Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon) - Race Reviews

I ran this race in 2023 as part of my 50-marathons-in-50-states goal. It was my 29th marathon overall, so I have a lot to compare it to. The positives: * Race morning logistics were easy. Parking was plentiful, packet pickup was available the morning of (which was nice because I came in from out of town), and the start/finish line couldn't have been any closer to my car. Port-o-potties were plentiful, which usually isn't the case. * The course was nothing special, but pleasant: some nice neighborhoods and some paved trails through forest preserves. * In terms of quality, the t-shirt was average, but the medal was definitely above average. * Everything I needed as an out-of-state traveler was easy to get: flights to and from KC, rental car, decent hotel, food, etc. This is a good race to do if you share my 50-state goal. Opportunities: * WATER/GATORADE The cups at the water station were small and the pours were insufficient. It wasn't a warm day, but I needed 2-3 every time I passed through. At several of the tables, you had to grab your own drinks yourself instead of having someone hand them to you in stride. They could have added one or two tables and brought down the average distance between hydration stations. * There was at least one road crossing that was completely uncontrolled by race volunteers or local police. This was right before the turnaround in the 12th or 13th mile. * The race directors shouldn't start the race IMMEDIATELY upon the conclusion of the national anthem. Give people a second to get their hats back on, get their music turned on, etc. * This is a tougher course. The first half of the course is generally downhill and the second half is generally climbing back up the same hills you just came down. I'm not complaining; it is what it is. Just be forewarned if you think 'flat' when you think of Kansas.

I wish this race was longer, said no marathon runner, ever. Except in this case. What do you say about a marathon that didn't count because it was too short? Apparently somebody misplaced a traffic cone at one of the turnaround points. When I got home my own Garmin watch congratulated me on running a half marathon (It had only logged 26.08 miles). It's a shame it was all for naught because it wasn't an easy race to run. Half the race was into winds in excess of 25 mph. And it got steadily windier as the day went on. After I finished I couldn't even drink a free beer. I'd tip the cup up and the wind blew the beer out of it before I could taste it. I came in from out of State and paid for airfare, rental car, hotel room, race registration and other expenses and in return I got some cups of gatorade, a few Power Gel's, a tee shirt, a large medal, and a letter of apology. As you can sense I'm not happy about this. The Pros were: Very small expo for packet pickup. Hotels very near the start/finish A nice course on bike trails Race pacers A parking garage at the start and finish to get out of any bad weather. The Cons: You'll be running in Kansas which can be extremely windy Several turn arounds on the course A little hilly but only noticed when you face into the wind. I'd run it again if Garmin paid for my registration.

I was concerned about this marathon based on reviews from prior years. This marathon exceeded my expectations and more. Easy package pickup the day before or the morning of the race. Easy parking in a covered parking deck right at the finish line. I was able to stay in my car until minutes before the start which was great since it was mid-30's. My car was closer to the finish than the bag check! Start only a short walk away. Course was mostly paved greenway with plenty of water stops and Gu at many of them. Volunteers did great job of having water, gatorade or gu ready. Police kept traffic stopped at all intersections. As stated most of the climbing is in the second half of the marathon but nothing major. Finish line had plenty of good food, burgers, hot dogs, chicken and BBQ in addition to normal post run bagels, chocolate milk and beer. Even had margaritas. Massage available, results easy to get and age group awards handed out immediately. There was a mix up with the medals at the end, but race director will be mailing out correct medals. Easy to fly in and out of KC. Free photos from several spots on the course and the finish line.

We really enjoyed the Garmin Marathon. Overall it was an excellent event. The course is fine, yet hilly. The Oz theme is very cute...loved the flying monkeys hanging from trees. Good aid stations the entire way. Post race food is great with chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, beer and margaritas. A nice tent to take shelter after the race to eat and drink with heat lamps. A great medal! There were bars, choc milk and protein balls as well along with a live band playing. If you need tons of spectators maybe not for you. Only negative was delay getting to start. Need to open more roads and access to start to avoid delays for runners to get there on time.

