Half-marathon races are becoming increasingly popular around the country. Utah has some of the best half-marathon courses in the US, and they attract thousands of runners every year.
Utah is home to several well-known running events, such as the Wasatch Half Marathon and the Sundance Mountain 50-Mile Race. These races offer great training opportunities for athletes looking to improve their speed or endurance.
Running is a great way to stay fit and enjoy the outdoors. If you want to run a half-marathon, you should start slowly and build up gradually.
This will ensure that you don’t injure yourself before the race. You can also join a running club to get more advice about how to prepare properly.
The following list includes all the major half-marathons in Utah:
Wasatch Half Marathon
This event takes place on September 30th each year. The course starts at the base of Mount Timpanogos and finishes near the top of Timpanogos Peak. It’s one of the most scenic half-marathons in the state.
This race starts and ends near the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. There is no shuttle needed because the course is out-and-back.
There is plenty of beautiful scenery along the way. Both races start at the same place, but runners must turn around at the halfway point. Deer, porcupines, and raccoons are common during this part of the race.
The course is hilly, but the view of the mountains makes it all worthwhile. The course will be clearly marked by volunteers, A-frame markers, and markings on the roads.
There will also be a volunteer at each water station who will hand out water bottles.
Runners should wear their bibs facing forward for accurate timing. Participants should wear their chips at all times during the race. Removing or transferring bibs is prohibited. Parking will be available near the start/finish lines.
This race takes place in July each year. It begins at the base of Mount Sneffels and ends at the summit of the mountain. There are plenty of beautiful views along the route.
SLC Half Marathon
This event is held annually in April. The course runs through downtown Salt Lake City and then out into the foothills.
You need to experience Salt Lake City to believe it. The Salt Lake marathon is challenging, yet beautiful. It’s what you make it, and the team at high altitude special events management is here to support your quest towards greatness.
Running straight through the great landmarks of Salt Lake City is most definitely something you are going to need to see before believing it is totally worth it.
You can even run straight through the huge mountains and finish victoriously in the great City Hall building.
This is a fantastic perk of the half-marathon itself. You’ll find that there are other races that you may be able to take part in as well, but these are the most popular ones.
The half-marathon costs $60, the 5k run costs $30, the 10k run costs $35, and the bike tour costs $35.
There are usually about 700 runners running the Salt Lake City Marathon, which is a downhill course from start to finish.
This marathon takes place in a snowy mountain region. Snowy mountains are a challenge for the marathon runner. There are many hills and narrow roads.
Running in these regions requires training and preparation.
Park City Half Marathon
This event was first held in 2010. It takes place in October each year. The course is mostly downhill from Park City Mountain Resort to Deer Valley Resort.
Since Park City is not accepting any more events downtown, the course will be held 4 miles away from Downtown Park City. It will run along the historic Union Pacific rail trail. On the go map.
The Park City Trail offers a great way to start trail running or race your friends. You’ll be able to sign straight up for a full series or just a single event.
Signing up with a friend will help you stay motivated, and you’ll also be able to run together.
Park City Trail Series gets some fast runners. Race your family, friends, and other fast people. There are no big prizes or first-place medals.
You’ll be immortalized in the results if you win. Leave your dogs at home on race days!
Fun-runners enjoy the accomplishment and social aspect of working up to a Half Marathon. Competitive runners enjoy racing other fast trail runners.
People enjoy the well-organized and festive environment and post-race food and prizes.
The PCTS half-marathon is the finale of four epic races in the park city trail series. The series is perfect whether you’re signing up for your first race or you’re a seasoned trail runner.
All racers do a similar distance each month. Signup for the whole series or only your favorite distance. Signup with a group of 4 or more and save money on the whole series.
Grand County Half Marathon
This event occurs in November each year. The course begins in Monticello and ends in Green River. This is a great course! It’s very scenic, and the finish line has some amazing views of the Teton Range! You don’t want to miss out on this run.
