Utah Valley Marathon
Provo, United States · June · Independent
Why people love it
- Net drop of 440 m (1,444 ft) down Provo Canyon with no Boston penalty.
- Passes Bridal Veil Falls and follows the Provo River; RaceRaves scenery is 4.7 of 5.
- Fourteen aid stations about every 3.2 km (2 mi), with fruit and Otter Pops.
- 144 Boston qualifiers in 2025 and a cap of 2,000 runners.
Watch out for
- Buses leave Provo between 03:10 and 04:15 for a 06:00 start, with cold waits.
- Start altitude is 1,818 m (5,963 ft), which sea-level runners feel.
- Climbs near 11 km (7 mi) and a hard final 8 km (5 mi).
- Crowds are light in the canyon, and the river trail is shared with cyclists.
- Heat builds by mid-morning, with highs of 24 to 31 °C (76 to 88 °F) in hot years.
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 satisfactionLoved4.3
RaceRaves rates it 4.3 of 5 from 36 ratings and RaceEntry 4.7 from 97. Scenery draws constant praise; buses and the cold start draw complaints. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.9
RaceRaves production is 4.4 of 5, with good aid. Dings: bus assignment errors, chaotic bag pickup, litter and space blankets running out in 2025. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
Many first-timers rate it highly, but a 1,818 m (5,963 ft) start, a 03:00 bus and a quad-wrecking downhill suit experienced runners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAmong the fastest4.5
Net drop of 440 m (1,444 ft) and 144 Boston qualifiers in 2025. Mid-race climbs, altitude and warming temperatures cost some runners. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course scenerySpectacular4.7
RaceRaves scenery is 4.7 of 5: Provo Canyon, the Provo River and Bridal Veil Falls. One repeat runner called it Utah's most beautiful race. · High confidence
- Room to runRoomy3.6
Mostly spread out in the canyon, but narrow bike path crowding, half runners walking abreast and a crowded finish exit were reported. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood4.1
Paved highway, river trail and city streets. No surface complaints found. · Low confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.2
Cones close the oncoming highway lane, the river trail is shared with cyclists, and reviewers wanted more of University Avenue closed. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.6
Net downhill with real climbs near 11 to 14 km (7 to 9 mi) and again late. Gain is not published. · Low confidence
- Net downhillBig drop4.7
Net drop of 440 m (1,444 ft), just under the Boston penalty line of 457 m (1,500 ft). USATF certified. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsFiddly2.4
Buses leave Provo between 03:10 and 04:15 for a 06:00 start. Waits reached 2 hours in 4 to 7 °C (40 to 45 °F). · High confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.3
The official page does not mention pace groups, and runners asked for a live tracking app in 2024. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportDecent2.8
Light in the canyon and strong in Provo's last 6 km (4 mi). One reviewer saw almost no crowd for two thirds of the race. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.2
Fourteen stations about every 3.2 km (2 mi) with sports drink, gels, Otter Pops and fruit. A few runners wanted more water late. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm4.0
No review mentions wind, and an organiser says the canyon gives a tailwind. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.4
Starts run 4 to 8 °C (40 to 47 °F), but finish highs reached 24 to 31 °C (76 to 88 °F) in hot years. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.2
2022 and 2024 were perfect, 2023 was hot and 2021 mild with misting, with a large swing from start to finish. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints2.8
A point-to-point with 03:00 buses. Spectators gather at the finish and the last miles in Provo. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeElevated2.4
Start at 1,818 m (5,963 ft) and finish at 1,373 m (4,504 ft). A sea-level runner found the altitude hard in 2024. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.8
Provo Marriott sits next to the buses, packet pickup and finish, and other hotels are walkable. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.5
A discounted marathon rate at the Marriott was mentioned. Little other price evidence. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.0
Buses, packet pickup and finish are within a block or two of the Marriott. Hotel runners walked everywhere. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
