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Marathon Details - Gobbler Grind Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > KS > Overland Park > Gobbler Grind Marathon

Gobbler Grind Marathon

Gobbler Grind Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

Overland Park, KS USA

November 19, 2023

http://www.gobblergrindmarathon.com

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Race Details

Relatively flat fast course on asphalt running trails along beautiful Indian Creek & Tomahawk Creeks.

Contact Information

Name:	Runner's Edge Racing
Address:	904 N Arroyo Dr Olathe, KS 6606
Phone Number:	(816) 914-1430
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

The new course was a big hit! (1/22/07)

Rusty Collins - Event Director

In 2006 the course was moved to Corporate Woods in Overland Park, Kansas and everyone loved the new course. It's a pretty fast course with a climb between 6 - 8 miles and just before 20. Visit our website for details at www.gobblergrindmarathon.com.

I would like to invite you to Overland Park, Kansas and join us for the Gobbler Grind Marathon, 1/2 Marathon or 5K.

This is the 11th year for the Gobbler Grind as an "Official Race." It started as a fun run between friends over the Thanksgiving season to work off a little too much turkey (thus the name Gobbler Grind). As time went on more and more people started joining us to run so we decided to buy T-shirts for those who ran. As it kept growing and started getting a little competitive, it was finally named and turned into a race. We are known for our better than average T-shirts and genuine kindness of the volunteers.

The route is very scenic and we received a lot of compliments on the new course.

I hope to see you in November!

Rusty

Runner Reviews (100)

Course 3.5

Organization 3.2

Spectators 2.5

Write a review

Number of comments: 100 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]

