2026 St. George Marathon - Oct 3 Countdown

Q: How do you register for the St. George Marathon, and is there a lottery?

There is no lottery anymore. St. George dropped the lottery starting with the 2017 race and now uses first-come, first-served registration: entry opens April 1 at 6:00 AM MDT and stays open until the marathon field cap is reached or August 31. It is one of the West's most popular fall marathons and fills fast — the 2026 full marathon has reached capacity and is now wait-list only, with a waitlist open via the official site. For 2027, plan to register the moment entry opens on April 1.

Q: Is the St. George Marathon downhill, and is it good for a PR?

Yes — it is a net-downhill point-to-point that drops about 2,560 ft (780 m), which makes it one of the faster marathons in the country and a popular Boston-qualifying course. But it is not all downhill: the early miles roll and Veyo Hill at miles 7-9 is a real climb. The continuous descent that follows pounds the quads, so the runners who PR here train downhill running and hold back early rather than banking time on the steep sections.

Q: What is the elevation profile of the St. George Marathon?

The course starts at 5,240 ft (1,598 m) in the Pine Valley Mountains near Central, Utah, and finishes at 2,680 ft (817 m) in downtown St. George, for a net descent of roughly 2,560 ft (780 m). Total cumulative climbing is modest — around 500 ft — concentrated mainly in the Veyo Hill climb around miles 7-9. After that, the route descends through high-desert red-rock and basalt scenery near Snow Canyon.

Q: Is the St. George Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF certified and sanctioned, so finish times are accepted by the B.A.A. for Boston Marathon qualifying. Its fast net-downhill profile is exactly why so many runners pick it as their BQ-attempt race in the fall.

Q: What should I wear for the St. George Marathon weather?

Plan for two climates. The mountain start at 5,240 ft is cold at dawn in early October — often near freezing — so bring throwaway warm layers for the start corral (organizers light bonfires while you wait). By the finish in St. George the desert warms quickly toward the high 70s&deg;F / mid-20s&deg;C, and the air is dry and sun-exposed, so plan hydration for a warm, exposed second half.

Q: How big is the field and where does the race start and finish?

The full marathon caps at 5,000 runners (recent fields finish around 4,000 — about 4,382 in 2025). It is a point-to-point race: runners are bussed before dawn to the start at 5,240 ft in Central, Utah, in the Pine Valley Mountains, and finish at Vernon Worthen Park in downtown St. George after descending through the red-rock high desert.

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Race Information

Race	2026 St. George Marathon - Oct 3
City	St. George
Date	2026-10-03 at 07:00
Field Size	~5,000 runners
Time Limit	7 hours 15 min
Timezone	America/Denver
Official Site	City of St. George
Registration	Sold out · waitlist open · Official Site

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	14°C / 57°F
Humidity	35%
Wind	8 km/h
Rain Chance	10%
Typical Conditions	Cold high-desert dawn at the mountain start, warm dry afternoon at the finish

What to Prepare: This is a tale of two climates. The point-to-point start sits at 5,240 ft in Central, Utah, where early-October dawns are cold (often near freezing) — that's why runners huddle at start-line bonfires. By the time you descend into St. George (2,680 ft) the desert air warms fast toward the high 70s°F / mid-20s°C. Dress in throwaway layers you ditch at the start, and plan hydration for a dry, sun-exposed second half rather than the cold morning.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 8 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Course Profile

Course Type	Point-to-point (net downhill)
Elevation Gain	152m
Terrain	Road (high-desert canyon descent)
Profile	A famously fast point-to-point course that drops about 2,560 ft (780 m) net, starting high at 5,240 ft in the Pine Valley Mountains and finishing at 2,680 ft in downtown St. George. It is net-downhill, not all-downhill: the early miles roll, then Veyo Hill around miles 7-9 delivers a sharp uphill before the long red-rock descent past Snow Canyon takes over. USATF certified and sanctioned, it is one of the most popular Boston-qualifying courses in the U.S. — but the sustained downhill pounds the quads, so eccentric-strength prep and a controlled early pace matter more than the elevation chart suggests.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 St. George Marathon - Oct 3

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

Running Pace Calculator — Min/km, Finish Time & Pace Chart

Free running pace calculator for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon. Get min/km or min/mile, your ...

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Free Pace Band Generator — Printable Race Day Wristband

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

7 AM race, wake at 3:45 AM? Enter the gun time; we work backward through meal, gear, bathroom, warm-...

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Elevation Gain/Loss Impact Calculator

How much will hills slow you down? Enter elevation gain, loss, and distance to see adjusted pace, di...

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Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) Calculator — Hills & Strava

Convert uphill or downhill running pace to flat-equivalent GAP in one click. Free grade adjusted pac...

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Marathon Predictor — 5K, 10K & Half Marathon Race Predictor

Free marathon predictor — convert your 5K, 10K, or half marathon time into race-day estimates from R...

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you register for the St. George Marathon, and is there a lottery?

There is no lottery anymore. St. George dropped the lottery starting with the 2017 race and now uses first-come, first-served registration: entry opens April 1 at 6:00 AM MDT and stays open until the marathon field cap is reached or August 31. It is one of the West's most popular fall marathons and fills fast — the 2026 full marathon has reached capacity and is now wait-list only, with a waitlist open via the official site. For 2027, plan to register the moment entry opens on April 1.

Is the St. George Marathon downhill, and is it good for a PR?

Yes — it is a net-downhill point-to-point that drops about 2,560 ft (780 m), which makes it one of the faster marathons in the country and a popular Boston-qualifying course. But it is not all downhill: the early miles roll and Veyo Hill at miles 7-9 is a real climb. The continuous descent that follows pounds the quads, so the runners who PR here train downhill running and hold back early rather than banking time on the steep sections.

What is the elevation profile of the St. George Marathon?

The course starts at 5,240 ft (1,598 m) in the Pine Valley Mountains near Central, Utah, and finishes at 2,680 ft (817 m) in downtown St. George, for a net descent of roughly 2,560 ft (780 m). Total cumulative climbing is modest — around 500 ft — concentrated mainly in the Veyo Hill climb around miles 7-9. After that, the route descends through high-desert red-rock and basalt scenery near Snow Canyon.

Is the St. George Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF certified and sanctioned, so finish times are accepted by the B.A.A. for Boston Marathon qualifying. Its fast net-downhill profile is exactly why so many runners pick it as their BQ-attempt race in the fall.

What should I wear for the St. George Marathon weather?

Plan for two climates. The mountain start at 5,240 ft is cold at dawn in early October — often near freezing — so bring throwaway warm layers for the start corral (organizers light bonfires while you wait). By the finish in St. George the desert warms quickly toward the high 70s°F / mid-20s°C, and the air is dry and sun-exposed, so plan hydration for a warm, exposed second half.

What is the time limit for the St. George Marathon?

Runners must reach mile 23.1 (the corner of Snow Canyon Parkway and State Route 18) within 6 hours 15 minutes of the 7:00 AM start; the finish line closes at 2:15 PM (about a 7-hour 15-minute finish). Runners who miss the mile-23.1 cutoff are removed from the course and transported to the finish, though they may complete the distance afterward.

How big is the field and where does the race start and finish?

The full marathon caps at 5,000 runners (recent fields finish around 4,000 — about 4,382 in 2025). It is a point-to-point race: runners are bussed before dawn to the start at 5,240 ft in Central, Utah, in the Pine Valley Mountains, and finish at Vernon Worthen Park in downtown St. George after descending through the red-rock high desert.