I run every year. :)

This is the second time that I have participated in this race. The course was great this year and it was an awesome experience. This will be one that I run every year. :)

(I'm a few years late in submitting my comments, but better late than never, right?)

This was my first marathon in 2003 and I found it to be pretty hard, probably because it was my first. I enjoyed the cold and rainy weather because it kept me cool. The course was very scenic, but full of rolling hills. Very pleasant first-time experience.

Well organized, despite the slight miscue on length (better short than long!!!). Very hot and humid, hit 11 of 12 water points, and wish I'd have hit the one I skipped. Elevation chart resembled an EKG and the real hills were a challenge also.

I enjoyed this race. It was my first marathon. I liked the course. I was disappointed when I heard it was marked a little short. There were some challenging hills and it was a hot humid day, but overall I recommend this race. The fans that were there were great. The volunteers helped out a lot.

This race was a huge improvement over the previous courses. This course is hilly and it was a warm day, but any course in KC will be hilly and I will take the heat over the freezing rain from previous years when it was later in the year. There were several problems: The course was short (a biggie), water and Gatorade were warm at most of the aid stations, and some of the aid stations were not organized well. I really enjoyed it and I am looking forward to running it next year, something I was not thinking after running this race in previous years.

Human nature is such that a faux paus such as the 0.4 mile shortfall in distance is almost certain not to be repeated in future years. From a scenic perspective, the course seemed to cover the best of KC Missouri; from a hill perspective, it seemed to cover them all. The marathon should be moved into early October to reduce the risk of running in heat and humidity.

The bands, volunteers and spectators, in combination with the course (excluding the hills), made this a memorable race and I'll do it again. But next time, I'll look to make sure that the elevation chart has a flatter line.

Inaugural marathons are seldom without flaws, and the Waddell & Reed Marathon was certainly no exception; however a round of applause is well deserved by Eladio Valdez and staff for designing a challenging yet attractive course which featured historical landmarks and local attractions throughout Kansas City. This was my 15th marathon and 4th in Kansas City. The hills were demanding and the humidity took its toll on me, but marathons are not supposed to be easy. The expo was small, but organized and adequate, the course was well marked (in most areas), and the volunteers were supportive and helpful. KCPD did an outstanding job with traffic control, the starting line was easy to access, and there was ample space near and around the starting line to stretch and conduct pre-race rituals prior to the start. Parking was plentiful and easy to access near the starting line, however space was limited near the finish line. The finish line at the Freight House District was a nice touch for the runners. This event, along with the parade and other activities near Union Station, presented a festive atmosphere, and overall I thought this marathon was a success. I commend those who volunteered their personal time and hard work to make this inaugural event a enjoyable experience for the participants. A special thank you to the lady at mile 21 who provided ice cubes to us 'back of the pack' runners as we struggled with the heat and humidity; your generosity was greatly appreciated. Despite the .4-mile discrepancy, which was later revealed through the local media, I will run this event again.

This is by far the hardest course for a marathon or half marathon that I have ever run. I remember 1-2 miles where I was not running up or down a hill (long, steep hills). UNACCEPTABLE! That does not make for a fun experience. The following are areas to improve, if you have another race.

1. Anyone who knows anything about running knows you need COLD water/sports drinks. UNACCEPTABLE!
2. Accurate course distance: if this was a Boston qualifier, I am positive that the USATF would be very upset. I didn't have a GPS and knew we were short. UNACCEPTABLE!
3. Split times (5k, 10k, half, etc.) and raise the mile markers so people can see them in crowds.

Although I had a great race with a good time, I would not return or recommend this course to anyone. The organizers need to bring someone on board that has commonsense knowledge of running, and what marathons are about.

Your one positive would be the Westin Hotel. GREAT JOB!