P. S. from Santa Clara, CA (11/15/2018) "Great choice for a Kansas marathon" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The Gobbler Grind is a great choice for those looking to visit Kansas for a small marathon. The course details, small crowds and race swag are well described by others, so I won't go into those details here. If you are coming in from out of town, there are a few things that I wanted to highlight though. I definitely recommend staying at the race hotel. The hotel is well situated and just a short jog to (or slow limp back from) the start/finish line. Since I didn't want to carry the enormous rental car keys with me during the race, it was a great option to be able to get there by foot. The hotel is also conveniently located near two great restaurants. On the eve of the race I had a wonderful Italian meal across the street at Garozzo's, which was recommended to me by the hotel's front desk. Almost everything on the menu was appealing. After the race, I treated myself to some KC BBQ and visited the newest Q39 location, which was also less than a mile from the hotel. Again, I had an incredible meal and was able to catch the end of the Chiefs game with the locals (I will let you look through the Yelp reviews). The marathon was certainly entertaining, but the highlight of my entire trip ended up being a visit to the National WWI Museum in downtown. While being on your feet for long stretches before a race is not ideal, it was absolutely worth it! The fact that it was Veteran's Day Weekend made it even more special. Saturday's packet pickup at the running store was simple and not too far out of the way on the drive from the hotel to downtown Kansas City for the museum - you can pick up your packet at 10:30am and get to the museum by 11:00am. In summary, this was a great race to travel to. The race itself was well organized, the logistics were simple and the WWI Museum shouldn't be missed!
D. B. from Omaha, NE (1/8/2018) "Small, well-run marathon with unique swag" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is one of the smaller races I have done and I was impressed with the organization and support. Everything from the nearby hotel to the day-of packet pickup to the frequent and plentiful aide stations were done with the runners in mind. Of course, you aren't going to get huge crowd support with a race this small and most of the time (especially after you leave the half-marathoners) you are alone on a trail, but the woods are really beautiful in November and the people out there (including the volunteers) were wonderful. My favorite part of this race was that it felt geared toward the full marathoners. So many times in races like these (including one prominent race in a nearby large city a few weeks earlier) the race seems to cater to the half marathoners (after all there are usually a lot more of them). However, from the poster that had the names of the full marathoners on it to the hoodie (just for the full marathoners) to the fleece blanket (just for the full marathoners) to the pint glass, to the specific (and larger) full marathon medal, the organizers rewarded you for putting in the full 26.2. If you are looking for a Kansas Marathon, this is a great choice.
T. S. from Indianapolis (11/18/2017) "Lonely long distance runner" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 If you want cheering throngs, or even another runner to chat with, this might not be the race for you. But if you just want a lovely run through the woods, it's perfect. And for me, it was. At least that was the case after the split from the half-marathoners. While I'd often see runners going the other way after turnarounds, there was many a mile that it seemed like it was just me and nobody else. A big chunk of the course is on that lonely bike path, and it's great. The rest of the course? I give it an OK. Not super, not bad. Nice and unusual swag with a finisher's blanket and commemorative pint glass, plus a hoodie instead of the typical T-shirt. For those of us trying for 50 states, it would've been nice if the hoodie and medal had the location of the race, but that's a minor quibble. I was able to pick up my packet a day in advance, and judging by the mob the morning of the race, I'd recommend it. There was a slight delay to the start; I'm guessing because of trying to get bibs out to folks.
J. Y. from Dayton, OH (11/17/2016) "Small race done right" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the full and my husband ran the half, and we both enjoyed the course and the experience. We stayed at the official hotel and it was really easy to walk over to the start/finish. I thought the shirts and medals were good quality for a smaller race and there was a decent variety of food at the end (chicken sliders, ramen noodles, chocolate milk, etc). Were there a ton of people cheering the whole time? No - but aid stations were well stocked and volunteers were enthusiastic. I picked this as my KS race for 50 states and would recommend it to others!
B. O. from St. Louis, Missouri (11/13/2016) "Great race!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 47th marathon and it was very impressive! The course was beautiful and extremely well marked. I was a pokey litttle puppy, however they waited for me and made sure I had food and water at the end. I was the last one in, and they had milk, bananas, bagels and water for me. They could not have been more gracious! Run this race!
M. W. from Clarinda, IA (3/22/2016) "Okay experience" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon but I have run 4 half marathons. This race seemed to be geared to the half marathoners. The first station to have GU gels had run out when I got there, but others farther in (after the half marathoners were done) were stocked well. The course was well marked (previous comments mention issues staying on the course, but that was not a problem at all). One big hill (somewhere around mile 20? not sure what mile it was) was a bit of a challenge but mostly a flat course. There was a long line for the port-a-potties at the start, but it moved fast and wasn't a problem. There was a long sleeve shirt at packet pick-up plus a finishers T-shirt and medal at the finish line which was nice. I'm a slower runner (5:10 finish) and it was like a ghost town at the finish line when I crossed. The only food left was apples, oranges and water. The only photo of me was at the finish line and to get the banner in, it seemed to be taken from a distance. In general, it was a decent race and I only had to drive 2.5hrs to get there but I wouldn't do it again. Everyone was very nice and it wasn't a bad experience, just not worth repeating for me.
T. G. from Lawrence, KS (12/8/2015) "Good small race" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran the marathon in about 3:25. The half and full start together, but the race thinned out quickly. The marathon pacers only went to 3:30 or so, but looking at the HM pacers, I figured out roughly where to stand. One thing I have noticed about these smaller races here (e.g., Hot Chocolate Half, Sander's Saunter, Wicked Marathon, Blue Springs & not NY, Boston, Seattle, Eugene, or Gansett - which is small but required 5 minutes faster than BQ to register) is that people don't start where they should. However, these races are small enough that corrals aren't practical. If I ran this course again, I would start closer to the front. I ran most of the course (flat, boring, but close to where I live) with 2 men from WI and we were mostly alone. In chatting, we all agreed it would be nice if the race started an hour earlier, because we were warm. It warmed up toward the end enough that I took my tank top off and finished in a sports bra and shorts. It was in the 50's and sunny. Not a lot of crowd support, so if you want that, pick a different race. Packet pickup was easy and they give you a medal and finisher's shirt at the end.
M. m. from colorado (11/9/2014) "Great and challenging small race!" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I was very impressed by the organization, the loot (an awesome tech long-sleeved hoodie, a long-sleeved finisher t-shirt and great medals!) The people staffing and running were super friendly and supportive! The course was hilly and challenging. And the marathoners ran alone much of the last 16 miles but if you can handle that is highly recommend this race. They started on time, had great course markings/marshals. And the runners supported each other on the out/back sections. Great small race.
J. M. from St. Paul, MN (11/29/2013) "Nice small low key marathon" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This is a no frills, well organized nice small marathon. The host hotel offered free late checkout, so we could shower after which was very nice. This year it was about 12 degrees at the start, which is just the way it goes sometimes. So a number of the water stops only had frozen water, others had ice in the water. Also, the water stops were just a very small table which was problematic until the half marathoners split off. I would respectfully suggest the water stops be re-evaluated in how they are done (perhaps longer tables or more smaller ones). Thank you volunteers for helping out in less than ideal temperatures. I am happy I ran this in the end.
L. B. from Lees Summit, MO (11/26/2013) "Good Thanksgiving Option" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Gobbler Grind Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This is a smaller marathon and is run mostly on a suburban running/biking trail. The route varies from year to year, but is generally flat with some challenging hills here and there. It is well organized and course support is good. If you need fan support along the trail you will need to bring your own because it is sparse. However, the Gobble Grind has all the basics covered and is a nice run to round out your year.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]



