calendar icon Nov 8, 2024

Marathon Details - Salt Lake City Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > UT > Salt Lake City > Salt Lake City Marathon

Salt Lake City Marathon

U Health Salt Lake City Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

location icon Salt Lake City, UT USA

calendar icon April 26, 2025

calendar icon http://www.saltlakecitymarathon.com

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Runner Reviews (162)

Course Rating Course 4.1 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 4.1 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 3.9 
 
 
Number of comments: 162 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 16 > ]

 

J. G. from Virginia (5/1/2023)
"Beautiful Course" (about: 2023)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 2


I ran this event to get Utah completed in my 50 state quest. The course was beautiful with the Rockies in the background and majestic homes through many areas of the route. It was hard for me in the beginning as it starts up a hill and the high altitude had me gasping for air! Also, after mile 2 or 3, it is about 4 miles all downhill which did a number on my quads!

It should be noted that the road surface is very cracked and pot holed in areas. There were plenty of rest stops with water, Gatorade poured from bottles, so it was the correct mixture. Plenty of Gu shots as well.
The expo was a bit smaller than I expected and is only for one day, so expect crowds. They had the usual stuff, although the IV drip booth was giving free B-12 injections!

The logistics for doing this race were awesome. Easy to take the Trax train from the airport to downtown for only $2.50. The downtown is very walkable, clean and friendly. The Trax is also free in most of the downtown area.

The medal and shirt were very nice and I would recommend this race if you need Utah.

 

G. H. from IL (4/25/2022)
"Organized, beautiful, hard." (about: 2022)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


Finally got to run this race after it being canceled twice for COVID!

This was my 25th marathon. I've run all over the country, from sea to shining sea. I think this is the hardest marathon I've ever run. Some of it is baked into the cake (altitude, hills), and some factors couldn't be helped (snow).

The good:

* Beautiful course. Even though it was a cloudy day, you still had some terrific views of the mountains. I can't imagine how stunning the scenery would look on a clear day.
* The city's light rail system very efficiently gets all the runners to the start line for this point-to-point race. (In general, SLC is an awesome city. So clean and friendly.)
* Good expo and swag. I really like my medal.
* Lots of water stations. Volunteers were great.

What made this race hard:

*Hills! The race starts at nearly 5,000 feet and loses a net of 700 feet throughout. But there are some challenging hills all the way, a couple of the hardest coming in the first few miles. So when you're trying to getting an early rhythm going, you get hit with tough hills that were mentally and physically taxing.

***This is a good destination to plan for if you're trying to do all 50 states. SLC is an awesome city (and I typically hate big cities in general and big city marathons in particular). This didn't feel like the big city experience at all. It was easy to get into the airport and easy to get out, and there was plenty to do when not running to make it a fun weekend.

 

S. G. from New York (4/24/2019)
"Do not run this if you are a slower runner" (about: 2019)

11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 1  FANS: 5


I have run and completed 16 marathons and was on pace to complete this one but after mile 18 , no one told me there was a turn and I ended up by myself and way off of the course. The shag bus started following me closely at mile 13 and I finally asked him to pass me because the constant chugging and breaking of his bus was making me a nervous wreck. They told my husband the race was over when the bus passed but at least three of us were still on the course. Very little support after we split from the half's. The marathon sponsored van at the host hotel stopped running an hour and a half before the start when we were told it ran up until the start. We had to take an Uber. I contacted the race director to tell him all of this and all he said was that he was sorry I had a bad experience. He should have apologized for his staff not informing me of where to turn.

 

B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa (4/16/2019)
"Could be better" (about: 2019)

50+ previous marathons | 2 Salt Lake City Marathons
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 3


A nice race in a pretty part of the country. The first 6 miles or so are scenic, the rest not so much. Organization was good except for no race results on their website as of Tuesday and the results on Marathonguide are gun times. On course, the organization was on point with frequent water stops and plenty of portable toilets.

I liked the race but didn't love it. Nice shirt and medal.

We enjoyed liquid refreshment at Fisher's, Epic and Hopkin's Breweries. SLC and environs is a beautiful place to visit.

