If you’ve never done a relay, this is a great one! The adrenaline while you wait with other runners for your teammate to pass you the baton and then passing … MORE
If you’ve never done a relay, this is a great one! The adrenaline while you wait with other runners for your teammate to pass you the baton and then passing off the baton to the next runner is a new runners high. While in Pittsburgh you will cross over every bridge, see every stadium, and have a great time at the well organized and full expo. We had 5 on our marathon relay team but I also had friends running the full course and a running club cheer spot that helped hype the day up even more. The only con was I was in leg 2 (3.82 miles – 37:27) of the relay so I had plenty of walking to do after my leg was done to meet up with my teammates, and I didn’t get the high of crossing the finish line or even seeing the finish or finish line after party, which I did hear was amazing. I probably got one of the easiest/flattest legs while my teammates got all the hills. I also ran the kids marathon mile with my niece and nephew the day before which was well organized considering the massive amount of elementary schools who have running teams and a big after party. All in a great location! I laugh when my rave raves pops up because it’s putting this relay as my marathon PR. I have run 3 marathons before, this being my first relay but running as a team was really fun and we definitely had a great overall time!
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Marathon Relay Adrenaline is Real!
If you’ve never done a relay, this is a great one! The adrenaline while you wait with other runners for your teammate to pass you the baton and then passing … MORE
If you’ve never done a relay, this is a great one! The adrenaline while you wait with other runners for your teammate to pass you the baton and then passing off the baton to the next runner is a new runners high. While in Pittsburgh you will cross over every bridge, see every stadium, and have a great time at the well organized and full expo. We had 5 on our marathon relay team but I also had friends running the full course and a running club cheer spot that helped hype the day up even more. The only con was I was in leg 2 (3.82 miles – 37:27) of the relay so I had plenty of walking to do after my leg was done to meet up with my teammates, and I didn’t get the high of crossing the finish line or even seeing the finish or finish line after party, which I did hear was amazing. I probably got one of the easiest/flattest legs while my teammates got all the hills. I also ran the kids marathon mile with my niece and nephew the day before which was well organized considering the massive amount of elementary schools who have running teams and a big after party. All in a great location! I laugh when my rave raves pops up because it’s putting this relay as my marathon PR. I have run 3 marathons before, this being my first relay but running as a team was really fun and we definitely had a great overall time!
Hilly and Wet
I knew race had hills but it didn’t come until mile 10. Rest were rolling hills. First mile was in the rain and then it tapered off to off and … MORE
I knew race had hills but it didn’t come until mile 10. Rest were rolling hills. First mile was in the rain and then it tapered off to off and on. I had to be careful especially going downhills. At some parts of the race, it was crowded and difficult to push ahead. Mike 10-12 was an uphill that doesn’t seem to end until 13 where you pick up to the finish. I wish they had more port-o-potties along the course and volunteers with the drinks. Medal is really awesome and worth the run. I wasn’t focused on my time knowing it is rainy and hilly. Nevertheless, the less am glad I did it.
Awesome run through Pittsburgh
This run was one of my favorites. The medal was nice but the race shirt ran on the small side. Heard that from a lot of other runners. Plenty of … MORE
This run was one of my favorites. The medal was nice but the race shirt ran on the small side. Heard that from a lot of other runners. Plenty of port a potties throughout the course. The course was scenic with spectators coming out in droves. Definitely would run it again!
Eclectic city, great support, HILLS!
This marathon was very well organized and crowd support along the route was awesome. This course was super hilly, more than I expected, and the warm muggy weather made it … MORE
This marathon was very well organized and crowd support along the route was awesome. This course was super hilly, more than I expected, and the warm muggy weather made it extra challenging and one of my slowest to date. Ran this one with friends and we had a fantastic time. The expo was fantastic too. We stayed at the Westin and just walked out our door to the start. What an amazing city…I’m now in love with Pittsburgh!
Loved it
I ran the 1/2 marathon with a group of friends who traveled from Michigan. We loved the race and loved Pittsburgh. COMMUNICATION from the race team was hands down the … MORE
I ran the 1/2 marathon with a group of friends who traveled from Michigan. We loved the race and loved Pittsburgh.
COMMUNICATION from the race team was hands down the best of any race I’ve ever run. They even have a really great app containing TONS of info.