This race was a trainwreck. The good part about it, was that packet pick up on race morning was great and went off without a hitch. The water stop volunteers were also fine. But, that is about it. First off, the 6:45 start was not followed. So it was cold in the morning and as the clock ticked closer to 6:45 we learned from the announcer that the race would start at 7:00 because of 'traffic delays'. What nonsense. Many of us got there on time, so start the race as scheduled. Then as it got closer to 7:00, we were then told it was going to be a 7:10 start time. So a 25 minute delay because of poor planning. And it was cold outside but the shelter tents were all full of NON-RUNNERS so you had to brave the elements as you waited for the start. The course was ok, but the last half of the out and back may be boring for some. Upon crossing the finish line, I was handed a medal and warm bottle of water. THAT IS IT! Where was the chocolate milk? Sandwiches? Beer? All the other stuff they talked about? I guess the half marathoners ate and drank it all. But I do know for sure that if you finish at 5 hours or later you would not be eating. What a disappointment. And if you do think about running the race next year and you take a leap of faith that there will be food, do not count on any loved ones being able to see you on the course. The least spectator friendly course I have ever ran. Lastly, shame on the RD for running out of food and for starting late. No excuse!

I ran in the half marathon. This was my first race in Kansas, and I was very well pleased. I missed the expo because I got there too late the night prior; however, I didn't have any issues with picking up my race packet the morning of the race. Is it a small race? Yes, but the runners were packed with energy. I was a little disappointed in the lack of spectators along the course. Also, I felt sorry for the long traffic delays/congestion....Did Olathe not know the marathon was taking place???? I don't know, but that could have been organized a little better for the commuters. The hydration stations were plentiful. The post race activities were awesome as well. Although I didn't eat, it was a nice touch to have the free grilled sandwiches at the end. I would definitely do this race again if the opportunity presented itself. It was a little hilly, but I've experienced worse. Great job RD. Awesome medal as well!!!!

I was pleased to have completed the 15th Annual event in 2017. I did not complete the course to the best of my ability, did not maintain the mental toughness needed to iron out the 'gentle' hills, but had a great experience. The out and back second half was beautiful with chances to cheer others and receive cheers in return. Many costumed runners added to the fun factor. The volunteers were wonderful; a diverse population was there to support the runners which was refreshing. Organization was super! Medals were good if you care about that kind of thing. Spectators were sprinkled throughout the diverse neighborhoods,not a real large presence ultimately. Only complaint, do not boast of chocolate milk at the starting line for ALL runners and run out. Olathe should be VERY proud!

One's observation of a race is no doubt skewed by the person's performance. Since I had a good race, I left Olathe/Kansas City with good feelings. In driving the course the day before, I thought the hilliness would be a challenge, but found almost all of them to be gentle, rolling hills. The second half of the course is out and back on a bike path; about like running in a nature park. I enjoyed it and I like getting glimpses of the race leaders as I head towards midway and the tailenders as I leave midway. I know some complained about the lack of spectators, but I don't require the community to come to the parade for me to consider it a good marathon.

I heard traffic was bad, but we stayed at the hotel so didn't experience that. The hotel was amazing and it was so convenient with the start and finish, expo, etc. right there. There were even several restaurants right across the street. I would like to see marathon-branded merchandise available for sale at the expo. On the plus side, the shirt was one of the nicest I've ever received and I will wear it often. I enjoyed the course, and I especially enjoyed the out and back portion along the river and train tracks. That portion was asphalt, not concrete, which I had feared before running. The course was hilly, so it definitely won't be your fastest, but it is enjoyable and the scenery was pretty. The medal is a bit large for my taste, but it's well made and memorable. I'm a slower runner and the finish line still had food, beer, etc. This was a very enjoyable race and I'm glad I chose it.

Worked into my 50 states calendar and I'm glad it it did. Really nice small marathon with friendly people and easy logistics for parking. Medal is large and great Oz themed shirt. Course is mostly flat and fast, though I'm am not. Would do again as everyone is friendly.

Unlike other marathons I've run this one is pretty much devoid of any enthusiasm from the local populace. Not that it's necessary, but it's nice to have people lining the streets in the neighborhoods. The new course showcases the fact that Olathe simply puts up with the race. The fact that the last half of the marathon is run entirely on a greenway park trail shows that the city doesn't want runners on the streets, and the lack of people shows that as well. Runners who showed up an hour before the race were parked furthest away, while those who didn't plan were granted the closest parking. I'm not an elite, but I'm not a back of the packer - when I finished the full the finish line area was practically vacant and devoid of what I imagine the 1/2 finishers devoured. Not recommended.

