Pittsburgh Marathon - Race Reviews

Signed up last minute due to Providence getting cancelled. Course support and aid stations are top notch. Race shirt and medal are awesome. Don't count on a PR here - The first half isn't too tough, with one moderate hill and a few bridge crossings. There's a monster of a hill at the halfway point followed by rollers throughout the 2nd half of the race. But hey, it's Pittsburgh, so hills should be expected. Finish line festivities were awesome with tons of food. One big complaint: The course measured significantly long. My Garmin clocked me at exactly 26.5 miles and everyone else I spoke with had about the same.

There was support for us slower runners and race officials were at the finish line congratulating us and handing out medals. Very participant friendly and I will definitely return.

This was my first marathon. If this is your first time doing a marathon, well, prepare accordingly because it is packed with hills until around mile 22-22. The last 3-4 miles are downhill and flat, although by that point, you are drained. The crowd is great. They did not slack in drink and goo stations. The volunteers really did an excellent job at every station. Funny signs from the spectators kept me laughing along the way. All around, great organization and well done.

This was simply one of the best managed events we've visited thus far. First and foremost, despite heavy rain complete with thunder and lightning, the crowd support was terrific throughout the entire course. The aid stations very well managed and stocked. The signage throughout clear and impossible to miss. And the best part for me, all the streets were shut down for traffic, so nice open roads which provided plenty of room for the runners. This is also a great Expo. It's in a convention center, so lots of room to move about. No lines to pick up your bib and swag, and many, many vendors. They also had a nice touch of displaying the finishing shirts and medals for the last 12 years. Pittsburgh has a great downtown. We stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh Downtown, where we were able to walk to the start and finish as well as the waterfront and sports district. That area was hopping, fun crowds out eating, drinking, and enjoying the weekend. They have an event for EVERYONE; 5K, 10K, half, full, full relay! And for the half marathon, you can run either the front half or the back half! How cool is that? The marathon course takes you on a terrific tour of Pittsburgh. The back half is certainly more challenging, but I like that in a marathon. You can get a good feel for the race and the place from our Pittsburgh Marathon video at Race The Nation.

The first live Pittsburgh Marathon since 2019 was generally a success. A course change necessitated by a bridge collapse in January went well. I'm pleased that the race went forward despite some thunderstorms during the race. The weather kept many spectators away but the hardy souls who turned out were enthusiastic. The negative is that apparently organizers were short on volunteers as many of the water stations were self serve which is not typical for Pittsburgh. Overall another great running of my hometown race. Pittsburgh has many great breweries. When in town make sure to check out Grist House and 2Frays.

My first marathon! Expo was a lot of fun, got great sunglasses as well as other cool swag. Race morning was rainy. Too few bathrooms at the starting line, but there were dozens of port-a-potties within the first three miles so wasn't too bad in the end. Lots of pacers made it easy to keep pace and kept you with a crowd for much of the race, very nice touch. Hills are murderous. Every time you think you got over one another one pops up. Even the tiny ones really stack up over the whole race. I was hoping to gain speed at the downhill on mile 24 but by then shin splints had me going down pretty cautiously. Spectators were incredible, people were really pumped up from all neighborhoods. Tons of fun to see. Post-race was a bit tough to find people, my family got lost trying to walk around the cordoned off parts of downtown. Lots of booths and fun stuff. Kids got candy, I got ice bags from a PT. Nice. Great experience, looking forward to running again!

I believe this may have been the best Pittsburgh marathon of the 7 I have run. Organization was flawless. Course was excellent. Crowds were light, but I imagine that had to do with the off and on rain. Changed up the medal this year and it was beautiful. Really like the participant shirt. I really enjoy this race and can't wait to run it again next year.

