Experience a marathon reimagined! Unveiling the Greater St. Louis Marathon, an electrifying race weekend with fresh courses, historic sights, vibrant after-parties, and for the first time, the National Running Club Championships & Rally. All set in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Your running journey just got more exciting! New …
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Experience a marathon reimagined! Unveiling the Greater St. Louis Marathon, an electrifying race weekend with fresh courses, historic sights, vibrant after-parties, and for the first time, the National Running Club Championships & Rally. All set in the heart of downtown St. Louis. Your running journey just got more exciting!
New Venue: We’re back starting AND finishing in downtown St. Louis.
New Experience: Join us for a Saturday evening after-party with live music and great local food.
New Course: We can’t make it flatter, but we can give you a great tour of our city and all its historic sites, significant landmarks, and beautiful parks!
New Club Championship: A brand-new, one-of-a-kind event during Marathon Weekend that we think St. Louis is a perfect host for: the inaugural National Running Club Championships & Rally.
New Partnerships: GO! St. Louis and Greater St. Louis, Inc. are proud to partner and introduce the Greater St. Louis Marathon, and St. Louis CITY SC will host the finish line festival at CITYPARK.
Beyond the competition, immerse yourselves in the spirit of a giant tailgate party that lasts all weekend. Run hard, refuel with delicious food, share drinks, and enjoy post-race music.
After all, running hard and playing hard is what we do best!
This event IS NOT:
– an overly formal, exclusive affair meant only for super-fast runners – though of course, you’re encouraged to bring your speedy friends for those extra points!
– an event limited to specific or officially registered clubs.
Whether you’re part of a running store affiliated club, an RRCA club, or even a group of best buddies who turned a morning coffee routine into a running team, all are welcome at the National Running Club Championships.
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Well-organized and Midwest hospitality.
This race was really well organized, and it was cool to run past so many STL landmarks and especially through Gateway Arch National Park. The aid stations were great--water, gatorade, … MORE
This race was really well organized, and it was cool to run past so many STL landmarks and especially through Gateway Arch National Park. The aid stations were great–water, gatorade, gels, vaseline, and bandaids. I had trained for the full, but unfortunately it just wasn’t my day.
Running Under the Arch
It was really cool to get to run underneath the arch and along the river. There were a few hills that I was not prepared for, but otherwise a fairly … MORE
It was really cool to get to run underneath the arch and along the river. There were a few hills that I was not prepared for, but otherwise a fairly easy course. The race production was ok. The swag included a medal and a rollup blanket which I immediately used to rest after the race. This race was well put together.
Running Tour of St Louis
I enjoyed the scenery and running through the Gateway Arch National Park. I have no complaints about the expo, race, or the medal. Free race photos are always a plus. MORE
I enjoyed the scenery and running through the Gateway Arch National Park. I have no complaints about the expo, race, or the medal. Free race photos are always a plus.
Organized and good vibes
The expo was smaller and had good vendors Race instructions were clear, good number of porta potties Course was moderately hilly, steepest hill was at the beginning. Running past the … MORE
The expo was smaller and had good vendors
Race instructions were clear, good number of porta potties
Course was moderately hilly, steepest hill was at the beginning. Running past the arch was the highlight for sure. Most neighborhoods had good support crowds. Cups were well marked- green = Gatorade, white= water.
Nice finisher medal. Also got a nice blanket at the finish.
Horrible Experience, used to be better
I have run this race many times, back when it was called the Go St.Louis marathon. This was by far the worst experience in a race I've ever had, I've … MORE
I have run this race many times, back when it was called the Go St.Louis marathon. This was by far the worst experience in a race I’ve ever had, I’ve run over 30 marathons. The course roads were in bad shape, with potholes and torn up pavement. There was hardly anyone around cheering as the course was difficult to navigate for spectators. For the poor marathon era the last 6 miles was through the worst part of town, downright dangerous, somewhere you do not want to be. North St.Louis with vacant and burnt out dilapidated buildings and drunks hanging around sleeping. Hardly anyone was around, the aid stations were barely stocked and with little help and absolutely no nutrition for the marathoners. The finish line sucked. They started handing you little chocolate packets and a cookie and nothing to put anything into. It’s sad, this used to be a well run race. Management change name change, whatever. I do NOT recommend this race.