EXPO was HUGE with lots of vendors with free swag and opportunities to purchase anything you forgot. Lots of energy, cool photo ops and people to meet.
COURSE was fairly challenging with some decent hills but nothing that stopped me in my tracks. Be sure to hill train. Saw interesting parts of Pittsburgh. Crowd support was great and there were many impromptu aid stations with people offering beer, licorice, gummy worms and even Jello shots. I loved all the support.
AFTER PARY was lots of fun with good energy and more booths set up for last chance swag and race merch. There wasn’t much free food for runners but there were food trucks where you could purchase food. No free beer at all which was a bummer. The beer tent was kind of away from everything else, but they had a great DJ who was rocking the tunes. Must bring ID or they won’t let you in.
OVERALL, a great race I would highly recommend. Don’t miss the “Steel Challenge” where you do the 5K and the 1/2 or full marathon and get a challenge medal for completing both.
One of the most underrated marathons!
-Great starting line organization. You are split into waves and sent out with your pace groups at 2-3 minute intervals. They still launch off fireworks at the start for the … MORE
-Great starting line organization. You are split into waves and sent out with your pace groups at 2-3 minute intervals. They still launch off fireworks at the start for the first few waves.
-You have an unbelievable amount of crowd support. The course is a giant loop around the city and there are very few spots that the street weren’t lined up with people cheering.
-It is hilly. The first half is relatively flat but Mile 14 is a huge uphill and mile 21 is a huge downhill but they have volunteers who run up or down with you to motivate you which was a nice touch.
-Course is very scenic from crossing a bunch of bridges, going around the Steelers and Pirates stadiums, running through Carnegie Melon’s campus, and really not a bad part of the city to be seen.
-Really great swag! Classy medal, high quality shirt, and a lot of cool merch in a big expo center.
Pittsburgh Knows How to Party!
Pittsburgh was a fun place to run! This is a hilly course since we run over the bridges, but the people came out to give us all the love and … MORE
Pittsburgh was a fun place to run! This is a hilly course since we run over the bridges, but the people came out to give us all the love and support we needed! I really felt energized throughout the race! This was the first time I received jello-shots, so I kept them in my pocket and drink them until I finished!
The expo was large and fun since there was a lot to look at. There were other races that were advertised, so it was nice to get to learn about them. There is also a challenge option for people who want to run on both Saturday and Sunday. You can run a 5K on Saturday and the half or full on Sunday. You get an additional challenge medal! My only complaint was that there was no FREE alcohol at the finish line for the runners. You had to go to a special tent area, but you also had to pay for it, so it was very disappointing. I would run it again since I had a lot of fun!
Interesting Course, Great Crowd Support
Very well organized. Interesting course that crosses bridges over all three rivers and winds through a wide variety of neighborhoods. Incredible crowd support. MORE
Very well organized. Interesting course that crosses bridges over all three rivers and winds through a wide variety of neighborhoods. Incredible crowd support.
Enjoyable Race
This race has a generous cut off and has pacers up to 7 hours. The weekend is very well planned and runs smoothly. The course goes throughout Pittsburgh and would … MORE
This race has a generous cut off and has pacers up to 7 hours. The weekend is very well planned and runs smoothly. The course goes throughout Pittsburgh and would make for a great long weekend to enjoy the race and the host city!
Great race to see the city!
This course is a fun way to see the city and a good challenge. The first half you’re with the half marathoners and you get to see the stadiums, great … MORE
This course is a fun way to see the city and a good challenge. The first half you’re with the half marathoners and you get to see the stadiums, great views of the city and a good amount of crowd support.
As you breakaway from the half runners, things quiet down and the hills get a little bigger. The race even has ‘hill runners’ to help run with you up the big long hill going into Oakland. While the second half is quieter, you still get crowds and great aid stations. You get to see some of the other neighborhoods in the city which is neat. The hills are tough but not anything that made me stop in my tracks steep.
Race weather can be cold and rainy or sunny and warm — you just never know! Often it’s a combo! Overall great race with a good expo, good feel and excitement from the city. Whether tourist or local, it’s a fun race to do. Race day logistics aren’t overly complicated or crowded which is nice!
Perfect race for a first-timer!