Really great job by everyone involved with making this race happen. Organization: Good website- you should feel well informed going into the race. I was surprised at the size of the expo- very nice for a race of this size. Absolutely text book handling of water stations. Hats off to the volunteers who all knew how to do their jobs! Post-race food was unremarkable, but certainly sufficient-no complaints. It was a bit of a free-for-all once you got out of the runner area at the finish - perhaps the only component of the race where some improvement is warranted. I've got plenty of marathon finisher medals and some of my favorites are from Pittsburgh. They are substantial, but not gaudy. I was impressed that they had a 3 hour pacer for this race. Not often seen, but really helpful for the younger guys looking for that BQ. Course: I describe this course as one for the hill lovers. The hill that you will remember is the climb into South Oakland, but there are several extended, but not particularly steep uphill sections. You will certainly have your fill of them as you complete the final steady climb leading into the blessed Bloomfield downhill section. You come back to earth hitting the seemingly endless straight shot down Liberty Avenue around mile 24. Nonetheless, it's a great course on which to finish strong. Considering the May time frame and the nature of the course, it's a tough one if you are thinking PR. Spectators: There were pockets of spectators who were always enthusiastic. Overall though, I found the support to be a little less than I was expecting. The Pitt campus was a ghost town since classes were already out, which was disappointing, but to be expected. I observed more PSU love than Pitt love during the race. Come on Pitt!! To conclude, I highly recommend this race for an enjoyable marathon experience in a great city. Pennsylvania is blessed with two excellent big city marathons in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Run PA!

I look forward to this race each year and there was no disappointment in 2018. This was my 6th time running in the event (4th in the full marathon). Expo was solid as usual. I work in downtown Pittsburgh, so I'm able to get to the expo during the day Friday on my lunch break with ease. Race morning is easy if you park across the river near the stadiums and walk across the bridge. I arrived around 6am and made it to my corral with time to spare. Course was excellent with a nice mix of hills and flat surface. Definitely need to do your hill training, but the course is not as hard as it could be. Some hills early, but nothing major. A good climb from mile 10 to about 15. After that, there are some hills, not serious enough to mention. A nice downhill just past 22 and flat thereafter. Weather was perfect this year, but can't give the RD credit for that. Shirt was average. I really loved the medal. I noticed the fan support was a lot lower this year. My assumption is the small crowds had to do with the forecast calling for rain the entire race (which never happened). Those fans that did show up were outstanding. A special thanks to the most enthusiastic group of spectators I have ever encountered. I must have seen them 5 times throughout the day and there energy was contagious. Don't know I have ever seen spectators so pumped up for a marathon. If you are looking for a quality race, go run Pittsburgh. It is first in class.

For the 16 time returned home to Pittsburgh to run the marathon. As always great event,but even more special was the way race organizers honored those of us who have run the last ten years. Class act, greatly appreciated.

Another excellent effort by the organizers. From the expo to the post race snacks, I believe that everything was managed well. My complaint this year was with the crowds. On a decent weather morning, the crowds were subpar in Shadyside and South Side and non existent in Oakland. Most neighborhoods under represented from past years. On the plus side the crowds Downtown were good. The course is first rate with a nice mix of hills and flat. Nice finishing area with Point St Park as the staging area. Visit Hop Farm for delicious brews.

This race does not disappoint. I love visiting Pittsburgh and this race gives the city an opportunity to show off. Nice expo, lots of cool gear/ t-shirts available. Great organization for a larger race. Race course takes you through many of the diverse neighborhoods. Spectator support is outstanding.

I know I'm biased, but there are not many races out there better than Pittsburgh. A fun and not overwhelmingly big expo with lots of cool vendors. Race day was fairly easy for a bigger city race (of course I know my way around) with cheap parking just a short subway ride away from the start and finish. I really like the course most of all. Challenging, but not ridiculously so for a hilly city, and it shows off some of the best views of the city. No out and backs either. Spectators were supportive, but not as numerous as they could have been. I must have looked really bad because I had a lot of folks cheering for me. The shirt is very nice and the medal is a small work of art. Two small complaints: I wish they had chocolate milk or soda at the finish and I felt that the start could have gone quicker with less time in between corral starts. Otherwise, a truly great race. After the race take the short trip to Allegheny City Brewing in Deutschtown!!

I have done this marathon twice (and the half, once) it takes you through a huge number of the cities neighborhoods with lots of people along the whole course. There is plenty of aid stations and they are well stocked and organized. When you come down the last mile it is just jam packed with people on the side walks yelling out to you. The finish chute is well organized and efficient from medal to food to pictures

The organization is great. Best medical support of any marathon. For the second year very difficult to get to corral C, mass confusion. Since the marathon is the signature event, consideration should be given to starting the marathon at least fifteen minutes prior to the half. The size of marathon field would not conflict with the fast half-marathoners but would give a special recognition for those doing 26.2. An added plus was that the Pirates were home. Best ballpark in country, the 5K on Saturday was a great warm-up. Nice to see so many kids on the course.

