Overall Rating
Overall Rating (28 Reviews)
4.6
(28 Ratings)  (28 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
3.2
SCENERY
4.3
PRODUCTION
4.6
SWAG
4.1
Get ready to MOVE Pittsburgh, Runner of STEEL! The DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon is BACK this May. Participants have a variety of distances to choose from during the Marathon Weekend— the full marathon, half-marathon, five-person relay, 5K, kids marathon (one-mile run), toddler trot, and pet walk – so everyone … MORE
Local Historical Weather (May 06):
  2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
 
H (°F)  62  59  50  74  66
L (°F)  51  41  40  48  50
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Recent reviews

    Profile photo of Cindy Boyd
    cindys.boyd FIRST-TIMER '22

    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!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4
    My Media

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    tdnewman REPEAT RUNNER '22

    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.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    4
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    4
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    3

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    JT25 FIRST-TIMER '22

    This was my 1st marathon and it was amazing. It was a great way to tour the city and the crowd support was awesome. There were plenty of well stocked … MORE

    This was my 1st marathon and it was amazing. It was a great way to tour the city and the crowd support was awesome. There were plenty of well stocked aid stations. I wish I would have been more ready for some of the hills, but overall I wouldn’t change anything. Would definitely recommend and would love to do it again

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    newtoracing REPEAT RUNNER '22

    I love running this race. The weather was perfect. Spectators and volunteers along the route are great motivators. The after-party in the park afterwards was a little disappointing. Two of … MORE

    I love running this race. The weather was perfect. Spectators and volunteers along the route are great motivators. The after-party in the park afterwards was a little disappointing. Two of my little grandsons ran in the Sheetz Toddler Trot which was a highlight for me. I’ll be back next year.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
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    5
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    4
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    5

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    tdnewman FIRST-TIMER '19

    This course takes you through Pittsburgh, you cross three bridges, and all along the course there is good crowd support. The course is not as "hilly" as one might expect, … MORE

    This course takes you through Pittsburgh, you cross three bridges, and all along the course there is good crowd support. The course is not as “hilly” as one might expect, but not flat either. Support and organization is very good.

    DIFFICULTY
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    jennypennybear511 REPEAT RUNNER '19

    Pittsburgh is my home race and while it is fun to run, the last two years it hasn't changed, so for me, it is once you have done it, unless … MORE

    Pittsburgh is my home race and while it is fun to run, the last two years it hasn’t changed, so for me, it is once you have done it, unless you want to beat your time from a previous year, it isn’t a race I would want to do year after year.

    It is cool to see a lot of the city and the bridges and everything though. That is the one great part of running Pittsburgh, is seeing all the buildings of downtown Pittsburgh and then being able to run the bridges and the different communities.

    There is a ton of crowd support along the course handing out drinks, gels, whatever they can find really. So that is always nice.

    I did the Challenge in 2019, 5K on Saturday and then the half on Sunday. And what I was a bit let down by was the medal for both races was exactly the same. To me they could have added some differences between them, but still nice to complete a challenge.

    I will say if you are a back of the pack runner, Pittsburgh unfortunately may be a bit of a let down for you because what I have noticed is they tend to tear down the aid stations before all the runners have come through. But as long as you have your own fluid/water/gels you should be fine. I did notice the photographers were not as easy to find when your near the back of the pack. I don’ know if they assume since most people have gone past that those in the back don’t want pictures, but just be warned you may not have as many as some of the front runners.

    Yes, Pittsburgh also has a lot of hills and bridges and it is a challenging course to take on but as long as you train appropriately, then you should be fine. Love my local race!

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    Bibwearingdad REPEAT RUNNER '19

    The city comes out and there isn't a dull spot on the course. It is a great event and a wonderful way to see some nice parts of the city, … MORE

    The city comes out and there isn’t a dull spot on the course. It is a great event and a wonderful way to see some nice parts of the city, with a pretty nice downhill finish.

    The course though is a hilly course, crossing over a few bridges with a nice climb around mile 11, coming off a bridge where you just get hit by wind.