The organizers changed to a new course in 2016 to eliminate the 'muddy trail' scenario other posters have referred to. However, this made the course more challenging with fairly constant rolling hills throughout - even on the bike path used for the second half. Pros: 1) Very good race organization 2) Lots of committed volunteers 3) New expo location allows for easier packet pick-up 4) First half of course showcases lots of Olathe and surrounding communities 5) Large medal with changing Wizard of Oz theme 6) Good communication via email and Facebook leading up to marathon 7) Excellent new start/finish location 8) Good course support with water, Gatorade?, and Gu. Cons: 1) Expo was on small side with maybe 20 vendors 2) Marathon is over shadowed by half marathon 3) Second half of marathon course is extremely rolling 6.5 miles out and 6.5 miles back on an asphalt bike trail which is fairly boring 4) Insufficient number of portapotties at start 5) Community did not seem aware of marathon - few spectators beyond runners' families 6) Garmin reps at expo did not know their Forerunner product line very well Overall this is a good smaller marathon. The Oz theme is fun. The weather was a bit warm. That combined with the challenging course, especially the bike trail section, kicked my butt. It did allow me to complete Kansas on my 50 state marathon quest.

Pros -Great race shirt and did NOT have dozens of sponsors all over the shirt -Medal large and unique -Course nice out and back section on the 2nd half, could be boring for some -Pace teams Cons -Having parking blocked off at the start that was NOT utilized by businesses -Finish area food/drink, really? H20, cheap granola bars, and bananas. Where was the sport drink chocolate milk, gluten free carbs? Come on we just ran a marathon have more food! -The town did not really seem to embrace this race many area few or no spectators -Hills are deceivingly hard, I thought Kansas would be flat -Garmin is the presenting sponsor and offers no discount for participants and when you go to the company HQ the prices are more expensive than on-line. Again embrace the participants and give us some perks incentives to run your event

Olathe is a well organized race and the logistics at the start and finish were excellent. The course had far more hills than I anticipated, but things flatten out later in the race. The volunteers were tremendous and they went out of their way to try to provide comfort during the rain. The trail through the woods towards the end of the race is flat and peaceful (even with the rain). The course is fairly non-descript, but it does include residential, agricultural, and some industrial scenery. Overall, a good marathon, but not one I'd do more than once.

I decided on the 2015 Garmin Marathon as my first full marathon for multiple reasons, including location, timing of the event, and other personal reasons. So, this was a Big Deal for me. The packet pick up was very easy and quick on the Thursday before the race at the Hilton Garden Inn. I obsessively watched the forecast the week before, and expected rain/storms, which was discouraging. The first half of the race was beautiful, but storms and rain began at about the halfway point for me. As others have mentioned, the trails in the latter half became muddy and slippery, and my feet felt like they weighed 100 pounds each, but attempts were made to throw hay down for traction. I was fortunate enough to preview the course and trails a few days prior, and race organizers had done a great job of clearing the trails of mud resulting from recent heavy rains. The spectators were sparse but enthusiastic, and I give them a '5 star' rating for toughing it out in the rain with us! Plus, having fewer spectators meant I could spot my own 'fans' more readily. I loved the course, which had a balance of residential, business, and historic 'old Olathe' sights, in addition to beautiful trails, which would have been delightful were it not for the rain. The post-race refreshments were satisfying, with goodies from Whole Foods and yummy chicken sandwiches from a local church. But, the advertised chocolate milk was notably lacking. :( As this was my first full marathon, the decision of running another or calling it quits was in the balance. The Garmin Marathon succeeded in hooking me on marathons...overall, my experience was fantastic as a first time marathoner, and this will be my second full marathon in 2016. My main hope is that the weather will be more pleasant so the runners can fully enjoy the lovely course in the Land of Oz.

The course for the full marathon is actually made of constant rolling hills. There's also a couple mile stretch in the middle section where you will be running up a few very steep, but short bouts of inclines. Definitely do not expect an easy, flat course as advertised. Mile 15-24 or so are on trails, and it rained for most of the race day morning, making the trail section into a slippery and splashing muddy course. So make sure to check the weather beforehand and be prepared. The supporters were nice and the aid stations were adequate. Chocolate milk as mentioned in other reviews was absent at the finish line, but they did have free beer and chicken sandwiches. I didn't have any complaints with the packet pick up process myself. It was at a small venue (Hilton Garden Inn), but I was in and out of there with my packet in a few minutes.