It was an honor to return to my hometown to run my first half marathon! I've been a short distance runner for years, doing 5Ks and a few 10Ks here … MORE
It was an honor to return to my hometown to run my first half marathon! I’ve been a short distance runner for years, doing 5Ks and a few 10Ks here and there. But I ran my first 10 Miler in DC in October, and it inspired me to try a half marathon. My training was truly down to the wire, as I was dealing with some hamstring strains back in March, but after some PT, I was able to do enough training to be ready. My goal was simply to run the whole thing without having to walk or stop, and I was able to reach it! First, the atmosphere at the race was electric and so positive. I was super nervous beforehand, and after walking out of a neighborhood church (which was extending their building for bathroom use), a priest standing outside said hello and asked to pray for me before I ran. I was really touched by that! Thousands of people lined the streets to cheer, hold hilarious signs, and to even perform music for those running by. I had read before that this was a particularly hilly course, but honestly, I didn’t think it was that bad. I remember maybe two or three hills before that last, renown stretch at mile 11, but the rest of it is relatively flat. I think as long as you’re incorporating at least some long(ish), gradual hills (not necessarily steep) in your training, you’ll be fine. The stretch at the finish line was almost surreal. Thousands of people were cheering, and it almost felt like a movie! If I were to describe the atmosphere of this race, it would be electric, positive, and extremely welcoming. The only critique I have is that it didn’t have nearly enough port-a-potties. I saw people waiting in line for them everywhere – even in the middle of the race! I promised myself ahead of time that I’d rather pee myself than have to stop (and thankfully, it never came to that.) But seriously – you should have double the port-a-potties next time! If you are a first timer, this is definitely a good race for you. The key is to start slow, keep slow, and speed up if you have any left in your tank toward the end.
Great race in a great city!
Overall I really enjoyed participating in the race experience here. THE EXPO: Pretty good overall with a large variety of vendors... Garmin, Nuun, Air Force, Army, local service providers and … MORE
Overall I really enjoyed participating in the race experience here.
THE EXPO:
Pretty good overall with a large variety of vendors… Garmin, Nuun, Air Force, Army, local service providers and running stores. Most booth gave away swag. There are a few things they could do to improve the experience: 1) give the shirt and check bag with the bib to eliminate cues and congestion… as is, the runner needs to hunt these locations down at the site.
THE RACE:
It was every thing I expected. The race routed across the 3 rivers using 3 separate bridges. It also took you by every professional sports venue in the city (Acrisure Stadium, PNC Park, Highmark Field and PPG Paints Arena) and past the 2 iconic inclines.
The final 3 miles were TOUGH!!! A major incline on the final bridge. It was devastating to see the marathoners start their decent while I was only half way up the bridge. Shortly after the bridge there is a pretty substantial hill where they had hill runners to motivate and challenge you.
Since the race website did not include the elevation graph for the event I did not know how to train properly.
Improvement points:
1) Please add the elevation charts to the race website.
2) Please allow runners to shift to later corrals. I registered the same day using the same estimated time as a friend and we got place in different corrals. The race marshal did not let us switch and run together.
3) A printed race guide would be appreciated… it is handy and could be kept as a momentum.
Nevertheless, this is an iconic race… and one of my favorite races so far! Thank you Pittsburgh for putting on an amazing event.
Well organized race - tough course
The Pittsburgh Marathon is extremely well run. Everything from their app, to the expo, to pre-race, to post race was excellent. Mile markers had timers at every mile so it … MORE
The Pittsburgh Marathon is extremely well run. Everything from their app, to the expo, to pre-race, to post race was excellent. Mile markers had timers at every mile so it was easy to see your pace. Fireworks at the start of each wave was an exciting way to go.
This race is very hilly, especially on the back half. Starting with a climb at mile 12, there are various long steady inclines through mile 21. Although there is some decline on the back sides, it is not as easilly apparent (at least to me) as the inclines. A severe decline at mile 23 doesn’t seem to make up for all the hills from mile 12.
Crowd support was excellent and rivals any of the big city races like Minneapolis, Chicago, or Cincinnati that I have run.
