I ran the newly christened 'Oz Marathon' (formerly the Olathe Marathon) in 2011.

Course: The course was newly redesigned this year. The first mile started (with a cannon blast) in front of the Garmin world headquarters. This first leg included the only 2 hills of consequence (actually a long freeway overpass). This led to 6 miles of loops through and around the Olathe Medical Center and a big loop around the near deserted Great Mall of the Great Plains. Miles 7 through 12 pushed through some typical residential streets (even dodged some road kill!). Finally, at mile 12 the 1/2 marathoners peeled off and the full headed on to 14 miles on a paved out and back trail, mostly through nice forested woods (with one unintentional steeplechase pool to run through!). The end of the course consisted of an empty loop around a high school parking lot before the finisher's chute on the Garmin campus. The course was flat, but not particularly fast, largely because of the near constant strong wind exposure, especially the first 12 miles. There were no sights of interest to see, and no music to speak of. The woods were my favorite part of the course and they helped a little with the wind. The finishing mile was a bit of a let down as it was just an empty parking lot right into a nasty headwind. Spectators are few and tend to clump at certain spots, but those who are there are extremely enthusiastic, some even in costume. Really supportive and made you laugh. The out and back and accessible course makes it easy for loved ones to see you on the course multiple times. The weather was deceptively cold (37 at start, but a 20 mph wind which brought the windchill down to 27) it was apparent this caught a lot of people by surprise. The very strong headwinds were the most challenging aspect of the course. One thing I should note: although the course is technically not closed, at no time did I experience any delays for traffic. The running lanes were plenty wide enough to pass people without going into traffic. There were hordes of police and volunteers working (Thanks, y'all!), and the course felt safe at all times. Strong work!

Logistics: Website was informative and included pdfs of all courses (although the final pdfs didn't show up until the last week before the race). Email address for questions was posted, but was essentially non-responsive. Registration was via Active.com, by snail mail, or at the packet pick-up. Packet pick-up was easy and organized at the local Bass Pro Shop. Goodie bag included a nice cotton-T, a couple of coupons, and a free sample of soap. A few tables sufficed for the expo, but I did snag a nice water bottle. No speakers or organized feeds. Plenty of parking at the start (I recommend the parking structure as it's close to the finish). Number of full participants was 478, but start was also joined by 836 half-marathoners. Needless to say, the 14 porta potties provided at the start were far too few and proved frustrating to a lot of folks. The aid stations were plentiful (about 1.5 miles apart) and well-staffed and stocked. There were 2 GU gel stations (one is passed twice, which is nice) and gatorade was the sports drink. Even had gummies and pretzels at one station. Porta potties at each aid station except one. (Of course, since most of the course was in the woods, I suppose that's not as much of an issue!). At the finish, timing chips are taken off rapidly, and a nice technical finisher's T is given, as well as an immediate print out of your finishing time. Food included bananas, bagels, and yogurt. A nice surprise were free grilled chicken on a bun which really hit the spot. Also, there was a beer tent for those that imbibe. A massage tent proved very popular, as was a warmed school bus for those with hypothermia. Unfortunately, no foil blankets were at the finish on such a chilly day (I didn't stop shivering until I got home).

Overall: I think the Oz Marathon folks did an extremely fine job with the race. The aid station personnel, police, and spectators were as friendly as can be. In fact, since the second half of the race was up and back, the competitors themselves (even the leaders) were shouting encouragement to each other as we passed on the forest trail, which was very cool. The course is not very scenic (the Waddell and Reed Marathon in KC is better for that) and there are a few logistical rough edges, but it's flat, well-organized and friendly. Be sure to watch the weather carefully, prepare for the wind, and I think you'll have a great time!

This is my first time running the Oz Marathon (rebranded from the Olathe Marathon) and I really enjoyed it. It was really cold and windy at race start, but once we got going I thought it was fine, though still windy. The course was fairly flat. The first 12 miles were on streets; the rest was an out-n-back on a bike/running path. There were plenty of great aid stations and spectators at several different places. The out-n-back was nice because we were all encouraging each other as we passed by. I'm also very happy with the FREE kids' race where they ran about a mile and got a number, medal and shirt. My 3-, 6-, and 8-year-olds all did it and and loved it; they can't wait to wear their shirts and medal to school on Monday. Also, plenty of nice hotels within 1 mile for travelers. The 7 a.m. start also is nice so you don't need to "run' back to the hotel and change before check-out time. Overall, a really nice race that I would love to run again.

I stayed at the Olathe Fairfield Inn. They were great and even had breakfast and snacks available before the race. Dinner at Zios was good too, but go early.

I enjoyed most of the course - especially the bike path. The first 4 miles around the parking lot of the mall were less enjoyable. I'd make that part shorter and either go through more neighborhoods or more bike path. Perhaps a loop around the Nazarene campus could be worked in. The other people on the bike path were nice and cheered us on. And the cross-country boys actually spoke to us and encouraged us.

I started with the 4:50 pace group and met lots of nice runners from the local area.

Recommend this race for KS!

