St. George is the downhill race people whisper about when they talk Boston qualifiers, and the numbers back it up: the point-to-point course starts nearly a mile up in the Pine Valley Mountains and drops around 2,600 feet to Vernon Worthen Park. You'll ride a bus to the start in the dark, then run south as the sun comes up over the white, pink and red sandstone and black basalt around Snow Canyon State Park. It isn't all free speed. There are climbs in the first half, and the pounding of a long descent is its own training problem, so practice downhill running on tired legs. The lottery is gone; entry is first-come from April 1 at 6:00 AM Mountain Time, and it fills quickly. With more than 5,000 marathon finishers in 2026, the first Saturday of October is this small city's biggest day.
Point-to-point downhill from the Pine Valley Mountains (about 5,240 ft) descending nearly 2,600 feet to Vernon Worthen Park in St. George, with a few real climbs in the first half.
Registration opens 2027-04-01 at 6:00 AM Mountain Time. Lottery entry was used 2006-2016 and dropped starting with the 2017 race; entry is now first-come in tiered price windows (2026: $150 Apr 1-30, $165 May 1-Jun 30, $180 Jul 1-Aug 31). Deferral credits expire after two years. Wikipedia cites a 5,500 marathon limit for 2025. Register ↗
- First run in November 1977, the race was organized in a few months by Sherm Miller of the St. George Parks and Recreation Department; the 2026 race marked its 50th anniversary. ↗
- The course descends nearly 2,600 feet from the Pine Valley Mountains to Vernon Worthen Park; it ranks among the B.A.A.'s top Boston-qualifying races, and the lottery was dropped starting in 2017. ↗
- 5,281 runners finished the 2026 marathon and 6.4 percent ran Boston-qualifying times; the course loses about 3,057 feet and gains about 500. ↗
- Registrations nearly doubled in five years, from 5,389 to just under 10,000, and a $100,000 prize purse was announced with $10,000 each to the male and female champions. ↗
- The marathon starts at 7:00 AM; runners must pass mile 23.1 by 1:15 PM and the finish closes at 2:15 PM. Registration for 2027 opens April 1 at 6:00 AM Mountain Time. ↗
Checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site before booking travel.