Great for a first time half
This was my very first half marathon. The first half went quick and was pretty nice. The 2nd half is where you get some of the hills which aren't that … MORE
This was my very first half marathon. The first half went quick and was pretty nice. The 2nd half is where you get some of the hills which aren’t that bad. I unfortunately wasn’t able to train like I wanted to for this so for me, I wasn’t ready for any type of hill. But overall the course was great! A lot of people were able to beat their PR! The crowd support was nice and definitely gives you a good push when you need it most. The expo was amazing! I’ve done the 5k before and both years I’ve gone to the expo, it’s been pretty well done! The “after party” wasn’t too bad either. Overall I recommend this race whether you are a beginner or have been doing these for years 🙂 Already can’t wait for next year!
Hilly courses 2023: 2, Feisty Runner: 0
I'll tell you what - this course kicked my 🍑, but I loved every minute of it. Let's do this! 👊🏼EXPO! The expo had a lot of vendors and a … MORE
I’ll tell you what – this course kicked my 🍑, but I loved every minute of it. Let’s do this!
👊🏼EXPO! The expo had a lot of vendors and a nice variety of them, too. I saw a lady selling pierogi across from a moonshine stand. Only one place selling gutters, too. 😄😄 (See my review for Boston for more on that.) Raw Threads had an awesome shirt (a few, actually) but the RUN STEEL CITY design was phenomenal. You should check them out at http://www.rawthreads.com .
The expo was easy to get to – it was at the convention center in downtown. Not a big fuss. The weather was gorgeous on Saturday when I went so it was a beautiful walk to get there.
Packet pick-up was simple – tell them your number, get your bib. T-shirt pick-up was behind them and they had a place to exchange shirts if you wanted to. (I did. I like baggy shirts.)
They had a stage for guest speakers but I didn’t hang around for them. It was so nice outside. They had a lot of places for photo ops around the expo, too.
The only critique that I had was that they didn’t give us a bag for the shirt and bib. The relay runners seemed to have them from the FedEx sponsor, but the rest of us had to buy something from someone or just stuff the bib in the polybag in which the shirt was wrapped (no handle.) A small gripe but just an FYI.
👊🏼 START LINE: We stayed at the Westin which is adjacent to the convention center. Signs for the corrals were right outside out door. We were in A but decided to run with friends in corral B. There was a massive line for the portapotties between A and B as we walked over. When I met my friend in B, he said “I’m in line for the bathroom.” I thought “great. It’ll be an hour before he’s here.” My other friend said “there’s portapotties over there, maybe he’s in those.” So fear not, my friends! there are plenty of portapotties if you spread out a little more.
👊🏼THE COURSE: From reading other posts here, I knew that this would be hilly. I just naively thought that my bouts in St. Louis and Boston would have prepared me for them. Nope. Not even close. I run a lot and am no stranger to endurance events but man- these hills are just relentless. 😄😄 It was flat once. Everything else: you’re either going up or down. Twice, we were doing downhill but the road was sloped in the opposite direction of an upcoming turn and I said to my friend “man, even the downhills are uphill!” Important notes: 🚨 Mile 12.5 is the beast hill. I swear it’s a solid mile of uphill but the race has this great thing: “HILL HELPERS” (or something like that.) These wonderful souls who run with you and try to keep you motivated as you climb this beast! How delightful! All day, they go up and down this thing. Isn’t that nice? 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Bravo to these people and to the race directors for thinking about this! This was wonderful! 🚨 You will be rewarded for that climb at mile 22 or 23 on the most glorious downhill you will ever know. It’s not a quad-crushing, steep downhill like the first 10K at Boston – it’s just a really nice, fast (and long) downhill. Take what it gives you.
💧 Water stations were about 1.5 miles at the start. It seemed that they became more frequent as the race went on. That may have been my imagination. They have Nuun drink first, then water second. I love when the races stay consistent with this from table to table. I’m not a fan of the Nuun so I carry my BCAAs with me and refill my bottle at one of the water stations. (which probably cost me some time, but my thighs needed a little rest anyway.) They seemed to be a little light on volunteers in the first few stations but I usually skip those and volunteers are hard to come by. I was happier to have them at the end of the race anyway.
🍌🍊 Throughout the course, spectators, neighbors, local clubs and organizations, etc. were handing out treats. The race had some sort of gel packs about every 3 miles or so (don’t quote me on that) after mile 6 The crowd support was fantastic. The German club at mile 2 was great. Up on the hill playing their traditional music. I loved it.
🎽🏅 The shirt was a long-sleeved tech shirt. Ladies got a v-neck. I’m 5’7″ and weigh 140 lbs. I got a large shirt because I like them baggy. The medal is also a beast. It’s weighs 9 ounces (that’s more than a half a pound.)
