The Kansas City Marathon was the 59th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 56th largest in 2022.
This year 4.5% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 5.2% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Kansas City Marathon the 335th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 295th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 97.12 ranks it as the 372nd fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 7th fastest course in Missouri.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are within the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Kansas City Marathon a PR Score of 97.12. This PR Score ranks it as the 324th fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 6th fastest in Missouri.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Kansas City Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 1008 feet (307m) Min Elevation: 766 feet (233m)
As my first half-marathon I have no comparisons, but despite my anxieties about its size, location, and intensity of grades, this marathon turned out to be a fantastic experience and incredible fun. The parking was sufficient, even though within a limited urban area. The organization of the event was top notch. The route was scenic nearly always. The fuel stops were sufficient and friendly. Crowds were and supportive. Hills were manageable. Only downside, was the packet pickup location being so far from the race start, requiring a different trip to a different downtown location. I plan to definitely up my game and try the full marathon next year!
Race Tips
I have been running regularly for about four years now following my open heart surgery for valve repair. So I went into this first half-marathon with a disciplined 8 week training plan in which I routinely ran a faster pace than I planned to run on race day (since I was running with my daughter who was doing the full marathon at a slower pace). The training paid off perfectly, and the slightly slower pace enabled me to run feeling refreshed throughout the half-marathon, leaving me tons of energy for a strong finish in the quarter mile. I would plan to arrive at least 1 hour early to avoid anxiety in finding available parking. Heavily attended event so plan to arrive early and have time to enjoy and prepare for your starting spot in the chute.
Good parking garages for free at north end of University of Missouri KC campus.
Dan S's review of 2023 Kansas City Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
Definitely challenging with hills, but you get to see the best views of Kansas City at a perfect time of year. This year was no end sunny and beautiful as the sun rose, was a little slower time than I'd hoped for but again challenging and definitely would recommend.
The city put on a great race. The first half was a great tour of downtown which made it easy for spectators to get around the course. The second half was through shady neighborhoods, and I was pleasantly surprised to see some residents hanging out on their lawns cheering us on. The out-and-back was great to see the faster runners and cheer each other on as you're running the opposite direction. Be prepared for some steep hills!
Race Tips
The pace team handed out race bands that took into account the elevation gain/loss of each mile, so helpful!
4.1 Stars from 9 Reviews