    Great course, def there to push you a bit and does give you a chance to PR, but not the ideal course to do so

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    kg05 REPEAT RUNNER '19

    This is my third year participating in this race and I will keep coming back. Not only is this race a hometown race, but it is so well put together. … MORE

    This is my third year participating in this race and I will keep coming back.
    Not only is this race a hometown race, but it is so well put together. The expo is huge and while very crowded there are a lot of things to do and see while you are there. I have been to expos with only a handful (or less) of booths and this one is sure to exceed expectations. I usually always make it to packet pick up before it gets super busy, but it is well managed and pretty easy to find and figure out. and they do have people there to help. The shirts are always very nice. Short sleeve for the 5k on Saturday and long sleeve for the half and full. Some years there has been a pint glass, this year the add on for the marathon was a pair of Goodr sunglasses and for the half you could purchase for a deep discount.
    If you complete the 5k on Saturday and one of the races on Sunday you also get a 3rd “Steel Challenge” medal which is always super nice. and who doesn’t love extra bling!!?? If you do the relay there’s also an extra medal for that.
    There’s a few other events during the weekend including a kids race and a dog walk so there is something for everyone. Plenty of hotels and plenty of amazing restaurants in walking distance.
    The course is far from flat and I know that the full boasts way more and way harder hills (and bridges) so if you plan on running this one for the first time it is recommended that you add some hills into your training, but the crowd support is top notch and getting to see the city and the views can’t be beat.

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    5

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    Profile photo of Scott Sabol
    ssabol1562 REPEAT RUNNER '19

    To start, Pittsburgh is a fun city with plenty to do. Bring the whole family to this one as their race weekend has an event for everyone...from the Toddler Trot, … MORE

    To start, Pittsburgh is a fun city with plenty to do. Bring the whole family to this one as their race weekend has an event for everyone…from the Toddler Trot, the Kids Marathon (1 mile), 5K, Half marathon and Marathon, they cover everyone.

    The expo is decent size and has your usual vendors. Bib pickup is easy but make sure you have your ID. Swag is good..long sleeve tech shirt for the Full/Half and short sleeve tech shirt for the 5K. Each shirt is race specific too. Medals were fantastic this year and they do offer a bonus medal (Steel Challenge) for doing both the 5K and Half/Full.

    The course is very scenic and hits a lot of Pittsburgh landmarks. A nice mix of uphills and downhills makes it fairly fast. if you are feeling really good on race day, it could have the potential to yield a PR. Only really tough spot is a pretty steep hill at 11.5 but it’s followed by the final mile being all downhill so you makeup the time there.

    Considering it’s large size, this is a very well organized race. You do have to get into town early but if you talk to a local, they can give you the best routes to take. After the race, getting around town was very easy. This is definitely a race to put on your must-do list.

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    2
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    5
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    newtoracing REPEAT RUNNER '19

    The only improvement I would like to see would be that they added a 10K. But I love running this 5K. The course is scenic through the neighborhoods, across a … MORE

    The only improvement I would like to see would be that they added a 10K. But I love running this 5K. The course is scenic through the neighborhoods, across a bridge and into downtown. The cheering fans give you a boost of energy. The finisher medals are worth running for. I’ve placed in my age group each year and love the place medals also. The post race events are by far some of the best I’ve seen.

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    jphil853 REPEAT RUNNER '18

    I have run this marathon three times! I am originally from the southeastern PA, but I would highly recommend Pittsburgh's Marathon over the Philadelphia Marathon without reservation. The second half … MORE

    I have run this marathon three times! I am originally from the southeastern PA, but I would highly recommend Pittsburgh’s Marathon over the Philadelphia Marathon without reservation.

    The second half of the course is challenging with long, uphill climbs. The crowd support throughout the entire course is a great representation of the various neighborhoods that comprise the city. Many neighbors provide music and food in an all-out block-party atmosphere.

    The finish areas is a great location at Pointe Park. The food for completers and swag are also top-notch.

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    Profile photo of Brandon Wise
    b.wise23 FIRST-TIMER '18

    The Pittsburgh Marathon is one of the best organized events I’ve been to but has definitely been going down in quality each year recently in terms of swag and the … MORE

    The Pittsburgh Marathon is one of the best organized events I’ve been to but has definitely been going down in quality each year recently in terms of swag and the expo.