Pros: 1. Exceptionally well-organized. 2. I got a surprise 'runners box' of goodies shipped to me while I was training with swag, treats, and a $10 discount at Dicks. 3. Course was interesting - truly diverse experiences of running on bridges (five of them), downtown streets, neighborhood roads, and lots of different bands playing different types of music. 4. Best fan support ever! I couldn't believe the turnout. Only one neighborhood was sparse (Homewood), but that gave a time of running reflection. Fans' signs were hilarious. One fan held a sign that said 'get the F up the hill!' and proceeded to hand out cards to each runner that ran near her - the cards had 'Fs' on them! 5. I don't mind hills - they gave me a chance to use different muscles. The hills weren't bad. There's a big downhill around mile 24 which was welcomed! 6. Great Expo (I bought some t-shirts and I usually don't like any shirts at expos.) 7. Downtown hotels were reasonably priced which made for a late wake-up and plenty of sleep before the marathon. 8. No shortage of beverage (gatorade and water) on the course or 'stinger' gels. 9. Marathon start time was 7 (not too early, not too late) 10. PGH Temp that time of year makes it likely that the weather is cool and perfect for running. 11. Course seems safe - no tight turns and wide enough to accommodate the pack. 12. Wave starts were good - 5 minute separation kept the field open in the beginning. 13. PGH. Firefighters had the fire hydrants open and misting water at several points throughout the course. 14. Great finishers medal! Cons: 1. It seemed that the finish line was the least exciting area. However, the overwhelm of personal accomplishment was enough. 2. The expo didn't have a station to double check that the timing device was working. Usually I appreciate this chance to verify that the bib chip works. All in all, an awesome event!!!! I have run Honolulu, Madrid, San Diego, and Space Coast.

I have participated in this race the past 4 years (2 halves and 2 fulls) and the PGH marathon remains consistent. The early precipitation definitely kept a lot of spectators away so they were light throughout compared to previous years. This is the reason I gave the rating a 4 instead of the 5 I gave the fans last year. Still, many braved the rain and humid temperatures, but appeared to be less enthusiastic as they were in years past. The expo was fine, nothing to write home about. Race morning was easy as we chose to park across the river for $5 at the Heinz Field Parking Lot and walked across the bridge. For a medium size city, treat race morning like a large size city by arriving a bit early as there are a lot of participants in the corrals. More restrooms than I have ever seen before the race, on the course and post-race. I love this course as it takes your through a lot of great neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. Watch out for the serious challenge from mile 10 to 15. This stretch if tough so keep that in mind. Water stops were made easy as they were on both sides of the course while running the first half and one side during the second. Excellent job in that aspect. Really enjoyed the fact that so many people participated in the relay. This made the second half of the race feel less lonely as many runners were around during all parts of the race. Shirt was nice and finishers medal was excellent.

This was one of my favorite marathons to date. The course takes you through several neighborhoods all over the city, so the scenery is varied and interesting from start to finish. The hills are almost continuous up until mile 22, at which point you begin a nice descent towards the finish line. Spectators were sincere and supportive, often calling out your name to cheer you on. Organization was excellent. The medal is outstanding. I would highly recommend this marathon.

Once again Pittsburgh proved why it's among the best. Great organization from the expo to the post race. An interesting and challenging course that takes you all through the city with no out and backs. Not as hilly as it could be, but still pretty hilly. Good, but not great spectator support. Great medal and shirt, and a decent value if you register early. All in America's Most Livable City. If you're thirsty post race check out East End Brewing and Grist House Brewing.

I chose this race at the last minute. I was training for another race but had to change plans at the last minute. Pittsburgh was the only large city marathon I could find around the date I needed. I am so glad I found it. I enjoyed visiting Pittsburgh a lot. The race itself has great course, the second half is quite challenging as it is almost all uphill. The fans were great. The start/finish line was very easy to get to and accessible via public transportation. Also, a super cool medal. The shirt was really ugly, though.

This is a must race to do. Had a great time staying and running in Pittsburgh. The vols do a super job, Cant say anything bad about any part of this race. Oh ya, I received my age group award an all I can say is thank you and WOW, it's the best I have ever received. It made all those early a.m. training runs worth it. Great job to all those involved and once again thanks.