This is a really great event. Pros: 1) well organized 2) great and committed volunteers 3) easy packet pickup 4) great course support 5) great bling (medal large and well-designed) 6) great race director - did not pull us from course even though there were a number of miles with thunder/lightening (which stopped so would have been a shame to cancel) This is a really great small marathon with great course support. I loved the Oz theme and strongly recommend this marathon!

My comments are from the perspective of someone who has run 6 marathons in the 4:30 rangefor whatever that's worth. The packet pickup was held in the lobby of a hotel. Maybe there were a couple booths, but don't come to this pick up expecting to get anything for the race. Parking is plentiful near the race; and they had police yellow tape separating groups of porta potties to make the lines more manageable - worked really well: not sure why more don't do that. The race starts at 6:45. I like the early start. There were maybe 4500 runners signed up, so it's not a huge, crowded race. They don't have or need corrals at the start so it's kind of a mosh pit feel, but it's manageable. It is advertised as a flat course. From my perspective, while we're not talking giant mountains, we're also not talking flat. I'd call it occasionally flat with plenty of rolling hills. Part of the race is on streets and part is on trails. For the part on the streets, you were basically sharing the road with cars. If you ventured out past the orange cones too far, you risked getting hit. It seems to rain almost every year of this race, and for the portion of the race on the trails, it became incredibly muddy and slippery; and by the end of the race, I felt like I was carrying an extra 2-3 pounds of mud on my shoes. Despite the rain, which at times was heavy, the volunteers were there handing out water and Gu and encouraging the runners. They were great. There weren't many spectators at all (which doesn't bother me); but if you're looking for big crowds, this is not your race. The medal is pretty big, and there may have been lots of food after the race, but I was wet and didn't go in search of it. Overall, it's a well-organized race with wonderful volunteers.

Overall, I liked this marathon. I felt the course was great, I liked the support. It was very spectator friendly, and the participation & costumes from the runners was fantastic. My only con was packet pick up. That was a bit of a mess. Not in terms of organization, but in terms of flow

Top 10 Reasons why this marathon (my 38th) is one of my most favorites: 1) Title sponsor is Garmin so the organizers are able to bring him big name, Garmin-sponsored elite runners to speak and mingle with interested participants at the Pasta Dinner. This year the guest was Meb Keflezighi, US Olympian, winner of NYC marathon and this year's Boston Marathon winner! Now, how absolutely cool is THAT!!! 2) Photos and autographs with Meb! 3) A true Oz experience: fellow runners really getting into the theme dressed as Scarecrow, Lion, Tin Man, Flying Monkeys, Witches. (In what other marathon, can you experience 5 Dorothy's pass you!). A yellow brick road finish line. Aid station volunteers in full costume. 4) Gutsy race director - heavy downpour with thunder and lightening for the second hour of the race, yet no cancellation! Turned out to be the right move, the weather cleared and the rest of the day was beautiful. But boy oh boy was that hour of thunder, lightening and black skies harrowing - almost like the first part of the movie!! 5) Cool medal - this year: the lion in front of the yellow brick road and Emerald City. 6) Cool shirt - this year: the lion with the word 'Courage' above his picture in navy blue with gold letters 7) Nice 'pasta' dinner - not truely pasta but nevertheless delicious 8) Small size - my wife and I were together at the start line until the gun went off - can't do that in Boston, New York, Chicago, etc. 9) Pretty course - miles 15-25 are on a bike trail along a creek. This year it got a little bit muddy (because of the earlier rain) in portions but not a big problem. Just made our journey to the 'Emerald City' more fun! 10) Pretty flat course - some very very small hills but this IS Kansas and this course is basically flat. A runner can have a fast time on this course (even though I personally couldn't follow through on that claim!).

