CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Since its inception in 1977, the St. George Marathon has become a cherished tradition for runners, a way to push physical limits and foster connections between family members, friends and community volunteers. The 47th edition of the St. George Marathon is set for Saturday, Oct. 7 and will include nearly 5,000 participants – along with another 2,500 for the half marathon.
The event has become much more than just the 26.2-mile race. The weekend also includes the Zion’s Bank Expo, Kids Race, InfoWest 5K, Mayor’s Walk and the St. George Half Marathon. In addition to the sounds of feet on the pavement, marathon weekend includes music, a drone show at the marathon start line, keynote speakers and plenty of free fun.
“Race weekend brings out the best in our community,” said Michelle Graves, race director and assistant parks and community services director for the city of St. George. “It’s the perfect convergence of inspiring athletes, energetic and friendly volunteers, fantastic weather and unbeatable scenery. The excitement is going to be off the charts.”
Marathon weekend kicks off with the Zion’s Bank Expo on Friday, Oct. 6 at the Dixie Convention Center. From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the expo, runners can pick up their packets, survey a variety of vendor booths, take pictures at several photo spots and listen to keynote presentations. The expo is open for the public – everyone is invited to attend.
Also on Friday, everyone is invited to the Party in the Park, which includes the InfoWest 5K Race and the Fun Run Walk N’ Roll (1 mile or 200 meter) that kick off at 5:30 p.m. The 5K is open to everyone, and the fun run is open to children ages 2-18 or anyone with a disability. Following the races, everyone is invited to celebrate during the Party in the Park at the Convention Center, lasting until 8 p.m. There will be food trucks, bounce houses and a live band.
On the morning of race day, join Mayor Michele Randall for the annual Mayor’s Walk at 7 a.m. Beginning on Tabernacle Street at the Washington County School District office, the walk is approximately 1 mile to the marathon finish line at Vernon Worthen Park.
Participants are invited to enjoy a scone breakfast courtesy of the St. George Exchange Club and hang around to cheer on marathon finishers. Parking for the Mayor’s Walk is available at the school district, but access will be available only via 200 West from 100 South.
Spectators are invited to the finish line to help welcome runners beginning at 7:15 a.m., when the first Mayor’s Walk finishers cross the finish line. At approximately 8 a.m., the first finishers from the St. George Half Marathon are expected to cross; some time after 9 a.m., the full-distance runners will start streaming in.
“The marathon is a city tradition that I look forward to every year,” Graves added. “It is truly inspiring to see athletes come from all over the U.S. just to participate in this event. This is a goal they’ve been working toward for months, and to see their training pay off is very moving.”
The success of marathon weekend wouldn’t be possible without the enthusiasm of its volunteers. Visit the marathon website to learn more about volunteer opportunities and to register to volunteer.
For more information, go to stgeorgemarathon.com.
About the St. George Marathon
Rated by Runner’s World as one of the four “Marathons to Build a Vacation Around” in the world and included in Runner’s World’s “10 Most Scenic and Fastest Marathons” and “Top 20 Marathons in the USA,” the St. George Marathon begins in the majestic Pine Valley mountains and descends nearly 2,600 feet through scenic southwest Utah.
A staple in Southern Utah since 1977, the St. George Marathon is a point-to-point race, which is USA Track & Field certified and sanctioned. Runner’s World also listed the St. George Marathon as the fastest fall marathon.
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