St. George Marathon
St. George, United States · October · Independent
Why people love it
- Net drop of 746 m (2,446 ft) from the Pine Valley Mountains into St. George.
- Red and white sandstone of Snow Canyon at 25 to 32 km (16 to 20 mi).
- Aid about every 3.2 km (2 mi), with ice and cold sponges in warm years.
- Volunteers and local crowds near the finish are praised in most reports.
- A wide single road; the field of about 4,400 finishers feels uncrowded.
Watch out for
- Mandatory buses leave 3:45 to 5:15 AM, then a wait of about 2 hours in the cold.
- The Veyo climb at 11 to 14 km (7 to 9 mi) comes before the half; pace it.
- Descent of 807 m (2,649 ft) causes cramping after 32 km (20 mi).
- Finish heat reached about 31 °C (high 80s °F) in 2022 and 2024, with little shade.
- One article reports Boston will add time adjustments for net-downhill courses; check current rules.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.2
RaceRaves averages 4.3 of 5 over about 35 ratings. One aggregator shows 8 positive and 4 mixed of 12 reviews. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Reviewers call it well organised with great volunteers. Late buses pushed the gun back 30 minutes in 2023 and to 7:15 in 2024. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
A 6 h 15 min cutoff and wide road help, but the Veyo hill, quad-pounding descent and shadeless heat catch first-timers. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.0
A 746 m (2,446 ft) net drop suits a Boston chase, but the climb at 11 to 22.5 km (7 to 14 mi) blunts it. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.3
Pine Valley sunrise, Veyo, Snow Canyon and red and white sandstone. Two reviewers found the back half less interesting than the early desert miles. · Medium confidence
- Room to runWide open4.5
About 4,400 finishers on a wide road. Reviewers say it feels uncrowded, with long straights and few sharp turns. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.9
Mostly one smooth highway and road, with no reports of rough surface. Few reviewers mention it. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.2
A 2017 blogger notes the highway was closed to traffic for runners. A single road keeps it simple. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.6
One watch showed 143 m (469 ft) of gain, plus a 30 m (100 ft) climb at Veyo and rollers to 22.5 km (14 mi). · Low confidence
- Net downhillBig drop4.8
Net drop of 746 m (2,446 ft), a big Boston-style descent. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsFiddly2.4
Mandatory buses load 3:45 to 5:15 AM, then about 2 hours of waiting in the cold. Late buses delayed the 2023 and 2024 guns. · High confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.6
Timing is accurate and a pace vehicle follows the back of the field. Pace group details were not found. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportDecent3.0
Spectators are sparse for most of the point-to-point course. The town finish is loud and locals hand out ice pops. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.3
Water, sports drink and gels about every 3.2 km (2 mi), with ice in hot years. Volunteers are the most consistent praise. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.8
Light to moderate winds are listed, and reviewers do not complain about wind. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.2
Starts 7 to 12 °C (45 to 54 °F), finishes 18 to 24 °C (64 to 75 °F). Two years hit 31 °C (88 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.8
Ranged from cold rain at about 5 °C (low 40s °F) in 2023 to near-dangerous heat in 2022 and 2024. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.2
Point-to-point with bus-only starts. A reviewer says access is limited before mile 24 (38.6 km). · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeModerate2.5
Starts at 1,597 m (5,240 ft), above the 1,500 m (4,900 ft) line, and falls to 817 m (2,680 ft). Reviewers noticed the altitude early. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.2
Hotels fill fast per one guide, though St. George is a resort town with plenty of beds. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
No price data was found. Race weekend lifts rates in a small city. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.2
Hotels near Vernon Worthen Park walk to bus loading and the finish. The start is a 45 to 60 minute bus ride. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.3
