From the sidelines of Wichita's Prairie Fire Marathon

By Meg Britton-Mehlisch

Published November 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM CST

1 of 13 — Marathon runner runs over College Hill cobblestones

Wichita's Prairie Fire Marathon course is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. Runners who finished the Prairie Fire Marathon with times below the qualifying time for their age and gender, may qualify for the 2027 Boston Marathon.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

2 of 13 — Marathon passes by Clifton Square

A group of marathoners and half-marathoners runs alongside a pacer — a runner running a predetermined pace — west on Douglas. The 2025 Prairie Fire Marathon route took runners through College Hill and back again.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

3 of 13 — Half marathoner runns through College Hill

From Equity Bank Park to College Hill, the route for marathon and half-marathon runners is the same. In College Hill the only distinguishing feature are the runners' race bibs – topped with yellow for a half-marathon or red for a full marathon runner.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

4 of 13 — Prairie Fire signs

Race organizers mark the route through Wichita with images of a racing rabbit. Supporters join in, either by holding handmade signs of encouragement or adding their own lawn signs to the route.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

5 of 13 — Runners race around College Hill Park

Family and friends find spots along the route to park their cars and cheer on runners near the College Hill Park.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

6 of 13 — Prairie Fire Marathon shoes

Runner follows Prairie Fire Marathon route

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

7 of 13 — Marathon runners in College Hill

Just over an hour into the 2025 Prairie Fire Marathon, runners near the crest of Douglas in College Hill. Signs for Clifton Park mark about the 10 mile mark.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

8 of 13 — Runners finish Prairie Fire Marathon at Equity Bank Park

More than 1,200 runners — including Alexandra and Cody Vaughn of Kempner, Texas —finished the Prairie Fire half-marathon. The route culminated with a big-screen finish at Equity Bank Park.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

9 of 13 — Volunteers pass out metals

A young volunteer holds up a finisher's medal for Nathan Cox of Bel Aire. Dozens of volunteers waited with medals, water and support for runners who made it to the finish line at the field at Equity Bank Park.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

10 of 13 — Race finish inside Equity Bank Park

Hundreds of family members and friends filled Equity Bank Park to watch runners make their push towards the finish line. Organizers announced each runner as they entered the stadium.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

11 of 13 — Dustin Mettler wins men’s Prairie Fire Marathon

Dustin Mettler of Oklahoma City won the men's fall Prairie Fire Marathon with a time of 2:35:03.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

12 of 13 — Celebrations at the Prairie Fire finish line

Some runners, like Andrew Gonzales of Derby, memorialized their run with selfies and videos of the final race to the finish line. About 1,200 runners finished the half-marathon. Almost 400 runners finished the marathon route.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

13 of 13 — Kendall Schellhorn wins women’s Prairie Fire Marathon

Kendall Schellhorn of Wichita finished the fall Prairie Fire Marathon with a time of 3:04:02.

Meg Britton-Mehlisch / KMUW

In 1980, marathon runners began hitting Wichita pavement. It’s a tradition that continues today as the Prairie Fire Marathon.

On October 12, 2,970 people put on their tennis shoes and pulled up their socks to run this year's route. Another 6,000 people followed the runners' progress from the sidelines, including KMUW's Meg Britton-Mehlisch. She produced this Wichita Soundscape on the race.