Nothing really to complain about. This has the feel and the charm of a small town race, but it is run like a big city marathon. Good organization and volunteers. The course was a little plain in stretches, and some of the footing was iffy. Still a nice race, especially if you are trying to mark the state of Kansas off your list.

This was my 63 marathon, including 6 ultras. I wanted a marathon in Kansas. Everyone was nice, the host hotel was across the street from the start and finish,so perfect. The wind was brutal, but not the race director's fault. However, I think the course, even though flat, could really be improved. Too many turns, concrete subdivisions,brick road, sidewalks, alleys,ect. I stayed an extra day and ran the opposite direction from the Hyatt and it was beautiful- maybe changing to go that way is something to consider.

The course was charming; they did a great job portraying the charm of the city. When I first drove into the city I thought hmmm city boringness but running I got a different feel. I think the course was design to represent the highlights of the city, I think they nailed that. The runner surface was uneven at places and the brick road is never something I enjoy but that is part of the town. The neighborhoods were older with nice size homes. Although flat it did go up and down at times not drastically but not pancake flat like Houston. It went along trails a lot, which is why I could not follow the course when I tried to drive it. The town support was great. The authorities had the roads well protected and great supported. I did enjoy how they had us going on the center lane on the main road downtown so not to stop all traffic (suicide lane is what we call where I live) at the beginning in middle part and end.

For RR with pictures go to http://www.runrunrace.com/race-reports/prairie-fire-marathon-marathon-9-state-kansas/

Let me add to the positive comments regarding this race. This was my second marathon and I really enjoyed the entire experience. My first race was a large marathon and it was so nice to run a smaller venue. The race was very well organized and the crowds along the course were very welcoming. Ditto to the comment regarding running through Cow Town - that was a nice pick-me-up at about the 22 mile mark. Great medal and finisher's shirt as well.

This is a well organized, well run event! You get that Midwest hospitality and personal attention that makes you feel at home! Love the finishers shirt and awesome medal! Great pasta party and post race party. Weather conditions were good and so was crowd support. Course very flat and fast. Best part of course for me was running thru cow town (like a scene from the oldest). There were a few spots on course you traversed on sidewalk and ran thru a guys driveway, but overall great! Highest elevation rise was coming down off the curb, a very fast course. Would recommend this one!

This is a great small race. Everything is well organized, and the course is as flat as they come. The only complaint I have (and it is not that much of one) is the terrain on the course. We ran on sidewalks, down an alley, through dirt, on bricks, and even through grassy sections a few times. All the turns and different areas kept the course interesting, however. I hate long, boring stretches, and there was really only one of those, and it was about 3 miles in each direction. Overall, the weather was great at the start and a little warm at the finish. The wind was brutal, but it is Kansas, so what do you expect?? It is well worth your time and money if you need a Kansas race.

This is a well organized race. The two shirts (one tech and one cotton) and the medal were very nice. The weather was dreary and drizzly, but not cold. The course is pretty flat and very fast. A fair amount of support along the course for having had bad weather.

I have run close to 70 marathons and if you need to run in KS or want to go to Boston, I highly recommend it. It is easy in and easy out. An out and back course. The expo is big enough without the craziness like Boston or NYC. And while your there DON'T miss the Spangles sandwich restaurants.... I mean it, the best in the US. You will wish you had one in your hometown, I do!!!

This is a great race. The course is flat, but the turns are a bit of killer. Better yet, there are a lot of them making it tough on the body. But, the folks that put this event on did a great job. I am not a fan of too many turns, but I suspect this is minor for others. As for Garmins and distance, the course was not too long. It is a measured course. I like the post-race food and beer. They announced runners coming in. Medals were great. If I had my wish, a 7 to 7:30 start would be something to consider since it is hard to get a sense of mid west temps. Good job folks. This was not my best race, but that means I need to re-evaluate my training.

I completed this race on October 9, 2011, and really enjoyed the event. It rained most of the time, but varied from drizzle to steady showers. It is a nice tour of the City of Wichita, running through the downtown business area, upscale residential areas, lovely parks and along the Arkansas River. Cowtown was a unique experience, except the dirt street was rather muddy. They gave out two shirts and a metal and I really liked the logo. Only one hill of any consequence is at the 3 mile mark and lasts about 1-2 miles, but it is nice at the 14 mile mark coming down. I can think of no complaints about this race. Nice fan support from the local residents in the neighborhoods and the volunteers were great.