 

L. F. from Utah, USA (4/23/2018)
"Plenty of Porta-potties!" (about: 2018)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


These guys covered everything runners wish for in a great race!

1st- I never had to wait for a porta-john. I arrived at the start with 30 mins to gun time and had no problem walking right to an open honey bucket. On the course when I needed one, there was no waiting. And again at the finish there was no need to wait in line! Super impressive!

2- Great course support! I swear sometimes the aid stations were not even a mile apart! Each one offered Gatoraid and water and several offered GU in popular flavors like Salted Carmel, Chocolate, and the Berry flavors. There were also a bunch of local musicians out on the course just playing for the runners. One was a woman just standing out there playing her banjo! Others had their full band and speakers set up playing their music.

3-Fantastic views throughout! The race hit all the famous SLC landmarks, starting at the University of Utah and ending right in the heart of downtown. It ran through several historic and unique neighborhoods, up and down a canyon (not an out-and-back), and right past the capitol building and temple. The trees were in full bloom and it smelled fantastic!

4- Finish line: included plenty of food (I couldn't carry everything I was being handed) including pancakes! There were free massages and free medal engraving. They had a jumbo-tron sized screen set up so people could see their runners coming in about a mile away. Plenty of music and party atmosphere at the finish.

5- Transportation to and from the race was a piece of cake. Your bib was your free ticket to public transportation and they had plenty of light rail cars running so I never had to wait more than 5 mins to catch one. I didn't have to get to the race super early and just stand around until the start because the transportation dropped you right at the start and you could catch it right at the finish again. Super convenient!

 

P. M. from Casper, Wyoming (5/15/2017)
"Great Organization!" (about: 2017)

1 previous marathon | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


This being my first marathon, I don't have much to compare it to, so you can take that into account in reading my review.

Pros: What struck me the most about the race was the organization of the course. This marathon runs through the city, there are no trails/paths. Therefore, each intersection had to be manned to ensure safety, and they were! I was blown away by how much planning and manpower that required, thanks to the men and women in blue!

I'm from Wyoming, so I trained at altitude, so that wasn't an issue, but did hear that it was a struggle for some. There were some short hills, but nothing too brutal. It was a great way to see Salt Lake City, I'd never been there. Crowd support was minimal but very positive. Loved how many residents showed up to offer water and refreshments, in addition to the organized water stops, which were frequent and well stocked/staffed.

Cons: The expo was just so-so. The gal handing me my bag and bib had no idea what she was doing and said so.

The app that was supposed to keep my friends and family alerted to my location was a flop. It didn't work after.17 miles, they thought I had died or broken a leg or something.

There were a LOT of half marathoners who started at the same time. This made for a crowded, and at times noisy, route for the first 10 miles or so. I prefer to run solo and in peace, so this took some getting used to.

Overall this was a great experience, I'm glad I did it, and would recommend this race to anyone.

 

M. M. from Illinois (4/29/2017)
"Fun, challenging race!" (about: 2017)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


Well-run race! Most of the marathon course was pretty, some boring suburban 'blah', but that is the case with every marathon I've ran. The aid stations were amazing and the airline themed medal was very unique. Alaska Airlines (best airline ever!!!) did a great job of sponsoring the race.

Living at an elevation of about 500 feet, SLC's elevation took more out of me than I expected and I ran a truly atrocious time. Still, I was able to visit a beautiful city and had a great time running a fun race, definitely recommend to others!

 

E. G. from Murray, UT (4/24/2017)
"Nicely organized event" (about: 2017)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


I got into the race nearly a year in advance and paid less than $3 a mile. The value, therefore, was a steal for me. Hard to find marathons for that price.

The Expo was fairly small but is paired with a Fitness expo. Packet pickup was simple and efficient. The swag bag was filled with goodies and the shirt was nicely designed. Race communication was well done.

Taking the TRAX system was the way to go. It drops you right off at the starting line (and a station is near the finish line as well). The bathroom situation at the start was good although there were lines of 10 - 12 people deep 15 minutes before the race. The race started on time and I was running within 10 minutes of the race's actual start.

