Prairie Fire Wichita Marathon

I drove from Milwaukee to complete this event. This was marathon #21 and state #20. The 'old town' area of the city is where this event is located, and it is very nice. Lots of food options and the Courtyard Marriott I stayed at was about 200 yards from the start/finish line. Packet pickup was convenient but had very few vendors. Race t-shirt is cotton which I always appreciate. The weather on race day was PERFECT!!!! The 5k, half, and full had about 2100 runners so it was never too crowded. The race is a double loop course which I enjoy. The organization of the event was amazing as there were plenty of volunteers and the course was perfectly marked. Crowd support was good for a small city like this. Scenery was okay as most of the run is down a city street and then around the 'keeper of the plains' monument. Finishers medal was very nice as was the after party. The only complaint is that Mich Ultra was the only true beer option and after running 26.2 miles, I felt like I was drinking water.... I would HIGHLY recommend this event to anyone wanting to knock Kansas off their list of 50 states!

Ran as part of a 50-state quest. It's probably the only time I'll ever visit Wichita and nice to see a new city. Course was fast, race was well-organized, and I'd gladly recommend this race to anyone looking for a race in Kansas. The weather was a little warm and two loops isn't ideal. No controlling the weather and guessing city government mandated the limited course. Overall a good experience.

This is a good two-loop course, not hilly at all, nor is it flat as a pancake. Weather was relatively good, although on the hot side but who can complain given what could have come our way - wind, rain, and hotter climes. Pizza at the end was great. Organization was good for a small town event. People were friendly. Stayed at the Hotel at Old Town which was a disaster. They insisted on a noon checkout for all guests and when I tried to explain that the marathon started at 7:30, I basically got a "speak to the hand" attitude. It's hard to imagine that a hotel near the start wouldn't be more accommodating. At least allow marathoners even just a half hour more but that suggestion fell on deaf ears. They even told me that they didn't need my room for that evening! I was told politely that I could be subject to a 250.00 fine if I didn't checkout by noon so I checked out before the race, only to discover that others were still in their rooms at 1:15! The experience was very unsettling given that I flew from out of town and was nervous about the race. Avoid the hotel at Old town. Lots of other excellent options like the Marriott and Hilton. Despite the hotel fiasco, it was a good race experience.