Somewhat challenging but fair course, to be expected in Pittsburgh. I only ran the half for this one but felt inclined to comment anyway. I was on pace for a nice PR during this when it was ruined for me at mile 5 by overenthusiastic spectator support. In a group of 6 people going around a corner, twisted my ankle on a curb after some woman jumps out in front to snap a picture of someone behind me and we all had to dodge her. Stopped and yelled at her and she looks at me like I've got 3 heads and has no idea what she did wrong. I'm usually not one in favor of this kind of thing but based on my experience here, maybe there needs to be some sort of signage telling stupid people not to do that sort of thing, especially toward the front of the race where people are more exhausted and moving faster and have less time to react... because clearly this woman needed it. Other than that it was a great experience and a race I would run again, taking greater care to watch out for idiots. Really enjoyed the many, many other spectators who came out to watch the race who kept me going as I limp-jogged the last 8 miles to an unspectacular finish, the cool bands out on the course, very supportive volunteers, the spray-mister thing over the course at around mile 9... oh yeah, and the 3/4 mile long downhill finish (at least for the half) with people cheering from the top of the bluff at Duquesne University!

I've completed this marathon twice; first as my first (miserable) marathon and second to redeem my first awful marathon (my own fault, not the race's). Between my first and second Pittsburgh, it's been 5 years and about 30 marathons in between, and I've become quite the running nerd. Few races in a city this size can boast an elite field like the one assembled for the race - and have a great race day for relay runners and half marathoners alike. Some context, I'm now a ~3:10 marathoner. At first I balked at the price, but then again, marathon prices have gone up. If you want to feel like you're running in a competitive race that doesn't just have hobby joggers, Pittsburgh is fantastic - while also a great experience for those who like a small town race feel. The race makes clear that the country has far fewer competitive athletes than it used to, and part of the registration fee goes towards elite athlete development. I've run races as large as NYC and as small as a marathon with 10 finishers. Pittsburgh is unique in that it truly caters effectively to all runners. It is a great tour by foot of the city, runners pass by iconic landmarks and bridges, including some hills of course due to the city's topography, but they avoid too many hills if that kind of that would scare you away. The expo was fun, good bargains, great ease in packet pickup - one could be in and out in less than 10 minutes. The city has great spectators and bands - without feeling like a generic Rock n Roll marathon. I'll be back.

All in all, I really enjoyed this race. Pittsburgh is a really cool place and the course does an amazing job of capturing the best of what it has to offer. Be warned though, this is a very challenging course with seemingly endless rolling hills and a few big climbs and downhills. It also got a bit warm in 2015. Crowd support was great in many areas but non-existent in others. Event organization was great too although I occasionally worried that I might have gotten lost if not for the runners ahead of me. I will say that I was rather disappointed at the finish when I was presented a half marathon medal (I ran the full) and then disappeared into a stream of halfers. Perhaps more emphasis/attention should be given to the marathoners at the finish. All in all, I was very happy with the event and the course and would definitely consider doing it again. Not a place to set a PB, but definitely a place to have a great time and test yourself on a tough course.

This was a great race for a smaller city Marathon. This will never be a race on the magnitude of Boston or Chicago but they got a lot of things right. The course was tough with the hills in the second half but it wasn't impossible and it was really well marked with good course and crowd support. It is the sort of race that I am really glad I did, but not one I would be jumping up and down to do again. For sure it is a race to check out if you are looking for a spring Marathon though. Things they did right: crowd support was great, good support on the course itself with water stops and nutrition readily available, and pre-race information was good, overall race organization was above expectations Things they did wrong: The shirts were ugly(looked like a 5k shirt), the expo was organized but it wasn't anything to write home about, the course was crowded with the marathon/half/relay all starting in same corrals and running on the same course for the first 12 miles. One final note is that if you look at the course profile the second half is really really hilly, it doesn't make it an impossible course but it is definitely challenging. Make sure you work in some hills in your training. You can also look at my blog (link below) for my detailed review with pictures, Enjoy! http://outdooroutlier.blogspot.com/2015/05/pittsburgh-marathon-2015-race-recap.html

This was my fourth year in a row running Pittsburgh and was by far the best! The switch to a new shirt company was a great idea. The finishers shirts are great quality. The course is hilly but the aid stations are well stocked and the wet towels on the second half of the course were a life saver with the heat! Organization was great along with crowd support for the entire 26.2 miles! Also a very nice finishers medal!