Must-do for 50-state Hopefuls
The highlight for me is undoubtedly running through the Gateway Arch National Park (and later taking the tram up the Arch for a 360 view of St. Louis). I also … MORE
The highlight for me is undoubtedly running through the Gateway Arch National Park (and later taking the tram up the Arch for a 360 view of St. Louis). I also recommend checking out the sunset at the rooftop of the 360 St. Louis atop the Hilton St. Louis across from the Busch Stadium ballpark.
I stayed at the Hotel Indigo, which is ideally located in downtown St. Louis. It’s within walking distance from the Gateway Arch National Park as well as from the shuttle stop near the Finish area. The shuttle takes you to the Start area in Forest Park.
Steep hill in the last 100 yards
The "expo" was at Tower Grove Park. It's a beautiful park. You pick up your bib at one end then walk 1/4-mile to the other end to get your bag. … MORE
The “expo” was at Tower Grove Park. It’s a beautiful park. You pick up your bib at one end then walk 1/4-mile to the other end to get your bag. This helps to make sure that the vendors get some exposure. It was simple enough.
The race started at Forest Park in front of the visitor center. I was a pacer who came in from out of town so I took an Uber to the start but there was plenty of parking available. I had no issues with dropping my bag or portapotties at the start of the race- there were plenty in the parking lot and I did not have to wait. I *DID* see a lot of people asking volunteers where they could drop their bags. Since I happened to get dropped off right at the bag drop area, I knew where it was but they could have used a sign or a light to point it out to other runners.
I didn’t use the shuttles but I know that they offered them since this was a point-to-point race.
I guess some pacers have different styles. There were 2 of us per time. My style is usually to hold a steady pace throughout the race- not stopping at water stations, portapotties, or up hills. My copacer wanted to give people time to bank for an impending headwind and uphill at the end of the race. I wanted to show solidarity so I stuck with him but that wore me out. By mile 11, we were 6 minutes ahead of schedule. When he went to the portapotty at mile 14, I slowed down but I think that the damage was already done. There are many hills on this course. For an 8’47” min/mile pace, this should not have been a problem for me but blazing up them at 8’11” so early in the race was exhausting for me. I’m an experienced pacer and I’ve run more than 100 marathons – I should have just done my own thing and stuck to my plan the whole time. If anyone ran with me/us, I’m sorry if you ran out of steam, too.
Around mile 16, you head up a hill that takes you right by the arch. It’s really very beautiful. Lot of people stopping to take selfies. By this time, the half marathoners and 10Kers have sort of joined back up and the signs of where to run got a little confusing – so ask the volunteers which way to go. At mile 18, you head down toward the boring, pothole/gravel/puddle-filled part of the course along the river. It is out-and-back with not a lot to look at. It’s an old industrial area. I rounded the turn-around point at about 21.8 and my co-pacer met back up with me. On our way back, a runner was on the ground being attended to. I have learned that he survived but it shook me up at the time and we tried to warn oncomers that they needed to prepare to give them room (run in the grass, etc. so they could attend to the young man) it’s hard to do when people are tuned into their music. I lost my footing (slipped on some gravel on a downhill turn while trying to warn the oncomers) and overcorrected myself. I should have let myself fall but I twisted my ankle a bit, my hip went wonky, and I knew that I wouldn’t hit my 3:50 mark. I lowered my pace sign, flipped my shirt inside-out and finished the race. There’s a steep climb leading to the finish line (the same downhill at mile 17.5, just in the opposite direction.) Beware of that.