Salt Lake City airport is about 75 km (47 mi) away, so a rental car or shuttle is needed. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Friday packet pickup, no personal vehicles at the start and 03:00 buses. Bag pickup caused confusion. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.8
Downtown Provo, with finish-area food and massages praised. · 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 inEasy3.8
Open entry capped at 2,000. The 1,521 finishers in 2026 suggest it does not sell out. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyGood value4.0
USD 129 to 169 with shirt, medal, post-race food and massages. Some disliked the shirt and generic medal text. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Provo, Utah County (starts in Wallsburg), United States
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 5 June 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,520 athletes
- First held
- 2008
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Descent
- 440 m (1,440 ft)
- Start time
- 06:00
- Cutoff
- 6.5 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Highway shoulder and closed lane in Provo Canyon, then river trail and city streets
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Entry fee
- About $150
- Air temperature
- 8–29 °C (46–84 °F)
- Humidity
- low, dry mountain air
- Altitude
- 1,818 m (5,960 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Salt Lake City International (SLC), 75 km (47 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown Provo near the buses and finish
- Booking
- Provo Marriott is about one block from the bus pickup, packet pickup and finish; a marathon room rate was offered. Others walked from nearby hotels.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (36 ratings)Raced 2021-2026 · aggregator · Positive
4.3 out of 5 (difficulty 3.1, scenery 4.7, production 4.4, swag 4.1); 25 marathon reviews. Scenery wins everyone over; climbs near miles 7 to 9 (km 11 to 14) and a hard last 5 to 6 mi (8 to 10 km) surprise many. Buses at 03:00 to 04:00, cold waits and bus mix-ups are common complaints.
“the most beautiful race in the state of Utah”
- RaceEntry reviews (97 reviews, 4.7)Raced 2014-2026 · aggregator · Positive
Mostly 4 to 5 star ratings across a decade. Praise for scenery, shade, volunteers, aid, and a packed finish; complaints about early buses, long cold waits (about 2 hours at 40 °F (4 °C) in 2023), finish crowding and photos. Reviews split on whether hills make it truly fast.
- Team RunRun race reportRaced 2022 · blog · Positive
Ran about 4:21 on June 4 2022 in perfect weather (mid-40s to low 70s °F, 7 to 22 °C (72 °F)). First half harder than expected with several uphills at 1,900 m (6,200 ft), descents crushed her quads and the last 6 mi (10 km) were hard. Buses 03:15 to 04:15, aid every 2 mi (3.2 km), sparse crowds until the last 4 mi (6 km).
“Eat more during the race!”
- BibRave reviewsRaced 2017-2020 · aggregator · Positive
One reviewer called the course gorgeous with about three hills after mile 7 (km 11) but great downhill after; another found no crowd for the first two thirds and a field of about 1,000 in the marathon; a 2017 half runner said the early highway downhill catches people off guard.
- Active.com, 6 Reasons to RunRaced 2018 · article · Positive
Describes a point-to-point down Provo Canyon past Bridal Veil Falls, dropping about 1,500 ft (457 m) gradually. The race director said 14 to 19 percent of finishers qualify for Boston and the canyon gives a tailwind. Written as promotion, so treated cautiously.
Show 3 more
- KSL: course adjusts to be fastest BQRaced 2025 · article · Positive
In 2025 about 6,500 ran across all distances and 144 qualified for Boston. The first 3.2 mi (5.1 km) were rerouted to cut net drop from 1,614 ft (492 m) to 1,444 ft (440 m), avoiding a 5 minute BAA penalty. An official called it arguably the fastest Boston qualifier in the U.S.
“arguably the fastest Boston qualifier in the U.S.”
- Marathon HandbookRaced 2025 · article · Positive
Notes buses are needed from the rural Wallsburg start, the reroute under the 1,500 ft (457 m) threshold, and over 140 of about 6,500 runners qualifying for Boston. Calls the canyon a great, beautiful BQ course.
- BYU Universe race coverageRaced 2024 · article · Positive
June 1 2024 coverage: spectators lined the finish in downtown Provo, over a thousand ran the full, most finished in 3:30 to 5:00 and organisers claim one of the fastest average finish times in the world.
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Sources
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