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P. S. from Santa Clara, CA (11/15/2018) "Great choice for a Kansas marathon" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The Gobbler Grind is a great choice for those looking to visit Kansas for a small marathon. The course details, small crowds and race swag are well described by others, so I won't go into those details here. If you are coming in from out of town, there are a few things that I wanted to highlight though. I definitely recommend staying at the race hotel. The hotel is well situated and just a short jog to (or slow limp back from) the start/finish line. Since I didn't want to carry the enormous rental car keys with me during the race, it was a great option to be able to get there by foot. The hotel is also conveniently located near two great restaurants. On the eve of the race I had a wonderful Italian meal across the street at Garozzo's, which was recommended to me by the hotel's front desk. Almost everything on the menu was appealing. After the race, I treated myself to some KC BBQ and visited the newest Q39 location, which was also less than a mile from the hotel. Again, I had an incredible meal and was able to catch the end of the Chiefs game with the locals (I will let you look through the Yelp reviews). The marathon was certainly entertaining, but the highlight of my entire trip ended up being a visit to the National WWI Museum in downtown. While being on your feet for long stretches before a race is not ideal, it was absolutely worth it! The fact that it was Veteran's Day Weekend made it even more special. Saturday's packet pickup at the running store was simple and not too far out of the way on the drive from the hotel to downtown Kansas City for the museum - you can pick up your packet at 10:30am and get to the museum by 11:00am. In summary, this was a great race to travel to. The race itself was well organized, the logistics were simple and the WWI Museum shouldn't be missed!
D. B. from Omaha, NE (1/8/2018) "Small, well-run marathon with unique swag" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is one of the smaller races I have done and I was impressed with the organization and support. Everything from the nearby hotel to the day-of packet pickup to the frequent and plentiful aide stations were done with the runners in mind. Of course, you aren't going to get huge crowd support with a race this small and most of the time (especially after you leave the half-marathoners) you are alone on a trail, but the woods are really beautiful in November and the people out there (including the volunteers) were wonderful. My favorite part of this race was that it felt geared toward the full marathoners. So many times in races like these (including one prominent race in a nearby large city a few weeks earlier) the race seems to cater to the half marathoners (after all there are usually a lot more of them). However, from the poster that had the names of the full marathoners on it to the hoodie (just for the full marathoners) to the fleece blanket (just for the full marathoners) to the pint glass, to the specific (and larger) full marathon medal, the organizers rewarded you for putting in the full 26.2. If you are looking for a Kansas Marathon, this is a great choice.
T. S. from Indianapolis (11/18/2017) "Lonely long distance runner" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 If you want cheering throngs, or even another runner to chat with, this might not be the race for you. But if you just want a lovely run through the woods, it's perfect. And for me, it was. At least that was the case after the split from the half-marathoners. While I'd often see runners going the other way after turnarounds, there was many a mile that it seemed like it was just me and nobody else. A big chunk of the course is on that lonely bike path, and it's great. The rest of the course? I give it an OK. Not super, not bad. Nice and unusual swag with a finisher's blanket and commemorative pint glass, plus a hoodie instead of the typical T-shirt. For those of us trying for 50 states, it would've been nice if the hoodie and medal had the location of the race, but that's a minor quibble. I was able to pick up my packet a day in advance, and judging by the mob the morning of the race, I'd recommend it. There was a slight delay to the start; I'm guessing because of trying to get bibs out to folks.
J. Y. from Dayton, OH (11/17/2016) "Small race done right" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the full and my husband ran the half, and we both enjoyed the course and the experience. We stayed at the official hotel and it was really easy to walk over to the start/finish. I thought the shirts and medals were good quality for a smaller race and there was a decent variety of food at the end (chicken sliders, ramen noodles, chocolate milk, etc). Were there a ton of people cheering the whole time? No - but aid stations were well stocked and volunteers were enthusiastic. I picked this as my KS race for 50 states and would recommend it to others!
