- Weather
- 53°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 150 ft gain · -1,200 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR10Weather9Experience7
Early October · Mountain West · Point-to-Point
St. George Marathon
St. George, UT · Saturday, October 3, 2026
One of the most extreme net-downhill certified courses in the country, dropping over 2,500 feet through Utah canyon terrain from start to finish. That profile has made it a longtime magnet for Boston-qualifying attempts, though the descent demands real downhill-specific training, not just fitness.
High-speed downhill mountain descent
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Scenic
Opens the race organizer's website
Typical start
55°
Cooler than 17% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
100ft
Flatter than 77% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
5.5K
Larger than 93% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
9.7/10
Top 2%
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
100 ft gain · -2,560 ft net
Net downhill course, point-to-point.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
47°
Start
55°
Midday
66°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 55°F, good conditions.
Typical dew point 33°F, 6% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
This is a course built to give time back.
St. George Marathon is a strong choice for a fast time on tired legs, and the route gives back elevation for most of the 26.2 miles. The tradeoff is your quads, which will feel the descent in the closing miles.
Why runners choose this race
A point-to-point course around St. George, UT, that gives back elevation for most of the race.
The case for it
- PR attempts
- Boston qualification
- Runners who care about scenery
The tradeoffs
- No notable warnings in the data.
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Point-to-Point
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Net downhill
- Total gain
- 100 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 2,660 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- -2,560 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~5,000-6,000 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Steady crowd support
- Entry
- Data coming soon
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in different locations
Race details
- Typical timing
- Early October
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Region
- Mountain West
- Editorial tier
- Featured
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Scenic
- Point-to-point
- Net downhill
- Destination race
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 54°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 180 ft gain · -400 ft net
Classic Big Sky country finish across bridge
PR9Weather9Experience7
- Weather
- 54°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~1,500 runners
- Course
- Net downhill
- Elevation
- 492 ft gain · 177 ft net
Event: MISSOULA MARATHON | Verified 8/26/26: 492 ft gain / 315 ft loss (corrected from template 180/580). Base altitude ~3,000-3,260 ft. USATF certified BQ course, marketed as flat/fast.
PR9Weather9Experience7