The Prairie Fire race series has a spring race (half, 5k, mile kid's run) and a fall race (full, half, 5k, fun run). I chose to run the spring half as my Kansas race and spring PR goal race. Unfortunately, my actual race went pretty badly after tweaking a knee somewhere between miles 6 and 7 but the event was well done. There were about 2,700 participants across the three race day events of all ages, a few hundred people larger than last year. I was excited for the smaller race and to explore a new place, here's how it went.

Registration - Online, very easy and straight forward even though they use their own system instead of Active or RaceIt. It was nice that the fees are lower than with those other services.

Travel - We stayed with family but arriving at the small airport, which is undergoing renovations, and getting around town were all pretty easy. There are plenty of hotels right next to the Start/Finish area and several local brewery restaurants for those who want to relax a bit before racing. We checked out River City Brewing for lunch (delicious) and ordered our traditional pizza for dinner.

Expo - Parking at the expo was very limited due to a second, much larger event occurring at the same time. I'm not sure if this would be an issue at the fall race since it has more runners. Once we entered the building, volunteers directed us to the small race expo area. We picked up our unisex tech t-shirts, which never fit me but are nice, and numbers in record time then strolled through the three short rows of vendors. It took us longer to park than get our race gear! Along our shirts and numbers, we received race a information booklet that contained course maps, parking maps for the morning, race and gear check information. The gear check section left a bit to be desired as it simply said 'clear plastic bags will be available at the tent'. I had expected to receive one at packet pick-up and wasn't sure how big the bags would be, where the tent would be, what time it would open and if there would be zip ties to close them with. I ended up loading my gear in a gallon size freezer bag race morning and hoping it wouldn't come open.

Race Day Parking - Very easy. Because of the race's small size, there seemed to be more than ample locations both free and paid to stow your car not more than a 10 minute walk from the Start/Finish line. Getting in and out were both simple and road closures didn't have a massive impact on the ability to move around town.

Start - The race starts at 7:30. We arrived around 6:30 to wide open parking lots with a row of Port-a-Potties that had no lines. Not one person in line. We then tried to find gear check. It wasn't open/set-up yet but it was a bit chilly so since we weren't ready to get warmed up, we took a short walk over the to the hotel directly across from the Start. We were able to stretch out in the warmth and use a clean bathroom in the quiet hotel (yay, small race) until heading back out to find gear check at about 7. The plastic bags we had been curious about were there, plenty big enough and I just slid my own bag into the larger one. I noticed lots of people were now hovering near the Port-a-Potties but was happy to find tons of room to get warmed up close to the Start. After getting moving, we moved towards the Start area. It was an honor system to get lined up and everyone was chatting about their expected times to make sure they were in the right spot. It was a nice change from some larger races. Moments later the National Anthem was sung and we were off right on time.

Course - The course weaves through downtown before turning into some pretty parks, along the Arkansas River and finally sending you back to Finish where you started. Made up of two out-and-backs that look almost like bunny ears, it's flat course that on a calm wind day, could be very fast. Roads provide plenty of running room when you're on them and the sections run on pathways don't have any two-way traffic. A few of the turns are tight and my race was over when I tweaked my left knee on a section of heavily banked road around Mile 6.5. I had tons of running room the entire race though further back, especially on the narrow path areas, I heard there were some issues with people walking wide and blocking things up. Running through the parks there are a few tiny treks across grass that can definitely throw a road rhythm off but the paths and roads are 98% bump/crack/pot hole free. Thanks to being in the parks or on the edge of the river for the majority of Miles between 3 and 11, the course features lots of shade that comes in handy as the temperature rises quickly with sunlight.

Course Support - The water stops were staffed with plenty of volunteers for the size of the race and were just about every 2.5 miles. Each of the stops had water, Gatorade, potties and a first-aid kit. The stop at Mile 5.5 offered GU and since we passed it again at Mile 7, it was supposed to be there also. I'm not a GU person and don't know if the supply ran out or the supplier moved to another location but I did learn that when the two hour group came back through, the GU was missing. The crowd was a steady trickle from Miles 0.5-12.5 and those who were out there did a really good job of cheering everyone on. Wichita PD did a nice job controlling traffic and helping keep street safe for runners.

Finish - Coming into the final 800M, the crowd gets both bigger and louder while the announcer calls every finisher's name. When I crossed, the announcer said my name then gave me special recognition for having come all the way from Virginia Beach. There were only a few East Coasters racing and I think each of us got a little special mention for our Wichita visits. That is something you most definitely do not get in big races that pull in lots of people from all over. Next up was receiving a very nice medal, water and Gatorade. There were some food option right in the Finish area but I was in some pain and just wanted to sit down.

After Party - I took a little rest to drink my water then picked up my gear and happily got my shoes off. I stretched a bit while waiting for my running buddy and looked at the live results that said I was third in my age group. As my buddy crossed the line, we gathered his gear and settled in to snack on available pizza, bread, grilled chicken and chocolate milk. Plopped down on the grass, we ate, hydrated and listened to the band while waiting for the awards ceremony. The grassy field had lots of room for runners and families to gather and munch on the abundant food. About 30 minutes later when my age group was announced, I was not listed. Confused, we went to to look at the posted results again. It still counted that I was third. Turns out the second overall female had gotten to the Start late and due to USATF rules wasn't listed correctly because of a penalty. This pushed me back to fourth but after a not great run, I wasn't surprised. I was happy to have finished without a serious injury to bring home.

Weather - Kansas is flat. Kansas is windy. May is in the middle of tornado season (which explains why the fall race is bigger and faster, mostly likely). We had a face full of 16-18 mph winds for much of the race and it definitely takes some extra effort to fight through. The morning started a bit humid but that burned off quickly when the temperature started to climb. The shaded sections were a big benefit even if they didn't block the wind and out in front of the big two hour group, it was impossible for me to find someone to draft behind.

A small race with a flat, fast course, the Prairie Fire spring half is a fun event. There's something for the whole family with a hometown feel from beginning to end. The pretty course with lots of shade and plentiful post-race fueling/hydrating paired with easy parking kept a positive spin on a event that went exactly opposite of what I had worked 12 hard weeks for. While I have 39 more states to go, this is a race I'd certainly consider participating in again.