The small St. George airport is about 10 km (6 mi) away; Las Vegas is roughly 190 km (120 mi) by road. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Packet pickup is Friday only at the Dixie Convention Center, with no race-morning pickup. Mandatory buses add a hard step. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.7
An outdoor base next to Zion and Snow Canyon. Few reviewers discuss restaurants. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy3.6
Open entry to a 5,500 cap with no lottery since 2017, but registration opens at a fixed time and fills in some years. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyGood value3.6
Fee not found. Reviewers like the long-sleeve shirt, sandstone medal and finish festival with cooling tubs. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- St. George, Washington County, United States
- Typical month
- October
- Latest or next date
- 3 October 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 4,400 athletes
- First held
- 1977
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 143 m (470 ft)
- Descent
- 767 m (2,520 ft)
- Start time
- 07:00
- Cutoff
- 6.25 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Asphalt highway and road, point to point, one long road for most of it
- How to get in
- open
- Air temperature
- 7–24 °C (45–75 °F)
- Humidity
- Dry, about 15 to 25 percent
- Altitude
- 1,597 m (5,240 ft)
- Nearest airport
- St. George Regional (SGU); Las Vegas (LAS) is the big gateway, 10 km (6 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown St. George near Vernon Worthen Park, Near Dixie Convention Center
- Booking
- Hotels fill fast and parking near the bus area is tight, per RunnersConnect.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
About 35 ratings, 4.3 of 5. Runners agree on a scenic, well-run downhill with real climbs, a Veyo hill near mile 7 (11 km), and brutal quad wear. The bus wait is the top complaint, volunteers the top praise, and 2024 finishers called the heat close to dangerous.
- RaceCastRaced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
12 reviews from 2017 to 2024, 83 percent would run it again. Praise for sunrise on the descent and local crowds, complaints about Veyo, the rolling Dammeron Valley, cramping after mile 20 (32 km), late buses and heat.
- The Rundown (Substack)Raced 2023 · blog · Positive
Calls the course scenic and well organized with a field that did not feel empty, but warns the hills are sneaky and the downhill pounds the legs. Crowds were thin until the last stretch. 55 to 70 °F (13 to 21 °C (70 °F)) race temperatures. Finished with a PR.
“I have a feeling I'll be back”
- Unlikely: A Rookie's Ironman Triathlon Diary (Substack)Raced 2022 · blog · Mixed
A hard day: she woke at 2:30 AM for a 4 AM bus, waited about 2 hours in cold wind, then ran into high-80s °F (about 31 °C (88 °F)) sun. Downhills felt harder than climbs by mid-race. Volunteers handed out Icy Hot and ice.
- Latter-day SopranoRaced 2017 · blog · Positive
First marathon. Strong local crowds, homemade signs and popsicles, ice water and cold washcloths from spectators, a cold start with fires and foil blankets, and heat after mile 23 (37 km). Veyo summit near mile 8.5 (13.7 km) and a long hill at mile 17 (27 km).
“St. George has the most AMAZING people.”
Show 5 more
- WeeViewsRaced 2022 · aggregator · Positive
Short review praising the landscape and the mostly downhill layout, calling it the biggest marathon in Utah and a good Boston-qualifying choice.
“primarily downhill layout which makes it great for a Boston Qualifier”
- Felix Wong blogRaced 2007 · blog · Positive
Old but useful: bonfire start, mostly downhill after mile 2 (3.2 km), a rise between miles 7 and 12 (11 to 19 km), then downhill. He qualified for Boston with seven minutes to spare. The course pattern matches newer reports.
- RunnersConnect race guideRaced 2026 · article · neutral
Course facts: 5,193 ft (1,583 m) start, 2,747 ft (837 m) finish, aid about every 2 mi (3.2 km), 7:00 gun, 6 h 15 min cutoff, mandatory buses, Friday-only packet pickup, start temperatures 45 to 54 °F (7 to 12 °C (54 °F)) and finish 64 to 75 °F (18 to 24 °C (75 °F)).
- Outside RunRaced 2025 · article · neutral
Reports Boston's new adjustment for net-downhill courses and places St. George in the +5:00 group (1,500 to 2,999 ft, 457 to 914 m (3,000 ft) of drop). The article is internally inconsistent about the exact figure, so treat as secondary.
- WikipediaRaced 2025 · article · neutral
First run Nov 1977 with 57 runners. Lottery dropped from 2017. 2025: 4,376 marathon participants against a 5,500 cap and new course records. Prize money $100,000 from 2025.
Raced St. George Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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