St. George • When it comes to dollars and cents, the St. George Marathon that wrapped up in early October really has legs.
Not only did St. George pocket the entrance fees from the roughly 8,000 marathon runners this year, which netted the city more than $1 million after expenses, the race also infused nearly $10.4 million into the local economy, according to a new study conducted by Utah Tech University.
“The St. George Marathon is our signature annual event,” St. George Mayor Michele Randall stated in a news release. “Not only is it a great unifier for our community, but it is always good for the bottom line of local businesses.”
City officials knew the event was profitable but not how lucrative it was. Now, thanks to the survey done by Utah Tech assistant marketing professor Kristy Grayson and her team of business students during the marquee event, municipal leaders have a better understanding of the race’s impact.
In addition to the combined 8,000 runners who registered for the marathon, half-marathon and 5K races, the university’s study showed, another 21,000 of their supporters showed up and stayed an average of 2 ½ days in the St. George area.
The total economic impact tallied by Grayson and her students factors in the number of attendees, where they traveled from to attend the event, and estimates the amounts spent on lodging, shopping, restaurants and other activities in the metro St. George area.
Those estimates in the study are broken down as follows: $3.4 million for lodging (excludes locals and those staying with friends and family); $1.6 million for transportation; $1.3 million for food and beverages; $1.1 million for local activities; and $811,000 for shopping.
The St. George Marathon has been a staple in southern Utah since its inception in 1977. This year’s races, the 47th edition of the annual event, attracted participants from 49 states and 15 foreign countries. It’s the longest-running municipal marathon in the country, according to city officials.
“The numbers are amazing and show how important this event is to St. George,” said Michelle Graves, the city’s assistant parks and community services director.
So why has St. George’s marathon had such a long and successful run? Graves said the reasons are numerous. For starters, the full 26.2-mile marathon is run on a course that is certified by the USA Track & Field and sanctioned by Runner’s World magazine.
In addition, it is the 15th-largest marathon in the nation and a qualifying event for the prestigious Boston Marathon, deemed the “granddaddy of all marathons.” The full marathon begins in the Pine Valley mountains, descends about 2,600 feet through scenic southwest Utah and winds up at Vernon Worthen Park in St. George.
Graves noted the race is also run on a net downhill and scenic course, which explains why Runner’s World rates the event as one of the country’s 10 most scenic and fastest marathons. The magazine also rated the race as one of the nation’s Top 20 marathons.
For Graves, though, she attributes the race’s success to people.
“One of the things that really stands out about the St. George Marathon is the community support we receive and our volunteer base,” she said. “You hear time and time again from people about how great it is for the whole community to come together and how friendly and accommodating everyone is. We get thousands of responses from runners telling us, ‘I’ve never seen an area so warm and welcoming.’ "
Unlike many other marathons, which hire outside contractors to stage a race, St. George relies on its parks and recreation department and a bevy of volunteers, who show up in droves each year to help out.
No one has to sell Council member Danniell Larkin and her husband, Darrin — both fitness buffs – on the worth, financial and otherwise, of the St. George Marathon they have run eight times.
“It has a unique spirit about it,” Larkin said. “Just thinking about it now, I can feel the excitement, camaraderie and energy of the runners at the starting line and the cheers from an incredibly supportive community. It is one of my favorite things that happens in our beautiful city.”
For all its pluses, the marathon does have a few minuses, namely traffic and road closures. Graves said most residents, though, take such minor inconveniences in stride.
“I tell people they have several choices. They can get out of town, stay in their house for a few hours, volunteer, or better yet, participate in one of the events.”
As profitable as it is, the St. George Marathon’s economic impact still falls short of the $41 million total generated by the full Ironman World Championship in May 2022 and the $62 million for the 70.3 Ironman World Championship in October 2022. The 70.3 Ironman World Championship is half the distance of the full Ironman World Championship and consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run.
