I have ran the KCM four times now and each time the course was different. The 2005 addition was very scenic but more challenging than the previous three.

I have run marathons coast to coast and just about everywhere in between. Some of them had very long and steep hills, but not an abundance.

Kansas City had way too many long steep hills and ordinarily I don't have a problem with them. However, throw in the heat and humidity factor and you don't have a race - you have a survival event!

All other factors were great and appreciated. I would highly suggest that the organizers consider much-easier-to-locate mile markers! Put them on BOTH sides of the street, especially in the early stages of the race.

Would I run it again? Probably not, and that's not due to anything other than that I have run it four times and there are only so many marathons and so little time!

I ran the half-marathon and thought this was a great race for Kansas City. I agree that more work needs to be done on the logistics (marking the course correctly, changing the date the later in the fall, and manning the aid stations better), but for the first year back, I was very pleased overall. This was a huge improvement over the previous KC marathons/half-marathons. The course was very scenic and moderately challenging.

For the people who were frustrated by the hills and the weather, these should not have taken anyone by surprise, especially those who are from the Midwest and know how September weather can vary. Anyone who lives in KC knows how hilly this area is and that a flat course would be near impossible (unless, of course, we ran loops around a track). I think whatever race you decide to do, make sure to do your research. Check the elevation maps and then base your training on the type of course you will be running. If you are going to be running hills in your race, train on hills.

I'm looking forward to running this race again next year! Let's keep this race going and make KC proud!

Back after a one-year hiatus, the Kansas City Marathon gave a valiant effort. The new course was scenic, and there was much more organization to this race than previous Kansas City Marathons. Now on to the good and bad.

The Good:
- Scenic course. Much better than the '02 & '03 courses that had you run uphill for the final mile. The last 2 miles downhill were preferable.
- Great volunteers. Not to be biased to my hometown, but the volunteers were extremely enthusiastic and made up for the small number of spectators.
- The police. They did a tremendous job controlling traffic... better than any other marathon I've run.
- The post-race was great. Free beer, free pasta, what more could one want?
- Having this the weekend of Oktoberfest, Plaza Art Fair, American Royal Parade, etc. made for a great weekend.

The Bad:
- The hills. Toughest course I've run... but then again, no one has ever said a marathon should be easy.
- The heat. Not as bad as LA in '04 or NYC in '03, but still hotter than I'd prefer.
- The water stops. Not enough of 'em. Every 1.5 miles would be my preference - it gets hot in KC in September; I need my water.

This was a good first effort for the new organizers and I expect it to get much better in the future. See you next year.

Great city. Bad marathon. The course was poorly marked and ended up being 25.8 miles. The hills were too many and too big. Nice try KC but I won't be back. I put in 4 months of hard training only to run on an impossible course that didn't even measure up to standard length. I'll do Chicago instead next year but this fall was wasted in KC.

The course was hilly. But I expect that in KC. The weather was a bit hotter and more humid that I like. Once suggestion might be to have the even later in the year. September can be hard to predict in terms of weather. The course went by some great spots in KC. That is a big improvement from previous KC Marathon routes. It was also nice having bands playing music at various locations along the course. The after-party race celebration was great. The most disappointing part is the fact that the marathon and 1/2 course is probably .4 miles short due to confusion on the route. I finished thinking that I PR'd. Come to find out that I probably didn't. Thank goodness I had already qualified for Boston and really didn't need this marathon for that. I would like to see it continue. I think they are on the right track.

What a great return for the KC Marathon. Although the weather turned this from a race to a training run, I could not have been more impressed by the organization and volunteer support. Cheerful, helpful and encouraging folks greeted me at every aid station. The course was tough.... welcome to KC! But scenery was actually interesting and an excellent tour of KC's highlights. The bands (many more then I expected) rocked. Post-race food was a rare treat. (Thank you, Lidia's!)

Colder water at the aid stations would have been appreciated, but overall I was impressed by the great job of all volunteers and the KC Police Department. It was nice to be treated with respect in a city that has not historically embraced this event. Kudos to all involved.

Very good first-year event; look forward to running again next year.

This marathon could be a lot better if the people of Kansas City would embrace it. I felt the organizers did a great job. A full meal provided by Jack Stack Barbeque was greatly appreciated. They also had several drawings for prizes ranging from a free pair of running shoes to a one-year lease on a MINI Cooper Convertible courtesy of Baron Automotive. The marathon was also the same weekend as the KC Art Festival.

The race did have its problems, though.

1. They need more and better-manned water stops. They seemed to be spread out a little far, and some were manned by one or two people.
2. A mile marker every mile would be nice. It is hard to pace yourself if you do not have a Garmin or mile markers to go by. I saw the first one at mile 3.
3. More volunteers and spectators would be great. Spectators were few and spread out.
4. Though it was not fixable, the heat and humidity made me glad I was just doing the half that day. The course was rolling, which I believe would not be too bad if it were not for the heat.

Hats off to the Kansas City Police Dept. They did a great job. I saw several instances where they had to run out in front of cars to stop them. I may have to give the full a try next year.

The course route is excellent, as it takes you through most of Kansas City's noted and scenic neighborhoods. Organization was quite good for a nascent event. Points deducted for serving warm Powerade and water at the aid stations. Cool drinks on a hot day please! Points added for the volunteer teams, however. The vols were supportive and SO kind, it made a big difference. Also, the bands were a nice touch. I've run a 'Rock & Roll' race before and thought the concept was overrated, but the bands on this course were diverse and sounded great. Spectators get 5 stars.... the quantity was a little thin but man the people who did come out were awesome and supportive. Even the police directing traffic along the course were supportive. Overall I think this was a great marathon; the effort was there, organization-wise, and the KC community deserves big kudos for their kindness.

That said, hoo wee... was it ever tough. Kansas City is a hilly city and there were 6 very tough climbs on the course. There's no way around it, so don't train exclusively on flats!

And a *very* small aside (in case tournament directors are reading this).... The commemorative tee shirts were LAME! Long-sleeve is appreciated, and shirts that we can train in (i.e. not cotton) would be even better.

All things considered, however, I thought KC put on a great race and I hope they continue to grow it in the future. You can definitely envision Twin Cities-like support from the community down the line. Keep up the good work!

First off, I ran the half, not the full, and thought it went quite well.

Some Comments:

1. I thought the weather was actually not too bad.

2. I thought the hills were going to be worse, but training on really steep hills definitely paid off for the not-so-steep ones where I was able to make up time.

3. In response to no mile markers until mile 7, there were in fact markers from 1-6. And 7-12 (the half).

4. I thought the course could have had a few more signs pointing to show where to run.

5. As said before bigger cups for the water and Gatorade would have been nice.

6. Pretty good control of traffic except one time where a lady nearly hit a group of us with her Altima.

7. All in all a good race... I just wish there were showers at the end so I could have stayed for the festivities longer.