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Missouri > Waddell & Reed Kansas City Marathon,
Half Marathon & 5K
Kansas City,
MO
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Date
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Event
Details
Perhaps the most notable distinguishing feature of the hilly and
sometimes difficult course at the Waddell & Reed Kansas City
Marathon's 13.1-mile half marathon race is an abundance of what many
other American cities have, but not nearly in as great a number as
Kansas City
-- majestic, scenic fountains like those found in European capitals and
tourist meccas like London and Rome.
Along the route, runners will see as many as 15 of the more than 200
fountains dispersed throughout the city, in addition to parks, downtown
neighborhoods and historic districts.
The half marathon, like the full marathon and 5K race, begins in
downtown
Kansas City at Washington Park near Crown Center, near the corner of
Pershing and Grand Boulevard. From there, the newly designed course for
2009 follows a mostly
counter-clockwise loop route, taking runners first northward along
Grand and then westward along 12th Street, past the Liberty Memorial in
Penn
Valley Park as well as through Volker, Gillham, Troost and Spring
Valley Parks
as it makes its way around the city.
This being Kansas City, the race route is of course a hilly one, with
the most challenging uphill stretches occurring between miles 2 and 4
around the Liberty Memorial as well as between the 8 and 9 mile markers
in the second half of the
race. Runners will experience an elevation gain of over 200 feet
at the first big hill around the mile 4 marker, from a low of about 750
feet above sea level just before the third mile marker. Between miles 7
and 9 the race
course drops again to about 800 feet (with a brief uphill just after
the mile 8 marker) and then rises again to about 975 feet between mile
markers 10 and 11 before mercifully flattening out on the last few
miles to the finish.
Runners will finish the race not far from the starting line, in the
area of Kansas City known as the Crown Center, an entertainment and
shopping district that also happens to surround the world headquarters
for Hallmark Cards. Though the time limit
shouldn't be a problem for most half-marathon participants, runners
will be limited to 6 hours on the course -- which is generally enough
time for walkers to participate in the half marathon, as both the half
and the 5K are open to walkers as well as runners.
Race
Weather & Climate
Set along the state's western edge near the nexus of the Missouri and
Kansas rivers, the town of Kansas City tends to see milder, drier
weather conditions in the early autumn, though conditions can still be
fairly warm at times. In October, average monthly temperatures range
between 69°F and 49°F, while rainfall amounts average
around 3.28 inches for the month.
Fees
$40 for the half marathon, if registered by April 11, 2009
$50 between April 12 - July 15
$60 between July 16 - October 3
$70 between Oct. 4 - 13, and at the race expo on Oct. 15 & 16
Registration
To reserve your spot in the fall 2009 running of the Waddell &
Reed Kansas City Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay or 5K, register online at MerchantCart.net
or print out and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Websites
www.waddellandreedkcmarathon.org
Half
Marathon Course Map
View Larger Map
Share
Your Race Story
Ever run in Kansas City's annual Waddell & Reed Marathon or
Half Marathon?
Share
your
impressions and read fellow runners' stories and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Waddell &
Reed Kansas City Half Marathon
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