The Kansas City Marathon, held every October, takes runners through the heart of the city and past Rockhurst University’s campus. The event features multiple distances, including a full marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K. Starting at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the course winds through the Country Club Plaza, around the Paseo and along Rockhill Road, offering runners a scenic tour of Kansas City’s landmarks.
Many Rockhurst University alumni, graduate students and undergraduate students participated in this year’s Kansas City Marathon. On Oct. 18, several members of the tennis team ran the full 26.2 miles. Sophomore Diego Granados ran alongside teammate Andres Sahagun and alumnus Louis Keiner.
“It’s been a goal of mine since I was little. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and show that I’m in good shape,” Granados said about the experience. It was his first marathon.
“Honestly, I was never a big fan of running, but I’ve always liked pushing myself. Running a marathon felt like the perfect challenge to test my limits,” Granados said.
Running the marathon proved to be as much a mental test as a physical one for Granados. “I actually didn’t train much before the race, so it was more of a mental challenge for me than anything else,” Granados said. “The nerves before the start were definitely the hardest part. I had set a goal for myself, and I didn’t want to let that go.”
Balancing marathon training with academics and athletics can be challenging for college students, but Granados said discipline and time management made it possible. “I think I managed it well since I already had tennis training and work. Being organized and managing my time helped me a lot,” Granados said.
Road closures also affected students living near campus. Those in the Fountain View apartments, located off Oak Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, saw the road closed for the race.
The race brought energy to campus and nearby neighborhoods, as many students lined the streets to cheer on friends and family members participating in the event.
Whether through participation in the race, cheering from the sidelines or navigating street closures, the Kansas City Marathon offers Rockhurst students and alumni a unique opportunity to engage with their community through what has been dubbed “the best marathon in Missouri.”