I really hate when I miss my mark in a pacing situation and I was so worried about that runner who was down. I think that I would have enjoyed this marathon if not for those things. I really loved St. Louis and its history. I looked forward to this race for a long time. I may try to run it again on my own. I loved the shirt. The medal was pretty, and they had a lot at the finish line by way of snacks (I didn’t see a medical tent- I could have used some ice) but overall, I was disappointed in my performance. Poor performance can kill the vibe of a race.
Beautifully Unexpected - Half Marathon
A friend of mine asked us to register for this race without knowing much about it and it exceeded all expectations! The course is beautiful with some rolling hills. There … MORE
A friend of mine asked us to register for this race without knowing much about it and it exceeded all expectations!
The course is beautiful with some rolling hills. There isn’t much crowd support on the course, so if that is important to you, then this might not be the right choice. The finishing area in the Gateway Arch National Park was beautiful.
It did get a little confusing as you are finishing the half because you reconvene with the marathoners again from mile 17-18. I did feel terrible for the marathon runners because they literally are less than 100 yards from the finish line and then have to veer off just after mile 18…
Either way, the medal was beautiful, the course was well put together, logistics with bussing worked very well from the finish to the start line. Would recommend.
Feels like a big-time race in StL
There are so many more people here than in the November race. Starts in Forest Park and this year it took us through Washington University/University City, Midtown, Downtown, and then … MORE
There are so many more people here than in the November race. Starts in Forest Park and this year it took us through Washington University/University City, Midtown, Downtown, and then around the park around the Arch.
Other folks are correct about the last half mile hill being a surprise. I mean, you’re finishing at the Arch, right? At the river, right? Uh, no, you have to go up hill after winding around the Arch. My finish kick didn’t have the speed I was hoping for.
The pre-race packet pickup was outside at Tower Grove Park, and this year it was cold and windy on Saturday. The forced march through the non running related booths was pretty annoying. “Are you interested in white water rafting?” “Uh, no.” I understand why they do it, but this is a runner’s review.
There was a line at every port-o-lette throughout the course, so they could add more. The aid stations were frequent and well provisioned for the most part.
I enjoyed touring my birthplace city in a way I have never done. I spend a lot of time in Forest Park, but jogging though it and some of the nicer neighborhoods is really neat. Unfortunately, it’s St Louis, so there are sketchier areas in Mid-town and approaching downtown, but I felt safe and enjoyed the run.
I hope you join me at the biggest running event in St Louis. It’s Spring, so you never know what weather you get, but this year the race day weather was phenomenal.
Tour across the best parts of St. Louis
This was my 6th or 7th time running the Go! and I think it was the best yet. The race starts in Forest Park and ends in downtown under the … MORE
This was my 6th or 7th time running the Go! and I think it was the best yet. The race starts in Forest Park and ends in downtown under the Arch. The course has improved from years past by strategically placing hills at the beginning, except for the very cruel uphill finish. This was one of those finishes where you think you’re about to come across the finish line, but then turn the corner at mile 26.1 only to see a steep uphill finish. Other than that, I actually appreciated the 10 mile out and back along the river because it was very flat and the breeze felt pretty nice.
However, areas where the race could improve is the expo. It needs to be indoors. They should’ve known the the unpredictability of the weather that it could cause an issue with it being held outside. Moreover, because it was a general outdoor expo, there were very few running-focused booths. Along the race itself, the port potty’s were sparse, although there were probably 50 at the beginning and end. The end of the race few was pretty typical; however, they didn’t give us a bag to carry our goodies, so I wasn’t able to pick up everything they were handing out. Overall, it was an excellent day, and I recommend this race to anyone looking for a Missouri race.
Very well organized
So I Initially I wanted to run the marathon, but the second half of it is by the shore of the river and there is nothing there. I ended up … MORE
So I Initially I wanted to run the marathon, but the second half of it is by the shore of the river and there is nothing there. I ended up singing up for the half instead.