Good:
1. Lucked out and had great weather
2. Nice finisher's shirt. Even better, I managed to miss the shirts after I finished as I had flight to catch, and race director quickly mailed me one. Great service!
3. Good start/finish area - well laid-out, with plenty of food, porta-potties, etc.
4. Greenway/bike path was attractive
5. Although not a selling point for me, they had many pacers (perhaps too many- see #2 below)
6. Spectators were great - not many, but you shouldn't come to Kansas anticipating Boston-like crowds. Fans were super supportive!
7. Easy/free parking at the expo and start/finish

Not-so-good:
1. While I enjoyed the greenway, 14 miles on it seemed like a bit much. Also, with it being open, there were issues with kids/cross country kids and bikes nearly running me down at times. It would be nice to see other scenery in Olathe as well.
2. The abundance of half-marathon people... I understand why courses overlap but I always enjoy marathons more when we are on separate courses. This is especially true here, as there were a ton of pacers for the half (and full too), so you were dodging many clusters of folks.
Race management did a good job with this one. Looks like they are re-branding for 2011 so it will be interesting to see how it grows. If you're looking to run in Kansas, and like smaller marathons, this is a good one.

This was my 51st marathon, and I have to say: Wow! For a small race, it was almost perfectly organized from packet pick-up to removal of timing chips. Everyone - from the packet pick-up, to course marshals, to policemen, to the finish line folks - was extremely friendly and enthusiastic. No complaints from me! It should be noted the second aid station did not have water - though that's not a problem for me, as I carry my own water for the first few miles to avoid the chaos at the first few aid stations. I could have done without the wind but I knew to expect it when I signed up. There isn't anything the race director can do about it, but be warned that it is windy.

I stayed at the Comfort Suites and any questions or requests were cheerfully addressed. The hotel was less than 10 minutes from the start/finish, with lots of dining options. I highly recommend that hotel.

Job well done, Olathe!

I ran this marathon in 2008. This is a new course that starts approximately where the old course ended. Some elevation change, but no big hills. For the KC area, it was relatively flat. From mile 12 to 24, you run on a bike/walking trail that is along Indian Creek. It's picturesque, and more importantly, because you are running through woods, it's out of the Kansas wind. There were a smaller number of runners than in 2008, but that may have been due to its being canceled in 2009, and also the Eisenhower Marathon occurring on the same day. Overall, a good experience.

Nice, small marathon. Course is mainly flat, through residential and business areas, and paved trails. Don't expect many spectators. Wonderful volunteers, organizers and emergency people. Only negative: I was running with the 4:50 pace group and there was no water at the first or second aid stations. There was Gatorade only at the first aid station, and nothing at the second. I'm sure organizers will correct this error.

I made a last-minute decision to drive down and do this race, as I was scheduled for a 20-mile training run on race day. I had no expectations and came away satisfied with the race as a whole.

Registration/packet pickup and location:
It took only a few minutes to register and pick up my cotton t-shirt, number, and chip on Friday evening. There are plenty of hotels and dining options in the area.

Course:
The course is very flat, as advertised. The first 6 miles are a monotonous grind around a deserted mall and business area. Mile 6 through 12 are through average, if unspectacular, residential areas.

Mile 12 to the finish are an out-and-back along a relatively nice bike path. The path is open to the public, so you must be aware of bicyclists, walkers, and pets! The loop around the high school just before the finish is desolate, and you have to run over speed bumps.

If you're looking for thousands of screaming fans to energize you through the race, you're not going to find that here. Fan support through most of the course is nonexistent. The few fans there were, however, cheered mightily for everyone.

Course management and support:
The course is well managed, with a slew of police handling traffic and plenty of volunteers directing you in the right direction. There are ample water stops and 3 GU stations are the most I've seen at any race.

One issue with the water/GU stations is that most of them along the bike path are staffed only on one side, meaning that you will have people going in opposite directions coming into them at the same time, which makes for some difficulties.

Lastly, at some spots in the residential areas, the cones laying out the course barely give you enough room to pass another runner without stepping into traffic.

Finish/post-race:
Once across the line you quickly receive water and your medal and get your chip removed. You're directed to a tent to receive your finisher's technical shirt and a very nice Dri-Fit hat. A few minutes later you can receive a slip of paper with your race time/pace and placement on it - a very nice touch.

The finish area had good food choices - bananas, bagels, and yogurt. The chips and cheese from Taco John's were a great way to get some salty food, although I passed on the tacos! They also had smoothies and the Boulevard beer was stellar.

Summary:
I thoroughly enjoyed this race. If you're looking for large crowds, this isn't for you. If you want a small, well planned race with very friendly runners, organizers, and support staff - and don't mind racing in solitude - this is a great race for you.

This year it was hotter than expected, but not too bad. The course is really nice. It is run in pleasant neighborhoods and on a trail that goes out to 18 miles and then returns to the finish. The trail is also used by people on bikes, and several older ladies were dangerous on their bikes, running me off of the trail a couple of times. All in all, the marathon was an excellent event on a beautiful day.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable, mostly flat marathon experience with just enough inclines to make it interesting. The substantial part of the race that is run on a paved nature trail was perfect for focusing on the task at hand and also for buffeting some of the fairly strong headwinds. Besides those winds, it was a perfect day for a marathon. The race organizers did a great job putting this one together. With the modest entry fee, free massages, bonus finisher's shirt, and baseball cap at the finish line, this is one marathon that should not be missed for anyone looking for a smaller marathon with a friendly vibe.