MIDWEST MARATHONS: magazine editor needs your tips

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MidwestLivingEditor

9 posts since
Mar 15, 2007

Mar 15, 2007 4:40 PM

MIDWEST MARATHONS: magazine editor needs your tips

Hello!

I am a travel editor at Midwest Living magazine. I'm writing a story about Midwest marathons (as a travel destination, either to participate or to watch). And I need your help!

Above all, I'm looking for "hidden-gem" Midwest marathons (beyond Chicago, Grandma's and Flying Pig). Maybe it's one that is especially good for spectators, or one that has great side events (5K, half-marathons, youth races). Maybe it's got great food after the race, or a particularly scenic route. Or maybe there's lots of convenient lodging. Whatever makes it your favorite Midwest marathon, I want to know about it!

I'm also looking for potential sources: runners who travel to the Midwest from outside the region for certain marathons or, in particular, people who are Flying Pig regulars (or newbies), since I'll be there in May.

Thanks!

sroutlaw

16 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

1. Mar 17, 2007 1:38 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

KC area has three good ones - Olathe, coming at the end of March, and the Hospital Hill Run (June 2 I think) and Waddell Reed Marathon in the fall (October).
There is a huge amount of lodging available here and all of these events have half marathons, as well as 10Ks or 5Ks, I believe. Waddell Reed is locally famous, a fairly hilly course with a nice pasta dinner before and a health expo around it, as well as a cool "relay" marathon effort for businesses who want to enter teams of runners. They have a 5K and are fairly competitve.
Hospital Hill is the oldest one around here and welcomes walkers and runners alike. There are a 10K, a five K and I think a half offered, and they do a nice job helping people train for the very hilly course by posting workouts for all levels right on the site.
Olathe is the one I am set to run in two weeks - it appears to be pretty flat, and pretty new, so I can't report alot about it yet. But give me two weeks

AmberYudell5

132 posts since
Feb 3, 2006

2. Mar 17, 2007 4:00 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

i love Midwest Living magazine. I'll be running the spirit of st. louis marathon in a few weeks, using their recommended lodging, and can report back.

MidwestLivingEditor

9 posts since
Mar 15, 2007

3. Mar 19, 2007 9:25 AM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

Yes, let me know how both Olathe and Spirit of St Louis turn out...I'd love to hear a personal take on them...especially number of spectators, quality of organization, etc.
Is St Louis' a big deal? It's a big city, so I figured it would have a decent marathon, but another travel editor here is from St Louis and doesn't have strong memories of the marathon. (Whereas I'm from Cincinnati and was VERY much aware of the Flying Pig. But maybe it's all just about good marketing, and the Pig definitely has marketed itself well....)
Thanks, and keep the ideas (and follow-up) coming!

GreenMan093

332 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

4. Mar 19, 2007 7:04 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

Coupla caveats about the KC races:

First, the Hospital Hill run is not a marathon; it's a half, 10K (used to be 12K) and 5K. That said, it's a great race, popular and well run with a fun, challenging course.

Second, last time I ran Olathe (several years ago) crowd support was sparse to non-existent, and the scenery was dull, mainly suburban blah. It's a reasonably good race for the locals, but I'd be wary of recommending it as a destination.

I'm not familiar with the October marathon.

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dheld

1 posts since
Jan 17, 2006

5. Mar 20, 2007 8:37 AM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

I would highly recommend the Fargo Marathon. It is quickly becoming a destination marathon and great complement to Grandma's and the Twin Cities marathons.

They say the ?third time?s a charm?, and that could not be more true when it comes to the Fargo Marathon. In only two years, this event has taken the running world by storm, growing from a not-so-modest 2,400 runners in 2005 to over 6,000 runners from 46 different states in 2006!

Now, 2007 is before us, and it is time to bring everything together and make this The Running Event for Everyone! The Fans, the Food, the Fun, the Fast and most of all, the Friendly?.make Fargo your 2007 Marathon Destination.

www.fargomarathon.com[/URL" target="_blank">

jtpaten

51 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

6. Mar 20, 2007 10:19 AM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

The Grand Island Trail Marathon a half mile out on Lake Superior from Munising in the U.P. The third annual is coming up July 28 and its a beautiful trail.

www.greatlakesendurance.com[/URL" target="_blank">

thejoggler

68 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

7. Mar 20, 2007 9:16 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

I traveled from Chicago to do the Cleveland Marathon and it was pretty good.

Another hidden gem is the Sunburst Marathon held in South Bend Indiana.

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Ray Andrews

231 posts since
Dec 6, 2007

8. Mar 20, 2007 11:14 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

Wichita Kansas has a great marathon. I did it in October 2006 and loved it. I'm from Texas, but I liked Wichita better than my previous two (Houston and Fort Worth Cowtown). The organization was superb. Everything from packet pickup to post-race celebration was top-notch. The host hotel was elegant. From the start at the YMCA in Derby to the finish line in Old Town, the course was interesting, varied, scenic, and the crowd support was good. Most interesting was the run through McConnell AFB and the Kansas Air Guard where you run underneath and around various airplanes. Aid stations were well-placed, well-stocked and well-manned.

There was only the marathon and marathon relay, and not a huge crowd of entrants. But they did have an earlier start time for slower runners and walkers, so that people of varying abilities arrived at the finish line at around the same time. (This made it possible for faster runners to offer encouragement to slower runners in the most difficult miles of the race.)

Wichita is a growing, bustling city spreading its wings (metaphorically - the aircraft industry is a big part of its economy). I understand Wichita is actually the largest city in the state of Kansas. Mid-Continet Airport is close, making it accessible from elsewhere.

I'd definitely call it a "hidden gem" Midwest marathon like what you're looking for.

MidwestLivingEditor

9 posts since
Mar 15, 2007

9. Mar 21, 2007 8:14 AM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

Someone else recommended the South Bend marathon, but I hadn't heard of some of these other ones. You're right about Wichita having real hidden gem potential. Thanks, everyone!

Sherpa John

367 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

10. Mar 21, 2007 3:37 PM

in response to: MidwestLivingEditor

What about Ultramarathons?!

Mar 15, 2007 4:40 PM

MIDWEST MARATHONS: magazine editor needs your tips

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