Your plan in four answers
Set for April 10, 2027, about 24 weeks out.
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Terrain
- Flat
- Field
- Thousands of runners every year
- Taper starts
- March 29, 2027
Course
The Rock the Parkway course
Both races start and finish at the Burns & McDonnell world headquarters at 9400 Ward Parkway, with the half starting in waves at 7:30 a.m. The half runs north up Ward Parkway, the tree-lined boulevard with its grassy median, fountains and stately homes, through Meyer Circle and on to a loop through the neighborhoods around Belleview Avenue, 61st Street and Pennsylvania Avenue that reaches Loose Park at about mile 7.
Read the full course notes
From there it returns south down Ward Parkway to a long downhill finish at the post-race plaza. The organizers call the course fairly flat and one of the fastest in the area: the profile shows a gentle climb toward Loose Park in the first half and the payback on the way home. The course is USATF certified and closed to traffic, with seven aid stations offering water and Gatorade (GU near mile 7), and half marathoners need to hold 14 minutes per mile or faster.
- Terrain
- Flat
- Distances
- Half marathon, 5K
- Field
- Thousands of runners every year
- Weather on race day
- Early April in Kansas City usually means start temperatures in the 40s to low 50s °F and highs in the mid 60s, but spring fronts can bring a chilly, windy morning or a warm, humid one. Showers and gusty south winds are common at this time of year, so dress in layers you can shed and check the forecast during race week.
What to train for
Train for a race of two halves: a gentle climb for the first 7 miles and a long descent home.
Do long runs on routes with long, gradual grades and hold effort rather than pace on the way up, then add 4 to 6 x 2 minutes downhill slightly faster than goal pace so your legs learn to turn over on the descent.
Mid-week tempo runs of 3 to 5 miles at half marathon pace build the steady rhythm the wide boulevard rewards. April in Kansas City can be windy, so run some workouts into a headwind and practice tucking in with a pace group.
Sample week
A sample Rock the Parkway training week
A week from the middle of the build, about six weeks out. Your plan sets the real distances and paces from your own fitness and adjusts them every week as you train.
- Monday
- Rest, or 20 minutes of mobility
- Tuesday Key session
- Intervals: 5 × 1 km at 5K to 10K effort, easy jog between
- Wednesday
- Easy run, 5–6 mi
- Thursday Key session
- Goal-pace run, 7 mi with 4 mi at race pace
- Friday
- Recovery run, 4 mi, or cross-train
- Saturday Key session
- Long run, 10–12 mi easy
- Sunday
- Easy run, 4 mi, then 6 relaxed strides
Your build to race day
Taper
Tapering for the Rock the Parkway
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week. With the race on April 10, 2027, your taper starts around March 29, 2027.
Also in Claude
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Build me a training plan for the Rock The Parkway Half Marathon & 5K on April 10, 2027. I run [distance] a week, [days] days a week, easy pace [pace].
Rock the Parkway training questions
How long should I train for the Rock the Parkway?
Most runners give a half marathon twelve to sixteen weeks of focused training on top of an existing base. The plan above counts back from your actual race date, so if you have less time than that it builds the best plan the remaining weeks allow rather than pretending you have longer.
Is the Rock the Parkway course hilly?
Flat. Both races start and finish at the Burns & McDonnell world headquarters at 9400 Ward Parkway, with the half starting in waves at 7:30 a.m.
What is the weather usually like at the Rock the Parkway?
Early April in Kansas City usually means start temperatures in the 40s to low 50s °F and highs in the mid 60s, but spring fronts can bring a chilly, windy morning or a warm, humid one. Showers and gusty south winds are common at this time of year, so dress in layers you can shed and check the forecast during race week.
When should I start tapering for the Rock the Parkway?
Start the taper ten to fourteen days before race day. Cut your weekly volume by about a third, then by half in race week, and keep a few short efforts at race pace so your legs stay sharp. The course is flat, so pacing decides the day: rehearse your goal pace in short segments during race week. With the race on April 10, 2027, your taper starts around March 29, 2027.
Do I need an account to get a Rock the Parkway training plan?
No. The plan above builds in your browser with no account, no email, and no card. Make a free account only if you want to keep it, log your runs against it, and have the coach keep adapting it as your training goes.