This marathon is quite a challenge with many rolling hills throughout the course. The race website says flat and fast which it is if you are elite but most people would not find it flat or fast. If they changed the website to say that I wouldnt have a problem. The weather turned its ugly head with pouring rain, wind, hail, lighting, thunder and tornado watches for about 4 miles of the course. It turned the course almost into a tough mudder run in places. The volunteers at the aid stations were totally awesome. A big thank you to the aid station personnel at mile 23.5 who gave me a blueberry muffin which helped me get to the end. Not many spectators out on the course since they would have been in ankle deep water. Post-race food was good with a grilled chicken sandwich which was tasty. They also had yogurt, water and beer. They need to make sure all the yogurt is on ice and not left out in 70 degree heat. They advertised chocolate milk which I didnt see any. I was able to get it at a gas station on the way back to the hotel. The race shirt was a ok with the cowardly lion on the front. Medal was huge with the cowardly lion and the yellow brick road on it. I bet it weighs 5 lbs. Awesome! The packet pickup was a little disorganized. Way too crowded in the small rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn. Guest speaker was MEB who had won the Boston Marathon 5 days before. He was great and posed for photos and autographs for over an hour after he was done. The food at the pasta feed was really good. Some suggestions for runners of future Garmin OZ Runners and Race director: I would recommend staying in Overland Park which is about 10-15 minutes from the course. Hotels are nice and about ½ the cost of the ones in Olathe. Keep the yogurt on ice after the race and have chocolate milk. Change the course description to a rolling hill course on the website. In summary, as I am now over 1/4 through the 50 State quest, I am glad I ran this one for the Kansas Marathon.

First off, thanks to Garmin for sponsoring and helping stage this race. I'm a longtime Forerunner user and I like the fact that they put their name on their hometown marathon. Thanks also to the race organizers for gutting out the 2014 race. A big thunderstorm rolled in about 80 minutes into the race, and many of us were worried about the race being black-flagged and runners pulled off the course. After about 45 minutes, the storm moved off and there were even bits of sun by the end of the race. As several others have noted, be sure to check the elevation charts, because the course puts the lie to notions of pancake-flat Kansas plains. Not hilly, per se, but plenty of up-and-down, particularly in the middle miles. Even the greenway sections, of which there are two, are pretty bumpy and they both got very muddy and slippery with the rain we had in the middle of the race. When you're not on greenways, you're mostly on boring commercial streets (at the beginning and middle) or residential neighborhoods (toward the end). I can't say the course is anything to write home about. Aid stations and on-course support were good. The marathon is marketed around an Oz theme and the tech T and (oversized and garish) medal both referenced the 2014 theme of 'Courage' with Cowardly Lion images. All that being said, there's a lot to like about Kansas City and the surrounding region (including great post-race barbecue options). I'm working on 50+DC and my schedule dictated a spring marathon instead of the fall city marathon, so this was a good option with easy airport access.

This was supposed to be my first marathon, in 2009, but the race was cancelled due to weather. I don't fault race organizers for that. They transferred my registration to 2010, said they would send me my shirt but they never did. Packet pickup was in an abandoned mall, in an empty store, and there was basically no expo. The course was essentially running around this mall's parking lot and then running on a local trail out and back. Not terrible, but cramped. There was no timing on the course, and there were essentially no spectators. The best thing I can say is that the race organizers are energetic and love their town. I wouldn't run this race again.

I ran this marathon in both 2013 and 2012 and would definitely do it again. The smaller size makes it very pleasant and I never had to wait in any long lines. The course did change in 2013 to include some hills. The medal is one of my favorites. It is large with a high quality ribbon. The Wizard of Oz theme also makes this race fun. The pacers were fantastic as well. I ran with the 5 hour pacer for most of the race and she was A+. There are also chicken sandwiches and beer at the finish line. My disappointments were that no one seemed to be helping runners at the finish. I never found the chocolate milk and it was a pain to find the finisher shirt. Also I came to the race with 10 other lady friends and not one of us could fit into the women's finisher shirt. It was teeny tiny!

I'd agree with other comments that it isn't 'flat' from around 7 through the halfway point. I can't remember much of a flat section between those miles, although I have run more difficult courses. The volunteers were AWESOME, though - thanks so much! I would have been disappointed if I had run the half and received only the event shirt (seems that only full finishers got a tech shirt?)- the event shirt had a pretty feminine design. Thanks to Garmin for hosting the event and bringing in the speakers. I very much enjoyed the Oz theme, and would recommend it if you don't have big city race expectations. Pasta dinner was one of the best I've had, and certainly the best value.