The race will begin at Wilson, Wyoming. The start line is located at the Stilson lot just off the Teton pass highway at Beckley parkway.
This is a tough course with lots of hills, but there is also a lot of flat ground. The first part of the course is on a paved path that goes along the river.
Then you turn right onto Moose Wilson Rd. There are some steep climbs up the side of the mountain. You go down a hill, then make a right onto Snake River Blvd.
When you reach the end of Snake River Blvd., you turn right onto Teton Pass Hwy. You will be running on a dirt road for the next 3/4 of a mile.
At the end of the dirt road, you turn left onto Spring Gulch Rd. That’s the last section of the course. It’s a long downhill stretch.
The elevation change on this course is minimal. The chart made it appear as if it was a beast, but it’s actually just over 500 feet.
It’s a beautiful course, but you’re going to have to climb up and down some hills. Your time limit is four hours. If you run out of time, you’ll have to stop and wait for someone else.
You can avoid picking up your bib the morning of the race by going to the Expo instead. There is a cost of $25 if you want to have a shipped bib and shirt mailed directly to you.
We do it as a convenience for runners who don’t want to drive to the area.
Ogden Half Marathon
This event happens in May each year. The course covers 4.5 miles of rolling hills. A marathon is a long-distance race that lasts 26 miles or more.
The starting point is always high up in the mountains. The first half of the race is mostly flat terrain, but after the halfway point there are several hills.
The second half of the race is much steeper than the first half, and after the end of the race, runners will be exhausted and panting heavily.
The full marathon starts at 7 A.M. and finishes at 11 a.m. The half-marathon starts at 9 a.m. and finishes at 12 p.m. The 1/2 marathon starts at an elevation of 5K feet.
You’ll begin the race at the end of the full marathon. Run up and down the mountainside before dropping into the canyon.
Enjoy the view as you run along the Ogden River. The route takes you through scenic areas, including Dinosaur Park and the botanical gardens.
Finish your 1/2 marathon downtown. The half-marathon begins at mile 13.1 and ends in downtown Ogden.
In May, temperatures range from about 45 degrees Fahrenheit to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
More than 6000 runners, competitors in wheelchairs, and participants brave this amazing northern Utah Course every year, which happens to start In the great Mountains that are just outside the city, and it finishes its lengthy scenic just past downtown.
The course for both the full (26.2 miles) and the half (13.1 miles) marathons follow an overall descent from the mountains to downtown Salt Lake City.
Both marathons start at the same location, but the half starts at the midpoint of the full marathon. Viewing the beautiful scenery of Utah’s Ogden Canyon is part of the fun of running the half-marathon.
Views of the canyon are spectacular during the race.
There are many houses along the river. Runners descend an average of 700 feet while descending from the start of the race. They run the half-marathon at an average speed of 10 minutes per mile.
St George Half Marathon
This event lasts three hours and takes place in June each year. The course travels through downtown St George.
St. George has a moderate climate during the winter months. Temperatures are cooler than in most cities in the same region. Snowfall averages around 1.5 inches per month.
Rainfall averages around 1.3 inches per month.
The course is mainly flat, with some hills and mountains. The course goes around Red Cliffs Mall and is close to Fossil Ridge Intermediate School. This course is very easy and should be great for beginners.
Along the course, runners can find paved trails winding their way through the river valleys. There are also plenty of scenic views for which this part of the state is known.
Runners can see the red bluffs looking out over the northern part of the city, as well the edge of the Mojave Desert to the south and Zion National Park off in the distance.
They can also see the peaks of the nearby pine valley mountains. More than 1,100 runners completed the half-marathon and 5k races in 2016.
The course was timed to last three hours and thirty minutes, but most people finished in under four hours.
Most participants were running at a pace of about sixteen minutes per mile. The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is covered in red cliffs.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this article has given you a fantastic insight into what half-marathons are on offer to take part in when you visit Utah!
There is plenty to do and take part in, so if you’re a runner, and you’re looking for an event to spice up your journey through Utah, why not take part?
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