You will not be disappointed if you run this race. Course was a nice mix of hills and flat. All major hills are done by mile 15. Finisher medal is as nice as they get. Organization of this race was phenomenal. Shirt was very nice. If you are interested in seeing Pittsburgh, this is the best way to do so. You will see all the city has to offer while running this race. I did not have plans to repeat any race until I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon...I'll be back next year.

I ran this event for the first time and it gets my highest recommendations. Expo, volunteers, starting line and organization were great. A real tough hill at 11-12 miles but a giveback at 22-23.

A very well organized race with enthusiastic fans. This is a hard course with a lot of long uphill segments. The descend towards the end sounds like it would be a nice rest but is long and steep so it can be very hard on your quads. It's a fun city to visit. If you decide to run this race, practice a lot of uphill running!

Great course with excellent crowd support. My fourth time running it and it gets better every year. After Boston, this is my favorite race. Fun people in the city, good food, challenging course. The crowds were fun - except Oakland - what's up there?? Where are you, Oakland?? I love that city... Good job, Pittsburgh.

Excellent race! I didn't had a lot of expectation for this race because I heard it was tough and very hilly. Finally, It was hilly (on the second half) but was manageable. This end up to be my funniest marathon ever. I even did my PR. The course is beautiful and you have the chance to explore Pittsburgh in every aspects. Volonteers were outstanding and the crowd was really great. Yes, this marathon is challenging but if you do the proper training, you won't regret it!

My first time running this marathon and was very impressed with the race organization. The crowds were great and there was a ton of aid along the race route. The downhill at mile 23 also made me VERY happy (and totally made up for the uphill at mile 12.) My first time in Pittsburgh and I found it an interesting city to run through. Would definitely run this again.

I'm so glad I did this race. Very well organized. The spectators in the neighborhoods did a great job motivating the runners. The first 1/3 of the race is flat except for the slight rises on the small bridges. There are about 2 or 3 larger hills in the middle to later part of the run. Only one of which was a pace breaker. Nice downhill then flat finishing miles. I would definitely run this again, a fantastic race.

I have run this race multiple times and really enjoy it. It is very well organized. Pittsburgh is an extremely hilly part of the country, but this marathon does a great job of avoiding most of the hills. That being said, there are a couple hills that can challenge a runner if they are not prepared. The crowd support is wonderful. The course takes runners through all of the different communities and each of the communities shows their support in unique ways. There are bands/singers/music at every mile. Water is plentiful. My only complaint is that it can be difficult getting into town on race day. Make sure to plan accordingly and get there early. I highly recommend.

Wow what a great race. Pittsburgh was a happening place not only with the race, but baseball and hockey too. They shut the city down for the marathon/half - spectators, volunteers and bands are awesome. Everything from the expo to the race and post race were super organized. The course was hilly but manageable - running over the bridges over all three rivers was very cool. 25,000-30,000 runners, but only about 5,000-6,000 do the full so after the half/full split at mile 11 it is much less crowded, but still lots of energy. Large expo, nice shirts and medals too. Would recommend this for a large/big city race. If you travel from out of town I high recommend paying a bit more and staying downtown - once there you can walk everywhere. Traffic was bad - espeically on race morning.

I ran this Marathon on 05/04/14. Overall it was excellent. I loved exploring the city of Pittsburgh and seeing the sights of a classic midwestern city. The skyline was excellent. You cross 5 different bridges spanning the rivers around pittsburgh. My only few complaints were the beginning was packed with so many people we could not get into our corral. The roads were very narrow and it was hard to manuever around slower people. Some bands on the course were very bad. Each neighborhoold usually had a big party setup and there was plenty of volunteers, water, and gatorade stations. Porto johns were plenty available. The first half is relatively flat through the city and the over the bridges. The 2nd half starts a very long steep hill by the university of pittsburgh. After that it was neighborhoods which was ok but still with lots of spectators. The last 4 miles was excellent because you can see the city skyline and run slightly downward toward the finish. The metal was a big steel/silver skyline of the city and very good quality. Overall I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone.

Lovely city, nice course with bridges but a bit hilly, fantastic crowd, lots of bands, fantastic medal, well-organized, great hotels close to start and expo affordable, pretty nice expo. Only disadvantage is maybe the half that is starting at the same time and makes it very crowded at the finish line.