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Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon) Runner Comments
Back to Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon) Information & Reviews
Course 3.8 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 3.1
Number of comments: 147 [displaying comments 51 to 61]
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Y. G. from Greenwood MO
(4/19/2011)
"Olathe Should Be Proud" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I brought my iPod and never turned it on; the runners and crowd were way more fun. Watch out for me next year. I'm going for the full marathon. | |
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Vicki Winton from Columbia, MO
(4/19/2011)
"Well organized event" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My husband and I stayed at Holiday Inn Olathe Medical Center and they were very hospitable and courteous, allowing for a late checkout. Small "expo" at packet pick-up - mainly a few vendors handing out information and deals. Shirts are a big hit! Nice design on gender-specific fit. Thank you! AND all marathon finishers also receive a tech shirt. Cool! The course is "open," however the city of Olathe did an excellent job protecting us from any traffic. The first half is through town, while the second half is on a paved trail. There are a few minor hills, but certainly nothing to panic about. Volunteer support on the course is impeccable. What the spectators lack in volume they make up for in enthusiasm, but there really aren't too many. I am looking forward to running this race again! | |
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L. C. from St Louis, MO
(4/18/2011)
"A great experience." (about: 2011)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Well organized event. For those who like small races, it is perfect. Folks are extremely friendly and I really am grateful for the lady at the package pick-up who let me get my packet even though I was 30 minutes late and they were already packed up. That's the willingness of these folks to make your experience great. Wind was incredible as you traversed the high school parking lot during the last mile, but hey, it wouldn't be Kansas without wind! The post-race chicken sandwich was great, but I think they ran out of smoothies. I recommend they save some for the marathoners and don't give them all out to the 5K and 1/2 marathoners. | |
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J. W. from Virginia, USA
(4/17/2011)
"Race: A. Race org: C. Post race: B-" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 Waiting in line at Bass Pro Shops just to get a race number that could have been emailed seemed silly and a waste of time. Marathoners, half marathoners, and 5kers had to get in the same line. They needed emergency contact info before they could give you your number. The area was tiny and there wasn't much to exhibit unless you wanted to buy a bass boat. The race seemed to run a corner every block until the half and full separated and then the full was one long run out and back on a bike trail. Didn't get to see much of Kansas or Olathe. The white cotton t-shirt at the expo was a bit disappointing and 'all in one'. Fortunately there was a finisher's tech shirt after the marathon. Post race food although advertised as 'a taste of Olathe' turned out to be grilled chicken teriyaki (not bad). And that was it for the food that I saw. There was free beer and canned tea. The beer (BL Lime, BL, Mich Ultra, and Shock Top) was good for those of us who like beer. Conspicuously absent was Garmin. Although the race started and ended at Garmin HQ, Garmin was nowhere to be seen. What a missed opportunity to push their products. Whatever the downside, the folks of Olathe were simply great. Super nice and super supportive. And although I wouldn't consider Olathe a destination, the flat course was a plus even if the weather that day was a bit of a challenge. If you like small, homey, and want to knock out 26.2 miles in the middle of the country, this is a good race. Water stops were plentiful and the volunteers were as good or better than any other race. The bling was nice. Not amazing and not terrible. Just a nice addition to the collection. I was a bit surprised the race was using the old tag/chip technology (not even Champion Chip). Changes I would make: different t-shirts for each race. Different location for the expo. Different lines for each race entry. More post-race food/options. Use the 'new' d-tag or b-tag vice the 'clip and return' chips. Get Garmin on board! | |
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S. G. from Kansas, USA
(4/17/2011)
"Small, Friendly Marathon" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the newly christened 'Oz Marathon' (formerly the Olathe Marathon) in 2011. Course: The course was newly redesigned this year. The first mile started (with a cannon blast) in front of the Garmin world headquarters. This first leg included the only 2 hills of consequence (actually a long freeway overpass). This led to 6 miles of loops through and around the Olathe Medical Center and a big loop around the near deserted Great Mall of the Great Plains. Miles 7 through 12 pushed through some typical residential streets (even dodged some road kill!). Finally, at mile 12 the 1/2 marathoners peeled off and the full headed on to 14 miles on a paved out and back trail, mostly through nice forested woods (with one unintentional steeplechase pool to run through!). The end of the course consisted of an empty loop around a high school parking lot before the finisher's chute on the Garmin campus. The course was flat, but not particularly fast, largely because of the near constant strong wind exposure, especially the first 12 miles. There were no sights of interest to see, and no music to speak of. The woods were my favorite part of the course and they helped a little with the wind. The finishing mile was a bit of a let down as it was just an empty parking lot right into a nasty headwind. Spectators are few and tend to clump at certain spots, but those who are there are extremely enthusiastic, some even in costume. Really supportive and made you laugh. The out and back and accessible course makes it easy for loved ones to see you on the course multiple times. The weather was deceptively cold (37 at start, but a 20 mph wind which brought the windchill down to 27) it was apparent this caught a lot of people by surprise. The very strong headwinds were the most challenging aspect of the course. One thing I should note: although the course is technically not closed, at no time did I experience any delays for traffic. The running lanes were plenty wide enough to pass people without going into traffic. There were hordes of police and volunteers working (Thanks, y'all!), and the course felt safe at all times. Strong work! Logistics: Website was informative and included pdfs of all courses (although the final pdfs didn't show up until the last week before the race). Email address for questions was posted, but was essentially non-responsive. Registration was via Active.com, by snail mail, or at the packet pick-up. Packet pick-up was easy and organized at the local Bass Pro Shop. Goodie bag included a nice cotton-T, a couple of coupons, and a free sample of soap. A few tables sufficed for