I sign on for at least one half-marathon a year, and Rock The Parkway is by far my favorite of the…read morebunch. Being an April run, it gives an incentive to stick with cardio throughout the winter, and the weather is often good for this one. If it isn't good, it's typically cold which you'd rather have then hot, so it's a winner either way. Adside from the overall practicality, it isn't everyday that they close by far the most beautiful road in Kansas City just for a big group of runners. When I first did this half-marathon back in 2012, it was good if not a tad messy. There were mobs of people at the start, no wave times, and it made for organized chaos. However as time has gone on, they've adapted and made this as easy and manageable as a half-marathon can be. Wave times, good support throughout, and good fan support* (more on that in a sec). What separates any good run comes down to one main thing: The course. It's no secret that Ward Parkway and the surrounding neighborhoods are the most beautiful in KC, so why not run by them and wonder what it would take to live in those houses? While there are rolling hills with slight inclines, it's a relatively flat course compared to the KC Half Marathon or Hospital Hill. You can really fly here, and there's something nice about not having a million twists and turns. You dip into some neighborhoods on the north end, around Loose Park, and then from there it's straight back down Ward Parkway and you know you're not too far away. In fact the last mile or so is mostly downhill or perfectly flat which allowed me to hit a PR in 2018! One quick note; the spectators really show up in droves for this which overall is great, but this is one of the few races where it caters more to the spectators than the runners. The fans create a massive logjam when trying to get to the corral, it's tough to leave at the end, and they almost always drink up all the coffee and some of the other goodies by the time I'm done which is usually under two hours, so right in the middle. We had to fight to find any sort of carbohydrate at the end of the 2025 race because stuff was picked over. Just some feedback if anyone sees it. Overall, it's a great half-marathon whether you've never done one or just want to be a part of a beautiful KC classic race. PS: This race is somewhat priced fairly, if you're early to sign up. The fact that these races have crept closer to or above $100 is insane, but there are manageable deals to be found with this one.

I ran the 5k in 2013, and basically kicking myself for not springing for the half marathon! (I was…read morein the best shape ever at the time of the 2013 5k, but I hadn't done a 13.1 in maybe 2 years so my butt was afraid) Why am I kicking myself? Pretty much the baddest-assed bling ever. I like bling, what can I say. And no, you don't get bling for the 5k (which is fine, I don't believe you should have to) The race itself was nice. I didn't know what to expect...being not from the area (The Ben Franklin Parkway in Philly is like a major city street whereas the George Washington Parkway in DC is a quiet trail with trees and a river and lovelyness) This parkway was more like the GW Parkway in DC. Very doubtful I'll be back unless I go to visit my friend who lives out there (the whole reason I did the 5k last year anyway) But if you're in the area totally worth checking out :)

As my first OCR (obstical course run), this is beyond worth a try if you enjoy things like crossfit…read moreor a funny and messy way to workout. We had a group of us and the obstacles weren't impossible but some were challenging. It was fun to push myself and get through all the obstacles I could. They have water stations at about every obstacle. It's fun, muddy and always a great time when you get a good group together to work through it all with.

How confident are you? If you get nervous when asked to speak in front of a group or just want to…read moreimprove your communication skills, this is the place for you. A group of about 10-15 people meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month in Leawood for an hour lunch meeting. Typically, there are a couple 5-7 minute speeches that will be given and evalutated and then an opportunity for short "Table Topics" so everyone can practice thinking and speaking on their feet. My boss recommended that I join a Toastmasters group after she noted that I used "like" in conversations more than a Valley girl. That's embarrassing. At each meeting, there is a Grammarian/Ah-So Counter who reports how many times each person used a filler word, incorrect grammar, etc. Then the "winner" gets to take home the Wizard of Ahs trophy to remind them to speak more thoughtfully. After proudly earning this title for many meetings, I can say that I have definitely improved my speaking skills. I've been to other Toastmaster clubs and felt intimidated; this is a very diverse and welcoming group. Feedback is positive and constructive. You will always laugh. Guests are welcome anytime for free; check it out!

Pre-registered for a class over a week in advance, and was never notified that it was an all-female…read moreclass. I was turned away at the desk, and asked to return their co-ed class. Then, when I returned for the one and only class that includes non-binary and male genders, their studio is so overheated that you can't even grip your pole. Literally left after 20 mins.

We were asked to show up 15 minutes early and the instructor was not present. The instructor did…read morenot arrive until our party was supposed to start (15 minutes after we arrived). Signing the waiver and paying was very chaotic. We started 15 minutes late for our 1hr party. We were given an additional 15 minutes at the end, but it was cutting it close for a reservation we had for lunch. If there were a party or class after us I assume that might have been an issue. We were supposed to be able to use the larger room, but the AC was broke so we had to double up and take turns on the poles in the small room. We did appreciate that we got to have our class in the AC, though. The facilities were not the cleanest. Overall we did have a great time, but it was very unorganized.

I don't know how the actual trail is, all I can speak to is the customer service portion of…read moreattempting to schedule a trail ride. First, you have to text a number to request a reservation (Only on Saturday or Sunday). But it could take 24 hours to get a response, you know after you text again. If you email them they say "You have to deal with 8166741278 we don't book trail rides via email" "we only do a few rides a weekend weather permitting, we have regular full time jobs,a family and travel." Umm what? If you don't have time to run a business, then Don't Run a Business" Is this a hobby? And of course when they finally respond after multiple attempts you get the "I don't have anything available" text. Like you couldn't have told me that yesterday? You couldn't have helped me yesterday? Was I interrupting your day by being a cuistomer? Cool, it's just something you do in your pastime? Well I do this in my pastime!