B. O. from St. Louis, Missouri (11/13/2016) "Great race!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 47th marathon and it was very impressive! The course was beautiful and extremely well marked. I was a pokey litttle puppy, however they waited for me and made sure I had food and water at the end. I was the last one in, and they had milk, bananas, bagels and water for me. They could not have been more gracious! Run this race!
M. W. from Clarinda, IA (3/22/2016) "Okay experience" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon but I have run 4 half marathons. This race seemed to be geared to the half marathoners. The first station to have GU gels had run out when I got there, but others farther in (after the half marathoners were done) were stocked well. The course was well marked (previous comments mention issues staying on the course, but that was not a problem at all). One big hill (somewhere around mile 20? not sure what mile it was) was a bit of a challenge but mostly a flat course. There was a long line for the port-a-potties at the start, but it moved fast and wasn't a problem. There was a long sleeve shirt at packet pick-up plus a finishers T-shirt and medal at the finish line which was nice. I'm a slower runner (5:10 finish) and it was like a ghost town at the finish line when I crossed. The only food left was apples, oranges and water. The only photo of me was at the finish line and to get the banner in, it seemed to be taken from a distance. In general, it was a decent race and I only had to drive 2.5hrs to get there but I wouldn't do it again. Everyone was very nice and it wasn't a bad experience, just not worth repeating for me.
T. G. from Lawrence, KS (12/8/2015) "Good small race" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran the marathon in about 3:25. The half and full start together, but the race thinned out quickly. The marathon pacers only went to 3:30 or so, but looking at the HM pacers, I figured out roughly where to stand. One thing I have noticed about these smaller races here (e.g., Hot Chocolate Half, Sander's Saunter, Wicked Marathon, Blue Springs & not NY, Boston, Seattle, Eugene, or Gansett - which is small but required 5 minutes faster than BQ to register) is that people don't start where they should. However, these races are small enough that corrals aren't practical. If I ran this course again, I would start closer to the front. I ran most of the course (flat, boring, but close to where I live) with 2 men from WI and we were mostly alone. In chatting, we all agreed it would be nice if the race started an hour earlier, because we were warm. It warmed up toward the end enough that I took my tank top off and finished in a sports bra and shorts. It was in the 50's and sunny. Not a lot of crowd support, so if you want that, pick a different race. Packet pickup was easy and they give you a medal and finisher's shirt at the end.
M. m. from colorado (11/9/2014) "Great and challenging small race!" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I was very impressed by the organization, the loot (an awesome tech long-sleeved hoodie, a long-sleeved finisher t-shirt and great medals!) The people staffing and running were super friendly and supportive! The course was hilly and challenging. And the marathoners ran alone much of the last 16 miles but if you can handle that is highly recommend this race. They started on time, had great course markings/marshals. And the runners supported each other on the out/back sections. Great small race.
J. M. from St. Paul, MN (11/29/2013) "Nice small low key marathon" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Gobbler Grind Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This is a no frills, well organized nice small marathon. The host hotel offered free late checkout, so we could shower after which was very nice. This year it was about 12 degrees at the start, which is just the way it goes sometimes. So a number of the water stops only had frozen water, others had ice in the water. Also, the water stops were just a very small table which was problematic until the half marathoners split off. I would respectfully suggest the water stops be re-evaluated in how they are done (perhaps longer tables or more smaller ones). Thank you volunteers for helping out in less than ideal temperatures. I am happy I ran this in the end.
L. B. from Lees Summit, MO (11/26/2013) "Good Thanksgiving Option" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Gobbler Grind Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This is a smaller marathon and is run mostly on a suburban running/biking trail. The route varies from year to year, but is generally flat with some challenging hills here and there. It is well organized and course support is good. If you need fan support along the trail you will need to bring your own because it is sparse. However, the Gobble Grind has all the basics covered and is a nice run to round out your year.

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Marathon Details - Gobbler Grind Marathon