I love how organized the race was. Everything was very smooth. I went to pick up my bib on Friday in Tower Grove Park, which was later relocated to Forest Park visitor center due to Tornado watch. It went over lunchtime and had to go back to work, so it was a bit annoying to have to walk from on side of the expo to get the bib, to the other side to get the tshirts. Those tshirts are very ugly by the way. It’s a flashy green that was probably designed so that construction workers on the highway don’t get hit when there’s fog. I understand that you need flashy colors to see who are the volunteers/organizers, but I would encourage keeping the colors neutral for participants gear. Unless they’re making the shirts ugly on purpose so that we buy the official race gear.
I was expecting to receive an email or two maybe a week or two before the race to remind me of the main information and build some excitement around it. All the race information is on their website, and everything is well explained so it wasn’t a big deal.
I’m a student in St. Louis and don’t have a car so I just biked to Forest Park in the morning and parked in front of the Visitor Center. The gear check went very smoothly and was extremely convenient since all your gear is brought back to the end of the race. It took 20 seconds to find mine at the end of the race.
The race being in St. Louis, you can’t have big expectations for the scenery and all. This being said I really enjoyed it. I started following the 1h50 pacer and then spent the race trying to catch up with the 1h45 pacer. I didn’t find it hilly. My watch says I climb 500 feet and went down 550 feet. In the last mile it goes downhill a lot by the arch, before a steep short climb right before the end. I liked that last surprise, then you’re exhausted when you arrive and feel like you gave it all. There was some face wind blowing at some point, and I can tell how it can be a whole different race when it does.
There’s certainly a part of the race say from mile 7-10 where there isn’t much going on and we run through impoverished Midtown neighborhoods. The water station were well positioned, I took some Gatorade twice, a gel and water. I’m always very grateful for all the volunteers who got up early in the cold to help organize the race and distribute water, so I don’t expect that they smile and encourage me profusely on top of that. They don’t get tips.
Support was sparse but fairly evenly distributed through the race I’d say until mile 10 at the St. Louis City stadium. Very nice support at mile 2 in Clayton, and mile 6-7 especially. Again I’m very grateful for all the people cheering on the side of the road, and usually throw a lot of thank you to them. Kids, cops, students, random people encouraging random strangers like me.
I haven’t done a lot of races so I can’t compare post-race parties. Like I said I got my gear back quickly. The thing is on a parking lot so it might have been nice to have some sort of seating at the arrival. I ended up eating my Goey butter cake on the concrete. It might have been nice to have some sort of changing rooms for privacy too, or maybe I missed them. I ended up changing on the side of a tent. There give you a great local beer upon arrival (Schlafly).
I took the Metrolink back from Laclede’s landing to Forest Park. There were some school bus shuttles to bring racers from the arrival back to Forest Park. Again it was very well organized in my opinion.
Just ok
This race was just ok. The expo was something different with the outdoor expo instead of just running stuff. I enjoyed that bc it was different. There were lots of … MORE
This race was just ok. The expo was something different with the outdoor expo instead of just running stuff. I enjoyed that bc it was different. There were lots of vendors and people were super friendly. Having the race be point to point was kind of a pain. Plenty of parking in forest park but parking downtown after for my family was a pain and then we were stuck with all the roads being closed and it took forever to get out. The course itself was just ok. Lots of cool buildings to look at but the roads were in rough shape with lots of potholes and old bricks which are ankle breakers so I spent most of the time looking down so I wouldn’t fall. Bought myself a sore neck. Quite a lot of hills. Most of them were rolling and not horrible but there were a few big ones. My hill training wasn’t up to par I guess so I ended up walking a bit. The medal was beautiful and I loved St. Louis. Definitely spend some time at the Arch if you have time.
Beautiful day, brutal finish
This should be billed as a half with a marathon option. The first half was beautiful, packed, great energy, awesome landmarks, though HILLY. I did have to wait ten minutes … MORE
This should be billed as a half with a marathon option. The first half was beautiful, packed, great energy, awesome landmarks, though HILLY. I did have to wait ten minutes to use one of only 3 porta potties at the six but other than that – half was great. But after the split, there were so few runners, I found myself completely alone on the course several times. Almost no crowd support after the half which toward the end really matters. Also the the last 6-7 which are always always tough was just gross. We were running along completely broken pavement with potholes and rocks everywhere, a wall blocking the river on one side and abandoned trains on the other and a good portion of that last stretch smelled like a sewer. And then a straight uphill finish line. I’d run the half again but not the marathon.