I ran this race as my Kansas race and for the most part enjoyed the experience. The race plays up the Wizard of Oz-Kansas connection and that creates a fun atmosphere. There's a Hot air balloon at the start, many runners wore Oz related costumes and one of the aid stops late in the race just outdid themselves w/ costumes and scenery. Garmin is the title sponsor and the race begins and ends in their parking lot and the expo is held there. Parking for the expo was challenging. I saw many cars driving around trying to find empty spots. Well there was a lot around back with plenty of spots. Garmin should spring for some signage because this lot was not apparent from the front. The expo was fairly modest but it was nice hearing Desi Davilla speak! Pre-race there were plenty of port-a-potties. I do like the stress free logistics of smaller races (700 marathoners) like this. Lots of folks have commented on the 'hilly' course. I'm not sure I would call the race hilly but its not 'flat and fast' either. I admit I was expecting Kansas plains but I'm very glad I looked at the elevation chart the night before. The miles 6-13 had quite a few hills. Knowing that ahead of time really helped. There were plenty of aid stops and the gatorade flavor changed from stop to stop. Always a nice touch. The gatorade was a little watered down and each stop was organized differently. Every stop should be identical so late in a race runners know what to expect when they are fatigued (Houston marathon does this better than anyone). Miles 15-25 are on a paved bike path. This was the most scenic part of the race (the early miles are pretty boring). There is a long out and back (15-22) which can be a little mentally taxing. There's the standard problem of races on public trails when pedestrians are sharing the road with racers. Often these folks are resentful of runners. Other than that the section along here was nice. After the race they were out of mylar blankets when I finished (4:34 and still almost 300 folks on the course) and I couldn't find the finishers shirt. I assumed they ran out until I just read the previous comment about trying to find his. A runner who's just run 26 miles shouldn't have to search high and low for post race items! The medals were handed out right at the finish (we didn't have to search for these) and they were real nice. This year's medal had a tin man theme (they change it up every year). I stayed LaQuinta which was about 2 miles away, gave me a late check out, offered shuttle service to the race and had no minimum stay. An ideal host hotel!

This was my 14th marathon and the most disappointing. The biggest disappointment is that the course was changed from prior years and while advertised as flat it was very hilly for the first half. Pros: Nice Medal, Friendly Volunteers, Adequate Aid Stations, Reasonably Priced Cons: Not flat and fast as advertised, little Garmin presence (no time clocks or splits on the course), Gatorade appeared to be watered down, hard to find port a potties on second half Glad to have Kansas completed but would not recommend race to others.

I chose Land of Oz because I am working on the 50 states and was hoping somewhere in Kansas I could find an OZ themed race. I haven't run a full marathon for a couple years due to an injury so I was viewing this as more of a confidence builder to get me back into it. This was a great race! The volunteers were wonderful, everything was well organized, and it was the perfect size-not too many people but you were never alone on the course. My only suggestion would be to have the elevation gain noted somewhere. I searched and searched and never found it. The course was advertised as flat and fast but I wouldn't necessarily agree. But, it was a nice course and I PR'd! I would highly recommend this race. The finish line was one of the better finish line parties I have attended. Lots of spectators who stuck around for everyone-not leaving until the last runner crossed the finish line.

The course changed for 2013 but the website description didn't. They replaced the loop around the mall and industrial park with hills and main roads. Good aid station support, well marked, and people to run with even if you want to run fast. Was a little disappointed with the unexpected grade of the hills but I should have done my homework. Swag was fine but you have to find the finisher tent to get your stuff. Could do slightly better with communication.