The first 8 miles or so are mostly downhill and absolutely beautiful. Running by the downtown area and the stately mansions was a treat. The latter part of the race is primarily run through residential areas. It isn't the most exciting but the scenery did change and I liked the parks that we ran around.

Despite the race's net downhill change this course is challenging. There are plenty of rolling hills and small inclines that will challenge you. I wouldn't describe it as a fast course and if you aren't used to the 4000+ elevation, it'll will take you by surprise.

Course support was awesome. There were plenty of aid stations and most of them had gels. If I were to run this race again, I don't think I would carry any of my own. I've never seen more gels offered at a race. My one small complaint was that the mile markers seemed off from the start. Mile 3, for instance, was at mile 3.22. Most everyone I talked to had a similar reporting via their Garmin. However, at mile 25 the markers made sense again. I ran about 26.32 miles for the day. The course was marshaled well (they had a police officer at every single intersection) and I felt safe running throughout the city.

Finish line spread was typical offerings. I wish they had had some soda. There was water, some Gatorade (looked like they were running out though), popsicles and a few snacks. I got a good amount of cheering as I crossed the finish line but the majority of runners are half marathoners so the finish area was pretty thin. Crowd support on the course was nice - mostly locals sitting in their front yards. The volunteers were awesome and rallied you on as well.

I would run this race again. It has the feeling of a big city marathon without all the big city headaches. If you sign up far enough in advance, the price is well worth it. I have very few complaints and was impressed with the experience I received. It is a worthy race to run for Utah.

 

Jennifer Tanko from NYC (4/17/2016)
"Scenic, Intimate Marathon" (about: 2016)

1 previous marathon | 1 Salt Lake City Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 2


I ran my first marathon in SLC and had a fantastic time. Although this was my first 26.2, I have been running shorter distances for years, so I feel that I can give some helpful input for this race.

It should first be noted that if you are someone who needs a lot of crowd support and runner camaraderie during an event, this is not the race for you! The full marathon is very small (<1,000 runners) and by the time you're finishing, the crowds have mostly dispersed. When you separate from the half marathoners at mile 9, you are mostly by yourself for the race as the runners are very spread out. I personally liked this - it allowed me to focus on the UNBELIEVABLE scenery and the personal journey that brought me to the course.

There were SO many people at each aid stations (of which there were plenty) and they would greet you by name as they offered water and gatorade. There were also tons of porta-potties - at no point did I ever have to wait in a line for one.

I liked the shirt and medal, and the post-race festival was pretty decent with a live band and a lot of tents. I am very much looking forward to seeing the photos, which are COMPLIMENTARY! Most of the races I run are NYRR or RunDisney, so that blows my mind.

In sum, I thought this was a lovely race. I registered almost a year in advance, and registration was under $100. A marathon is a great way to see this beautiful city, but I would only consider this if you are someone who can appreciate a quieter, more meditative environment.

 

A. D. from Colorado (4/26/2014)
"Better course" (about: 2014)

11-50 previous marathons | 2 Salt Lake City Marathons
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 3


This was a better course than last year-there was some open space, and a meander through downtown, past the governor's house, SLC temple, a BEAUTIFUL park, and other pretty sights. The course could be hilly, but that doesn't bother me and I don't understand how people who don't like hills live in the world. The world is hilly :)
After the half marathoners left, my life improved. There were no lines at the toilets!
There was plenty of gu on the course and I even got to try a new flavor-salted caramel!
It was a stunning time of year in SLC with the spring flowers and buds on the trees and view of the mountains. The mormans (of which I met many) are also so sweet and welcoming.
Drawbacks-food at the finish was subpar. Also the logistics of parking and taking the tram were ambiguous on the website. My uncle ended up driving me. And, the race started 10 minutes late! When I have to drive 550 miles after the race, I didn't appreciate accommodating the late-comers. I managed to make the race on time, and other people should too. If they cannot, race directors should not postpone, after all, it is chip timed.
Overall, it was a very pleasant experience :)

 

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