Was this race planned the night before?
Not a flat course. There were at least 6 long steady inclines. The steep hill at the very end felt like the Go! Organization flipped me the middle finger. All … MORE
Not a flat course. There were at least 6 long steady inclines. The steep hill at the very end felt like the Go! Organization flipped me the middle finger. All aid stations and medical stations were not well marked. Swag was non-existent. Will not be running or supporting this org again.
Great tour of St. Louis
I spent 24 hours in St. Louis to complete my Missouri Half Marathon, and I am glad I chose this race to do it. The race itself was well run … MORE
I spent 24 hours in St. Louis to complete my Missouri Half Marathon, and I am glad I chose this race to do it. The race itself was well run and provided a great tour of the city. The weather was great and public transit made it easy to get to the start without renting a car or taking a ride share. I also visited the Gateway Arch museum while in town and found that to be an excellent little museum to give me some history and context for the city.
Not a destination race but a nice local
The race expo is weird - a ton of outdoor stuff aimed at hunting, fishing, hiking, and biking. There were almost no running-related booths. The race shirt is a cotton … MORE
The race expo is weird – a ton of outdoor stuff aimed at hunting, fishing, hiking, and biking. There were almost no running-related booths. The race shirt is a cotton t-shirt with an ironed-on image (not sublimated) so not anything special. I did like that they gave you a shirt with your specific distance on it.
The course itself was totally fine. You run point to point, so you run through some pretty neighborhoods. However, you are just running through a city so nothing especially scenic. The finish takes you through a gravel area by some train tracks, but I was told the course changes a bit every year. I didn’t find it hilly, although there were some long gradual inclines. If you run in a flat area, you might call them hills.
There isn’t a lot to do in downtown St. Louis other than look at the arch and the sculpture garden. I came from out of town and just wandered around afterwards. If I did it again, I’d rent a car and stay in a different area. There also aren’t a lot of restaurants around the finish.
decent race near the arch
This was a deferral from 2020. They actually gave several options in 2021 and 2022 for this and other Go St Louis events to use the deferral. The packet pickup … MORE
This was a deferral from 2020. They actually gave several options in 2021 and 2022 for this and other Go St Louis events to use the deferral.
The packet pickup and expo were in downtown St Louis. Once I parked it was a little difficult to find the expo since there was no signs. The expo was not just a running expo but a outdoor expo that included biking, RV, etc. Surprisingly I found this different and interesting. This was a point to point race that started in Forest Park (seemed nice) and ended near the Arch. Plenty of porta potties at the beginning. The half marathoners and marathoners ran together until they reached the 13 mile mark. The marathoners then split off and did a out and back on a trail along the Mississippi river. The first half wasn’t bad and had some decent crowd support at times and some hills. The second half was boring with almost no crowd support. There was enough water stations with good volunteers. The final .2 of the race was basically straight up hill (sucked). The medal was small but had a neat design. I actually liked the soft t-shirt. post race included a caned beer. The food included a roll, some gooey cake, packaged snacks, and bananas. I am not sure if I would go out of my way to run this again (I only live 4 hours away). It was decent but not spectacular. If you are looking for a Missouri Marathon I preferred the Kansas City Marathon.
Gooey Louie was all I needed
I picked up my race packet the day before the race at the convention center. It was fairly easy to get to and had a parking garage across the street. … MORE
I picked up my race packet the day before the race at the convention center. It was fairly easy to get to and had a parking garage across the street. The pick up was a little different in that it was part of a larger expo- The Gateway Outdoor Expo. There were vendors for mountain biking, kayaking and various other outdoor activities represented. The bibs were handed out in the front and then the shirts were in the back corner of the expo. It meant you had to go by most of the exhibitors. Otherwise, it was a quick and easy experience. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any extra memorabilia that could be purchased.
