The Inaugural Prairie Fire Marathon will cover 26.2 miles of Wichita streets on Sunday, October 10 running thru downtown, Uptown, College Hill, Eastborough, Riverside, and Cowtown. It will cross the Arkansas River a total of six times and take runners on beautiful tour of Wichita neighborhoods.
The Marathon starts near the heart of Wichita along the Arkansas River at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Just after the starting line, runners will cross the Lewis Street Bridge. The bridge is one of two 300 foot long, gateway bridges that bracket downtown Wichita providing a link between East and West. It features 40 foot high stainless steel light towers that reflect the nautical theme of the river and the aeronautical identity of Wichita.
Runners will then turn North and head upstream to the second crossing of the Arkansas River where they will cross at the Douglas Street Bridge approximately 0.5 miles into the marathon. The Douglas Street Bridge is the second gateway bridge and was designed as a gathering place for special river events.
For the next three miles, runners will head East thru downtown Wichita on Douglas running past the Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center with its dramatic round architectural style. Lively bronze statues can be found along the course such as a boy pushing a pedal car over a water puddle and boy leading a cow down the street. On the North side of the road, runners will go by the world’s largest manufacturer of custom motorcycles, Big Dog, which has built over 25,000 motorcycles since production started right here in Wichita in 1994.
Runners will also pass by Wichita East High school around mile 2.2 and the Crown Uptown Dinner Theater at mile 3. The theater is a unique venue that has been providing broadway-style shows and all you can eat buffets for 34 years to Wichitans.
Just before mile 3, runners will start climbing the biggest incline on the course. The mere 1.0% grade is just enough to change up the muscle groups without really slowing you down.
Runners will then head South into the historic College Hill area. College hill is filled with many of Wichita’s most beautiful and unique homes, mature trees and a beautiful park. Runners go along the South edge of College Hill park before heading East on Lewis.
The marathon course will then take runners behind the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center. For 75 years, the VA has been honored to serve Kansas area veterans and provides a full range of care services to veterans in 59 counties of Kansas. This stretch of Waterman has exceptionally high curbs making a great spot for spectators to sit and watch the marathon.
Mile five of the marathon course will bring runners past Wichita’s finest Fire and Police Department. The fireman at this station have always opened their doors to runners coming thru on long runs to allow them to use the restroom and drinking fountain. It has become a landmark for Wichita runners who run the popular Health Strategies Course.
Runners will then make their way Northeast toward Eastborough on Ridgecrest Street and Lynnwood. At mile 6, runners will find themselves emerged in beauty running alongside water features, ducks, and flowers on the sidewalk before emerging on Lakeside Boulevard heading North. Eastborough was founded in 1937 and is a third class city. It includes a City Hall, a Mayor-Council government, a Police department, a Municipal Court and many parks along with many large and unique homes.
By mile 7, runners are out of Eastborough and running North along Armour moving toward the Northeast loop of the marathon course. The Northeast loop is a 3 mile loop that will take runners past the Polo Club and down into the neighborhood where runners will find themselves running on a narrow sidewalk in the neighborhood backyards and across a bridge. Less than a half mile further down the course, runners will hit a second bridge before heading south again along Brookfield.
See part II for the rest of the new Prairie Fire Wichita Marathon Course and Slideshow
Comments
Nice Job Karla, thanks for the info and the pictures, it helps to see it.
Thank you! I spent way too many hours on this article and I'm not even running the Wichita Marathon this year so I'm glad you could get some use out of it:)
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