I am pursuing the 50 states and chose this marathon for Kansas because so many other Marathon Maniacs were going to be there. I wouldn't rave about the race but it was a decent choice for Kansas. Pros: -plenty of aid stations -nice to have running celebrities speak at the expo (Scott Jurek, Desi Davila, and Josh Cox) -nice personalized print-out of your results at the finish area -excellent traffic control; police were great -adequate food at finish; nice chicken sandwiches! -waited for the slower finishers at the finish line -plenty of hotels in the area (I stayed one mile away at La Quinta which was great) -race committee member made and displayed banners welcoming the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics -race committee member wandered around post-race area asking those of us who finished in the back of the pack if we got our finisher's shirt and if we needed anything; nice touch -not many spectators but those who were there were awesome -received an email that day with my race results Areas for improvement: -race description on web site was misleading. Called it 'flat and fast' and said rolling hills started at mile 9. There were plenty of hills in the entire first half of the race. I've run 28 marathons and this was in top 10 hilliest. Drive the course beforehand if you can because you can't trust their description. (though you can't drive the trail, but really no significant hills there) -timing mats were a tripping hazard (be careful); they still use chips on your shoe that must be returned -expo and finish area not well-marked. (for example, difficult to figure out where baggage check was). -I ran alone for at least a mile on the path in the woods and didn't see any course markings (somewhere between miles 21 and 23). It was a little unsettling as I didn't know if I was off course. -advertised that chocolate milk would be available at the finish but nearly impossible to find -I didn't see many photographers on the course so if you like to buy marathon photos (like me) you might be out of luck -expo is small (not necessarily an area for improvement, but don't come expecting a big expo). And it's outside so if the weather is bad it would be tough. I didn't love the course as it was not flat as advertised and it wasn't all that interesting. But overall the organization was good. The weather was good for me (30s at start, high 40s at finish) but I think those from warmer climates were freezing. Would I recommend this race? Well, I wouldn't say it's a 'must run' race but it would be a fine choice.

Plenty of parking at the expo/race start, which is always a plus. Lots of water/gatorade stops and they even changed the gatorade flavors at each stop. The downside, is the swag & post race food/refreshments. When the sponsors name is biggest thing on the medal & shirt, that is nuts. The theme is great, and they really could do so much better on the shirt & medal (which only had a small mention of the half marathon on the back). As for food, bananas, water, small cups of chocolate milk. It was chilly out, and they didn't offer mylar blankets either. With regards to the actual race, my comments relate to the Half Marathon. The best part of the race was running on the paved trails thru the park. Too bad they couldn't have had you on this for more of the race. While overall the race was enjoyable, they still have room for improvement.

I picked this course for a spring marathon for several reasons, the biggest of which was that it was advertised as 'flat and fast' with a few 'gentle rolling hills'. Positives: 1) Small-medium size race w/ easy access to port-a-potties, food, drop-bags, etc and other pre/post race activities that require long lines at bigger races 2) Nice participant/finisher shirts and medal 3) Start/finish in same location, 4) scenic course that showcased the area well, 5) encouraging, friendly volunteers, 6) adequate aid stations, 7) decent post-race food, 8) good price, no-frills race Main negative: advertised as 'flat and fast' when it is quite hilly! An elevation map is provided, and I noted the course was not truly pancake flat, however, the map did not seem to do justice to the sheer amount of significant hills along this course, especially miles 8-14. That's a significant portion of the course, still early on, that you need to train for and factor in for pacing unless you want to blow through large amounts energy in the first half. The second half on the bike trail is quite scenic, but it twists a bit and has a few short, but steep climbs. Do not lose sight of the fact that the last 6ish miles of the course are a net uphill as well, even if it is slight each mile. If you run through the early hills too fast, this could make these last 6-8 miles even tougher than usual as I found out the hard way. Overall I felt it was a good, solid race, the main complaint again was in how it was advertised. If you are coming from an area that is truly pancake flat, you need to incorporate some hills into your training! I would recommend this course to anyone looking for a well-run and scenic marathon in KS, but I would have a hard time calling this a truly 'fast' course. All that to say, BQ's and PR's were attained with proper training and race planning! Just know that elevation map if you are going after a time goal!! Thank you Garmin/City of Olathe for the hard work on a fun and scenic course. Weather was nice and cool with lots of great volunteers as well!

I first ran this half marathon in 2008 when the runners were moved by bus to the start line and it finished downtown. The 2012 race was so much better than 2008, the expo was easy but could use more free stuff. The race having the start and finish line in same location was wonderful. There was plenty of parking and close to start line. The route was easy and not too many hills at all. The route through the 'Great mall' was just boring but rest of route was OK. The last 2 miles were flat and great for the runners to finish strong. The finishing area was congested with non-runners. The race is a wonderful small half marathon with small crowds. A good confidence half and full marathons for runners. The shirt was good and the finisher medal was awesome. They promise the 2013 will be better than 2012. I will run it again.