👊🏼 I wanted to sub-4 every marathon that I run but I seriously underestimated these hills. And it’s all good – I had a blast at this race this weekend. I’m a sucker for architecture and industrial American history so I caught myself sight-seeing a couple of times on this course and had to remind myself that I was in the middle of a marathon. I loved it. If you want to challenge yourself, this is the place to do it.
Good luck to you and happy running!
Such a great race
I was a huge fan of the Pittsburgh marathon. The race organizers were very communicative every step of the way, the expo was easy to navigate, and you could not … MORE
I was a huge fan of the Pittsburgh marathon. The race organizers were very communicative every step of the way, the expo was easy to navigate, and you could not beat the crowd support. I was expecting some quiet stretches but that wasn’t the case, the locals were out supporting for most of the course, plus there were tons of pockets with live music/DJs. I thought the course itself was really nice – it starts downtown but pretty quickly takes runners over the first bridge (which offered some really pretty sights). There’s a rough hill during mile 12, but otherwise the course felt flat with some gentle rolling hills during the residential portions of the back half. The marathon finishes on a nice downhill and I appreciated the straightaway to the finish line (I hate when they throw in a ton of turns right at the end!) Overall I’m so impressed by my experience at this race. One con was that Dick’s apparently overbooked their group rate at our hotel, so we had a scare upon trying to check in that we’d have to move 4 miles further away from the starting line to a different hotel. I’m not really sure how you can prepare for that, but just something to be aware of. Otherwise, I loved my time running around Pittsburgh and would recommend this race to anyone!
Maybe unfairly biased in my "meh" rating
I'll start by saying that this race was one of my worst personally because of some personal things going on that negatively impacted my training, and thus my experience, but … MORE
I’ll start by saying that this race was one of my worst personally because of some personal things going on that negatively impacted my training, and thus my experience, but overall this is a pretty well-run event. I have family in Pittsburgh and they did all the heavy lifting for me when it came to getting to and from the expo and the race, but even if I had been solo I would’ve managed just fine. Expo was decent, well-organized, and quick. The race course was as nice as you can expect in a large city; I enjoyed the bridges and river views but prefer more naturally scenic courses. Pittsburgh is a hilly city and there are some minor hills along the way, plus one my uncle called “the m**f**er” and he was not joking! But overall not a difficult course. Fireworks at the start were cool but not super visible to those not in the very front of the pack. Can’t comment much on the finish line area because it was pouring rain when I finished so we booked it back to the car and headed home. I did manage to grab handfuls of food and some extra Eat n Park smile cookies to take home to my kids. All in all I might consider running it again in the future because my family is there and the race production was great, but it wasn’t a particularly memorable race for me.
Hilly course, nice cheer stations
This is the second time I’ve done this race (first time I did the full). I like the expo because it is pretty big. Parking is very difficult: the convention … MORE
This is the second time I’ve done this race (first time I did the full). I like the expo because it is pretty big. Parking is very difficult: the convention center parking was full for the expo and the guards just shrugged and left you on your own to figure out street parking. It poured down rain but even with the rain, the cheer stations were still there and they were varied and fun.
The best crowd!
This is one of my favorite races! Glad I grabbed a poncho that some one threw to the side. It poured rain, it thundered, lightning. And the Crowds still came … MORE
This is one of my favorite races! Glad I grabbed a poncho that some one threw to the side. It poured rain, it thundered, lightning. And the Crowds still came out to cheer us on. Pittsburgh is an amazing town. I was told it is so hilly, but I had trained so the hills were not bad. You cross 3 or 4 of the golden bridges, you run by Steeler Nation stadium. They have an amazing finish line with all of the snacks you can image. The expo was one of the biggest I had been to since COVID. The finish line party looked amazing but it poured so I found my friends took pics and left. I hope to run this one again!
Great to be Back
This has become one of my favorites! This was my second time running the event. I had forgotten how much fun the event was, after running in a lot of … MORE
This has become one of my favorites! This was my second time running the event. I had forgotten how much fun the event was, after running in a lot of smaller events recently. The crowd support is great, and the overall production is excellent. The swag is average, but pre race expo is large and good. Weather for event this year was a bit tough with periods of downpours, but a great time.