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    2
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    kg05 REPEAT RUNNER '18

    2018 was my second year doing the events on Pittsburgh marathon weekend. I participated in the 5k and the half again to receive the steel challenge medal. This was a … MORE

    2018 was my second year doing the events on Pittsburgh marathon weekend. I participated in the 5k and the half again to receive the steel challenge medal. This was a course PR for me.
    I love the crowd support of this race, the aid stations are well maintained. The weather was good and cooperative for Pittsburgh!
    I would recommend this one to anybody.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
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    4
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    5
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    4

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    glenberger FIRST-TIMER '18

    The race was great but there's a HUGE hill and more slight up hills on the later part of the course. The crowd support in the different boroughs was amazing! MORE

    The race was great but there’s a HUGE hill and more slight up hills on the later part of the course. The crowd support in the different boroughs was amazing!

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    4
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    runwalksarah REPEAT RUNNER '18

    2018 marked my 3rd year flying out to PGH for the marathon. I love everything about this race. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, 5k runners were given a pint … MORE

    2018 marked my 3rd year flying out to PGH for the marathon. I love everything about this race. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary, 5k runners were given a pint glass, half marathon runners received a tumbler, marathon runners received both the pint glass and the tumbler. The expo was large with lots of vendors. On race morning, my friend and I parked at Station Square, which was an easy walk to the start. The course was interesting with several bridge crossings. There are hills, but not nearly as bad as I initially heard. I enjoy the wide variety of neighborhoods the course goes through. We run through low income neighborhoods. We run through affluent neighborhoods with large Victorian style houses. What I love is that entire community comes out to support the race, regardless of neighborhood. Everyone is proud to represent PGH and to support the runners. The medals are always very solid. If you run the 5k on Saturday and the half or full on Sunday, you receive the Runner of Steel Challenge Medal. This race has wonderful social media presence and offers fun contests throughout the year. In 2016 I won a VIP package for posting a picture of my game face. The current contest is to post a picture of yourself wearing your PGH race shirt while on vacation. They are wonderful at keeping participants engaged throughout the year. I can’t wait to return in 2019!

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    britneybeatrice REPEAT RUNNER '18

    This was my second Pittsburgh half marathon and despite some rainy conditions there was still a huge crowd over the entire course to keep you motivated. There are a ton … MORE

    This was my second Pittsburgh half marathon and despite some rainy conditions there was still a huge crowd over the entire course to keep you motivated. There are a ton of hills (and bridges that are huge hills) for this race, so you have to be ready for those (especially at miles 11 and 12). It is a well organized race and you get views of most of the city – absolutely love this race and will continue to do it in the years to come.

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    newtoracing REPEAT RUNNER '18

    Weather was perfect this year. Won first in my age group. Finisher medals were special because of the 10th Anniversary of the race. It never gets old running in Pittsburgh. MORE

    Weather was perfect this year. Won first in my age group. Finisher medals were special because of the 10th Anniversary of the race. It never gets old running in Pittsburgh.

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    5
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    5

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    coryallens FIRST-TIMER '17

    As a native son of Pittsburgh who grew up in Florida, I was super stoked about this race. Even though it was in May the weather was great for it, … MORE

    As a native son of Pittsburgh who grew up in Florida, I was super stoked about this race. Even though it was in May the weather was great for it, the course was awesome and you got to see many of the sights of Pittsburgh like Heinz, all 3 sports venues, and cross all 3 rivers. The swag was top notch and overall a great experience. The only negative to the event was since it starts downtown parking is limited and scattered.

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    britneybeatrice FIRST-TIMER '17

    The Pittsburgh half has some major hills, but the energy from the crowd the ENTIRE course keeps you going. It is unreal how much energy the crowd had for the … MORE

    The Pittsburgh half has some major hills, but the energy from the crowd the ENTIRE course keeps you going. It is unreal how much energy the crowd had for the full 13.1 miles, you have to do this race once.

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    rungitchrun FIRST-TIMER '17

    This was my first ever attempt at the marathon Distance and WOW was it challenging. I praticipated with TEAM JDRF a charity team for the Pittsburgh Marathon. Was such a … MORE

    This was my first ever attempt at the marathon Distance and WOW was it challenging. I praticipated with TEAM JDRF a charity team for the Pittsburgh Marathon. Was such a great experience and I trained really Hard for this distance and through all the training that I put in nothing prepared me for the ascent onto oakland. SWAG and EXPO Amazing

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