Great place for a trail ride and holding an event. Renovations are gorgeous. Amy was a great trail…read moreboss and made the trail fun. Beginner to advanced riders will find this a great place to ride.

This is a great program. The coaches are very knowledgeable. They even help by giving information…read moreabout other programs in the area if their program does not fit for our situation. They have a passion for the sport. I would recommend to everyone.

DO NOT CHOOSE THIS TEAM TO PUT YOUR CHILD ON!!!! The coach and his wife have a very unfriendly way…read moreof handling conflict and have proven to be a joke! Definitely regret putting my child on this team and will be sure to let everyone I know about the horrible experience I have had with them!!!

Rachel and Mychaela were great. Friendly, entertaining, and patient. Ended up being just my nephew…read moreand me on the Adventure Tour and that was perfect. We got through all the lines in less than the 3 hours and went to have lunch afterwards at a decent time. Only thing I'd change is renting the GoPro, our phones were just as good. And I was handed an SD card that I had to ask around to borrow an adapter. Would've been better if it was a usb drive or they gave me a link. Other than that little hiccup we had a wonderful time on a great day. 100% recommend

WARNING: Do NOT waste your money here -- this business is a total scam!…read more I bought Groupon vouchers last winter for a specific family outing, only to discover later that the business was completely unresponsive. No one answered the phone, their website showed no available dates, and out of frustration I even drove an hour to their location--only to find nothing happening. A month later, I received an email stating they were "closed for the winter." Nowhere -- not on the Groupon listing, their website, or their voicemail -- did they mention being seasonal. When I tried to use my vouchers later, they refused to honor them. Even worse, the operators openly admitted that they continue to sell Groupon vouchers during the winter to "boost sales," fully knowing they're closed and that customers can't use them. That's deceptive and unethical. Bottom line: This company hides behind Groupon to take your money and then refuses to stand behind their product. Avoid them entirely -- don't fall into the same trap I did!

I ran the 2019 edition of the Gobbler Grind half marathon in Overland Park, KS. Race morning was…read morethe Sunday before Veteran's Day in November. The Gobbler Grind half marathon used to have the marathon distance in previous years, but starting in 2019, only the half marathon, 10km, and 5km distances were offered. Not sure what happened though. I found this half marathon event on runningintheusa's race calendar. I carefully checked the dates and registered online for the race on their website. Race fees vary, depending on when you register. As it gets closer to race morning, the fees increase. Best bet is to register as soon as you know you are able to. I ended up registering about 2 months prior to race day, which ended up to be a sizable increase. For the most part though, this race marked a milestone for me. While I didn't know the course too well, it added about 10 minutes to my overall time to figure it all out. The 2019 Gobbler Grind half marathon was my 50th lifetime half marathon and 16th state in a bid to run a half marathon in all 50 US states. This was my race for the state of Kansas. Recommended if you stayed in the Corporate Woods area of Overland Park, as the start and finish line are in the Corporate Woods Park North. The nearest hotel would be the Doubletree by Hilton on College Blvd, about 1/2 mile away and walkable for sure. The overall experience here at the 2019 Gobbler Grind half marathon was annoying & stressful (getting lost), but interesting and fun (once I realized I wasn't lost anymore) at the same time. 3/4 of the course was basically run on the Indian creek trail, whereas the other 1/4 was on the roads of Corporate Woods and the surrounding areas. Race weekend started with packet pick up at the Gary Gribble Running Sports store at the Ward Parkway shopping center in Overland Park. It was short process that took about a minute. It was the first time I've seen that they do the bib assignments at packet pick up with a pile of race bibs. It was neat though and different than the usual practice of assigning them electronically first prior to race weekend. The race started at 8:30am, which was kind of late in the morning, but at least I got to sleep in some. Not knowing the course made me second guess where I was going and that costed me about 5 minutes. And some random guy stopped me mid race and told me I wasn't going to make the time cut off at mile 3.5, which totally blew my morale at the time, but I soldiered on and made it, even though the race had a soft cut off policy. I saw the same random guy near the finish line that morning and I told him that he freaked me out about not finishing. He apologized and thought I'd be like over an hour after the published time cut off. Needless to say, I was annoyed after crossing the finish line, even when I caught up to the event sweeper at mile 8 and beat them by 15 minutes. Still blessed that I got to come to Overland Park, KS to run my 50th lifetime half marathon here. The Indian creek trail was scenic and the roads used in the race seemed a little hilly, but thankful for the volunteers and the traffic control for keeping us safe during the race. Post race was nice and casual. They had served up chili and I had a cup full and a bottle of water. The finisher medal was pretty cute though. It was a nice day for a run, especially since the next day proved to be in the 20's F and sleeting. Lol Perfect timing actually! If you want a nice half marathon event in the Midwest, consider the Gobbler Grind half marathon as your next race. If you are passionate about running a half marathon in every state in the United States of America, this one can be the one for Kansas. Overland Park sets the venue for scenic views along the Indian Creek Trail and it was beautiful. For the most part though, it was an experience. 13.1 miles is long enough to ask yourself, why am I doing this? You reply, because I am strong and because I can! 4.5 stars for the overall experience, despite getting lost and the random guy. 4.0 stars for the medal. Race fees hover around $70 per entry. Thank you to the volunteers!!! Support local! B+