The race started at Forest Park at 7. There were shuttles from the end of the race that would drop runners off at the start, but I was dropped off by my #1 fans, so I don’t know how good the logistics were.
The weather was perfect for running. It was 40 degrees, sunny and no wind. The day before had been very windy, so this was a great relief. Port a pots were plentiful and the lines seemed to move quickly. I always like to get in line for a little last minute relief.
The corrals weren’t too crowded and the race started on time. The route didn’t go past all of the monuments or through downtown, but the areas where we did run had good streets and seemed safe. Probably not as scenic as some races, but I didn’t think it was bad.
The water stops seemed to be spaced out a bit early on and became more plentiful the further along you were. I take a water bottle with me, so I didn’t use any of the water stations. There was someone handing out Gu at one place, but it wasn’t obvious at first.
I thought the race was supposed to end in the “shadow of the arch,” but it wasn’t all that close to the arch. The last quarter/half mile of the course turned onto a gravel road and was the worst part of the course. Luckily, the rest of the course had nice paved roads that were closed off to traffic, although one person did get loose on the course.
There was a nice mix of rolling hills and nothing too difficult, but it was definitely not flat. I didn’t expect to have a PR, but thanks to the great weather I managed to shave 3 seconds off my personal best. Not a lot, but I’ll take it.
The end of the race had the usual bananas and fruit cups, but they also had a gooey butter cake from Gooey Louie. I like to research local dishes from the places I travel and this is the one thing I had planned to try while I was in town and they gave it away at the end. It was very good and I think I added back all of the calories I had just burned off during the race.
I liked the medal and shirt because it was unique and had the arch and the flag. Race shirt fit well and is comfortable. It’s not wicking, but cotton, so some might not like it because of that, but it is comfortable for lounging around. The end of the race wasn’t great, but overall I liked the race. Of course a PR will always help improve my impression of any race.
OK race - not great but not terrible
Just an OK race. It was my first time to St. Louis. The expo was hard to find and had very disappointing vendors. I love to buy extra shirts and … MORE
Just an OK race. It was my first time to St. Louis. The expo was hard to find and had very disappointing vendors. I love to buy extra shirts and running stuff but there was nothing to purchase. The race started at a reasonable time and the shuttles to the start were plentiful. The course was hilly and boring. Very little crowd support but plenty of water stations and water (and I’m always near the end). The medal was good but the shirt was tacky. Post race food was pretty good. There was some type of famous gooey cake that everyone was excited about. If you are only doing one Missouri – pick another race. If you want to see St. Louis and the Arch – it’s a good choice.
Left Shark beat me by 19 minutes
Perfect day for running in St. Louis, low 60s, sunny, mild wind. The start line (Forest Park) is about 5 miles west of the finish line (on the north side … MORE
Perfect day for running in St. Louis, low 60s, sunny, mild wind. The start line (Forest Park) is about 5 miles west of the finish line (on the north side of downtown). There is a pre-race shuttle from downtown to Forest Park, or postrace vice versa. Parking in Forest Park is free, but they have most entrances blocked just before the race starts, so check the marathon website for a map of which park entrances are open.
The first half of the course takes you through some average-looking neighborhoods and barren city streets west of town, ending near the north side of downtown. If it is a sunny day, BRING SUNGLASSES, y’all. You will be running eastward into the sun for 2 hours straight. Luckily I had mine. The second half of the course is an out-and-back, 6.5 miles north along the Mississippi river banks. I clocked in at about 3:40, but some guy dressed in a Left Shark costume, blaring Katy Perry songs from a speaker, got 3:21. Hats off to him.
Pretty good crowd support. I was a little disappointed with the course, as it shied away from downtown and missed the landmarks, like WUSTL, the Arch, and the cool downtown streets.