Women outnumber men for Prairie Fire races (VIDEO)

There was a lot of energy at the Fit for Life expo on Saturday.

And that’s good, because it’ll take a lot to get over the streets of Wichita as part of the Prairie Fire Marathon, half-marathon and 5K run.

The expo combined picking up registration packets for the race with booths for other events and health and fitness products.

What makes Prairie Fire different from some other area sporting events is the predominance of women.

Well over half of the more than 4,000 participants on Sunday are expected to be women, young and old, hard-core marathoner and first-time 5K walker.

In one small sign of the growing importance of women in running events, an Oklahoma City group called Friends of Multisport had a booth at the expo promoting a series of women-only running events called GoGirl Runs in Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Columbia and Springfield, Mo.

Meg Sytnick, director of community initiatives and volunteer coordinator for the race, said at least 60 percent of runners at the Prairie Fire event will be women – and that’s true with running events nationwide, she said.

A study by RunningUSA showed that the percentage of runners who are women has risen from 25 percent in 1990 to 57 percent in 2013, even as the overall number of runners has tripled.

Running appeals to women, Sytnick said, for a variety of reasons both straightforward and spiritual.

“It’s not only for health and wellness, it’s about the journey,” she said. “Each time you finish the race, you’re a different person.”

Trish Schmidt of Ulysses joked that she was not sure why she was there.

“I have no idea,” she said with a laugh. “Just a bunch of us at work got together and said, ‘Let’s do this.’ ”

As soon as she started training in April, she developed foot and leg problems. That slowed her plans, she said, but she’s determined. She and her husband made the drive, and she’s planning to walk the half-marathon.

Shannon Braun said she started running as a way to be together with her husband, Andy. Now she runs half-marathons while he runs in marathons.

She is not particularly competitive, she said, but likes the atmosphere.

“It keeps you fit, gives you a sense of accomplishment, and you get a medal in the end, which is kind of nice,” she said.

Jacqueline Wood of Oakley was there picking up her registration. She has run the Prairie Fire half-marathon several times since 2010.

She got started, she said, after her husband deployed with the Army Reserves and she needed something to keep her mind occupied.

She now has two small children, but she’s kept running as a way to set and reach personal goals.

“It’s definitely rewarding,” she said. “No matter what, just to know I have a goal to reach. It’s an easy way to do something for yourself.”

This story was originally published October 11, 2014 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Women outnumber men for Prairie Fire races (VIDEO)."