Pittsburgh is a bridge race, and you feel it early. You leave Liberty Avenue downtown in the cool of a May morning, and within a few miles you are crossing the Allegheny, the Ohio and the Monongahela, each bridge deck humming under thousands of feet while the rivers slide by below. The neighborhoods come in quick succession, from the North Side to the South Side, and the crowds along East Carson Street are loud and close. Then comes mile 12: the Birmingham Bridge and the long pull up Forbes Avenue into Oakland. Settle in, shorten your stride, and let the university crowds carry you. The second half rolls through Shadyside, East Liberty, Highland Park and Bloomfield before dropping back to the Strip District and a finish on the Boulevard of the Allies by Point State Park. This is not a time-trial course, but it is a generous one.
Starts on Liberty Avenue downtown and finishes on the Boulevard of the Allies near Point State Park, crossing all three rivers on bridges with a rolling first half and a long climb over the Birmingham Bridge and up Forbes Avenue into Oakland around mile 12.
Opened at Launch Day, Wednesday August 12, 2026 (P3R). First-come, first-served via Race Roster. Secondary guide reports the 2026 marathon sold out by early April; official pricing tiers not reachable on the official site at verification time. Register ↗
- The inaugural Pittsburgh Marathon was held on May 5, 1985; the race was suspended 2004-2008 for financial reasons and revived in 2009. ↗
- The course crosses all three of Pittsburgh's rivers at least once and finishes on the Boulevard of the Allies near Point State Park. ↗
- 5,024 runners finished the 2026 marathon, up from 3,784 in 2025; 4.5% of 2026 finishers ran a Boston-qualifying time. ↗
- Pittsburgh will host the 2027 USATF Half Marathon Championships as part of the 2027 marathon weekend. ↗
- Find My Marathon measures 933 ft of elevation gain and 939 ft of loss on a rolling-hills loop. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.