the expo, but I did snag a nice water bottle. No speakers or organized feeds. Plenty of parking at the start (I recommend the parking structure as it's close to the finish). Number of full participants was 478, but start was also joined by 836 half-marathoners. Needless to say, the 14 porta potties provided at the start were far too few and proved frustrating to a lot of folks. The aid stations were plentiful (about 1.5 miles apart) and well-staffed and stocked. There were 2 GU gel stations (one is passed twice, which is nice) and gatorade was the sports drink. Even had gummies and pretzels at one station. Porta potties at each aid station except one. (Of course, since most of the course was in the woods, I suppose that's not as much of an issue!). At the finish, timing chips are taken off rapidly, and a nice technical finisher's T is given, as well as an immediate print out of your finishing time. Food included bananas, bagels, and yogurt. A nice surprise were free grilled chicken on a bun which really hit the spot. Also, there was a beer tent for those that imbibe. A massage tent proved very popular, as was a warmed school bus for those with hypothermia. Unfortunately, no foil blankets were at the finish on such a chilly day (I didn't stop shivering until I got home). Overall: I think the Oz Marathon folks did an extremely fine job with the race. The aid station personnel, police, and spectators were as friendly as can be. In fact, since the second half of the race was up and back, the competitors themselves (even the leaders) were shouting encouragement to each other as we passed on the forest trail, which was very cool. The course is not very scenic (the Waddell and Reed Marathon in KC is better for that) and there are a few logistical rough edges, but it's flat, well-organized and friendly. Be sure to watch the weather carefully, prepare for the wind, and I think you'll have a great time! | |
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B. M. from Bellevue, NE
(4/16/2011)
"A really fun, nicely organized race." (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my first time running the Oz Marathon (rebranded from the Olathe Marathon) and I really enjoyed it. It was really cold and windy at race start, but once we got going I thought it was fine, though still windy. The course was fairly flat. The first 12 miles were on streets; the rest was an out-n-back on a bike/running path. There were plenty of great aid stations and spectators at several different places. The out-n-back was nice because we were all encouraging each other as we passed by. I'm also very happy with the FREE kids' race where they ran about a mile and got a number, medal and shirt. My 3-, 6-, and 8-year-olds all did it and and loved it; they can't wait to wear their shirts and medal to school on Monday. Also, plenty of nice hotels within 1 mile for travelers. The 7 a.m. start also is nice so you don't need to "run' back to the hotel and change before check-out time. Overall, a really nice race that I would love to run again. | |
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L. R. from Tampa FL
(4/25/2010)
"NICE SMALL MARATHON" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I stayed at the Olathe Fairfield Inn. They were great and even had breakfast and snacks available before the race. Dinner at Zios was good too, but go early. I enjoyed most of the course - especially the bike path. The first 4 miles around the parking lot of the mall were less enjoyable. I'd make that part shorter and either go through more neighborhoods or more bike path. Perhaps a loop around the Nazarene campus could be worked in. The other people on the bike path were nice and cheered us on. And the cross-country boys actually spoke to us and encouraged us. I started with the 4:50 pace group and met lots of nice runners from the local area. Recommend this race for KS! | |
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M. S. from NC
(4/22/2010)
"Overall a good race" (about: 2010)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Good: 1. Lucked out and had great weather 2. Nice finisher's shirt. Even better, I managed to miss the shirts after I finished as I had flight to catch, and race director quickly mailed me one. Great service! 3. Good start/finish area - well laid-out, with plenty of food, porta-potties, etc. 4. Greenway/bike path was attractive 5. Although not a selling point for me, they had many pacers (perhaps too many- see #2 below) 6. Spectators were great - not many, but you shouldn't come to Kansas anticipating Boston-like crowds. Fans were super supportive! 7. Easy/free parking at the expo and start/finish Not-so-good: 1. While I enjoyed the greenway, 14 miles on it seemed like a bit much. Also, with it being open, there were issues with kids/cross country kids and bikes nearly running me down at times. It would be nice to see other scenery in Olathe as well. 2. The abundance of half-marathon people... I understand why courses overlap but I always enjoy marathons more when we are on separate courses. This is especially true here, as there were a ton of pacers for the half (and full too), so you were dodging many clusters of folks. Race management did a good job with this one. Looks like they are re-branding for 2011 so it will be interesting to see how it grows. If you're looking to run in Kansas, and like smaller marathons, this is a good one. | |
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L. E. from Phoenix, Arizona
(4/12/2010)
"Great small marathon" (about: 2010)
50+ previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 51st marathon, and I have to say: Wow! For a small race, it was almost perfectly organized from packet pick-up to removal of timing chips. Everyone - from the packet pick-up, to course marshals, to policemen, to the finish line folks - was extremely friendly and enthusiastic. No complaints from me! It should be noted the second aid station did not have water - though that's not a problem for me, as I carry my own water for the first few miles to avoid the chaos at the first few aid stations. I could have done without the wind but I knew to expect it when I signed up. There isn't anything the race director can do about it, but be warned that it is windy. I stayed at the Comfort Suites and any questions or requests were cheerfully addressed. The hotel was less than 10 minutes from the start/finish, with lots of dining options. I highly recommend that hotel. Job well done, Olathe! | |
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K. G. from Girard, Ks
(4/12/2010)
"Better than in '08" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Garmin Marathon (prev. Oz Marathon)s
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon in 2008. This is a new course that starts approximately where the old course ended. Some elevation change, but no big hills. For the KC area, it was relatively flat. From mile 12 to 24, you run on a bike/walking trail that is along Indian Creek. It's picturesque, and more importantly, because you are running through woods, it's out of the Kansas wind. There were a smaller number of runners than in 2008, but that may have been due to its being canceled in 2009, and also the Eisenhower Marathon occurring on the same day. Overall, a good experience. |
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