- Weather
- 43°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~500 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,100 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Full Marathon
PR5Weather9Experience7
Mid-October · Midwest · Loop
Kansas City Marathon
Kansas City, MO · Saturday, October 17, 2026
Works actual barbecue stops into the course in a city famous for its slow-smoked style, alongside downtown landmarks and city parks. Genuinely hilly, not a course built for speed.
Barbecue stops, parks, and downtown landmarks
- Scenic
Opens the race organizer's website
Typical start
52°
Cooler than 29% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
1,000ft
Flatter than 11% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
1.5K
Larger than 60% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
5.0/10
Ahead of 9% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
1,000 ft gain
Hilly course, loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
44°
Start
52°
Midday
63°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 52°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 45°F, 22% chance of precipitation, wind around 10 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
This one is about the day, not the clock.
Kansas City Marathon is a strong choice for runners who like a course with real character, and the climbing is the point here. The tradeoff is time: race it hard early and the hills will collect later.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Kansas City, MO, with real climbing that will cost you time if you race it hard early.
The case for it
- Runners who care about scenery
The tradeoffs
- You are chasing a flat-course PR
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Hilly
- Total gain
- 1,000 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Pockets of spectators
- Entry
- Data coming soon
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-October
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Region
- Midwest
- Editorial tier
- Featured
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Scenic
- Loop course
- Hilly course
- Destination race
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 55°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~4,000 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 1,200 ft gain
Signature quirky city-wide celebration
PR5Weather9Experience9
- Weather
- 58°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,200 runners
- Course
- Hilly
- Elevation
- 800 ft gain
Finishes inside Canal Park baseball stadium
PR5Weather8Experience7