Every year, on the first Saturday in October, you can count on being inspired when you witness the St George Marathon.
This year marks the 41st year of the St George Marathon. Roughly 7,000 runners are slated to participate. The racecourse features 26.2 miles of scenic southern Utah landscape. It’s a popular course for runners, not only because of the beautiful scenery, but also for how smoothly things run behind the scenes.
41 years in the making
The St George Marathon was voted as the people’s choice “most organized event” in the January 2010 issue of Runner’s World Magazine, so it’s clear that having things run smoothly behind the scenes makes a difference to those who are participating in the actual race.
According to an article in TheSpectrum.com, three-time St George Marathon winner Aaron Metler credits the unity shown from the volunteers and the community as one of the things that sets St George Marathon apart from the rest.
“The community really cares about the marathon, which is cool,” Metler says in The Spectrum article. Metler notes that perhaps the reason the community rallies behind the St George Marathon is because it is a relatively small town with no other major sporting events. People are anxious to be involved and it makes and impact on the runners.
Get the 411 on St George Marathon
You can get information about the St George Marathon from the official web site, www.stgeorgemarathon.com, from the smart phone app, or from one of the available social media outlets. There are a host of resources during the race weekend as well. These include a first-timers clinic, a key note speaker, pre-race lectures from various professionals and more.
For clear information on how to prepare clothing for race retrieval, how to gear up for the starting line, where to find aid stations, how often portable bathrooms will be available along the course and more, check out the official St George Marathon web site.
Be inspired
The St George Marathon is inspiring for several reasons. The runners, obviously, make a big impression. Some of them have been training their whole lives for this moment. Others are newcomers to the running scene. Some are first-time marathoners while others have completed more marathon miles than the average person could even imagine. No matter their background, there is something overwhelming about seeing these men and women push themselves to their limits and beyond. In fact, it is difficult not to get a little emotional watching them cross the finish line.
Another inspiration is the volunteer staff. An often-heard comment, when speaking to the staff who puts on the St George Marathon, is that this race simply couldn’t come together without the volunteers. Some people have been volunteering at the same aid station, or doing the same task, for years and years. They love it. Others offer their help in a variety of ways, doing different jobs every year. And there are a lot of jobs to do.
Cutting up fruit, pouring gallons of water or Gatorade into little cups, stuffing information packets, even cleaning up vomit off the ground at the finish line (yes, that’s really a thing) there are people ready and willing to step forward.
Words from the winners
“Winning” the St George Marathon means many different things to many different people, after all, a number of race participants count themselves “winners” if they cross the finish line at all. Others are looking to beat their previous year’s time. But there are some who are officially the winners of the race. Actually, there were seven winners from the 2016 St George Marathon. For different divisions.
“It’s a difficult sport to get into but once you’re in it, it’s easy to thrive. It’s a completely positive, wonderful competitive sport.” — Emily McQueen, 2016 female wheelchair 1st place
“I’m not trying to be a super athlete, I just want to stay competitive,” — Melissa “Lisa” Chandler, 2016 female hand cycle 1st place
“It’s (St George Marathon) more organized (and) treats the (athletes) well. It’s always a good experience. And the massage at the finish line is always wonderful.” — Nathan Crowton, 2016 male wheelchair 1st place
“Everyone in my family has run, or at least started the (St George Marathon). It’s been a part of our family history and I wanted to maybe one day win it.” — Riley Cook, 2016 male 1st place
“St. George is one of my favorite marathons. It’s the best supported race and friendliest people I’ve ever been around.” — Chris Sproule, 2016 male handcycle 1st place
“I felt a little lazy because I’ve had other marathons where I was flat-lined. This time, I felt like I could move. Maybe I should have run faster.” — Rosy Lee, 2016 female 1st place
“I don’t believe my best times are behind me at (age) 42. I think I have a marathon PR in me.” — Scott Keate, 2016 male master 1st place
2017 St George Marathon
So what will this year bring? As the runners put the final touches on their training schedule and make their way to S. George, the St George Marathon staff and volunteers are making final preparations too. Some areas are completely out of their control. Such as the weather. Sunny St. George occasionally fails to live up to its nickname. And depending on who you ask, warm, sunny temperatures are not always the best for turning in your best marathon time. As of this posting The Weather Channel web site was calling for sunny weather, zero percent chance of precipitation and a high of 78 degrees on race day. Time will tell. But the race will go on regardless.
Interested in living near the world-class St George Marathon? Check out these homes available in the St. George area.