This was a fall back from my fall back race. I wasn't able to run OKC this year, due to a scheduling problem, so my next choice was the Eisenhower Marathon in Abilene, but the weather got crazy (NOAA issued a 'severe threat of damage and death' warning), so i though it better i stayed home with my family that weekend. So I fell back to this one, and i'm glad it worked out this way. The weather was as close to perfect as possible and the organization was really nice! The course isn't all that interesting, (strip mall the first couple of miles, neighborhoods and then the out and back bikepath/fitness trail), but pleasant enough. The fitness trail is small 5 foot-ish rolling hills which probably won't show up on Map My Run or your Garmin. Fairly fast course, but a lot of turns and it's narrow in spots. There wasn't just a TON of spectators, but the support was very good for a race this size. The aid stations were well placed and the folks were friendly. Post-race celebration was good. It wasn't a buffet, and i really couldn't eat the barbecue chicken after finishing, but i'm sure it was good. there was a beer tent with free beer for the runners, and a massage tent, but it was crowded. The medal and finisher shirt was nice and i would definitely recommend this race. I thought the organization was really good.

This was my 3rd marathon, first time doing the Garmin Oz Marathon however and I felt that everything went spot on for this race from packet pickup right down the amazing weather and nice huge medal! The packet/shirt pickup was very smooth. The highlight of the expo was meeting Bart Yasso who signed autographs and spoke at the pasta dinner. He actually ran the marathon too which was pretty exciting! It was probably the most perfect picturesque day you could ask for a mararthon with sunny skies, temps in the mid 60's with a light a variable wind, which is rare for Kansas. I felt that the organization was great and there were plenty of water/aid stations. There were parts of the route where there was lack of spectators as there is a lot of marathons but all the volunteers made up for that. The volunteers were very spirited and enthusiastic along the route at each and every water stop, even at mile 20! It was really neat seeing them all dressed as characters from the Wizard Oz, Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Cowardly Lion, all were there! It was really motivating and greatly appreciated! I came away with three shirts and a huge finishers medal. This years medal was the scarecrow and each year they are going to have a different character so that you will be able to collect all of them, which is a neat idea. You definitely received a lot at this race, which made it a great value! The only things I would possibly change would be to make the expo larger and taking out the section of the route that goes around the Great Mall of the Great Plains during the first part of the race. It was a pretty boring part of the race but fortunately there were many wonderful people running alongside me to keep me distracted. All in all, this is a really nice race with a great theme! I highly recommend it!

I have done the Garmin/Oz Olathe Marathon two years in a row, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite races. Positives: The organization is superb from expo to finish line, and the addition of Garmin as the title sponsor will only make it better. I came away with three shirts (cotton participant and Garmin shirts, plus tech finisher) and a great medal, so it is a good value. The course is very enjoyable if you like a more suburban, even rural, type of setting. It is flat for the most part (just a few hills and grades here and there to keep it interesting), and I found the last half along the trail to be quite nice. I had my fastest time in a couple of years. The volunteers are friendly and well-prepared. Potential Improvements: A larger expo would be nice, though 2012 marked an improvement over 2011. The new location at the Holiday Inn is great. The course tends to be a bit congested until the half-marathoners split at mile 12; it is also exposed for the first few miles, leaving it vulnerable to bad weather (i.e., the 40 mph gusts in 2011). Suggestions: Make your motel reservations early. There are some great places to stay for relatively reasonable prices near the start (Days Inn is nice). I waited this year, and ended up at Econo Lodge. Nice people and near the start, but a motel I would avoid in the future (bad shower, useless breakfast, non-working TV). All in all, this is a really nice race with a great theme. A large number of costumed runners make it extra fun (I think I saw four Dorothys this year). I recommend it wholeheartedly!

What a great run! The weather was great - cool and no wind (for Kansas). Pros: Plenty of aid stations. Many 'Wizard of OZ' costumes (aid stations and runners). First time I've seen two pacers for same time (traded off). Good job by Police and traffic control. First half run on city streets second half on paved bike trails. Still had some cheer stations and a few spectators on bike path. GU stations. Huge finisher's metal - scarecrow (if I only had a brain). Cons: Hard to crew runners on 2nd half. Map needs addresses for GPS. We tried to drive the course the afternoon before but hard to follow on course map. All in all, I'd do it again on my next trip around the 50 States.