Preparing for a marathon is a challenge even if you aren’t the person running 26.2 miles.
Someone has to make sure every step of the course is clear: the twists, the turns, the bridges and the hills.
That person is Brian Schmidt, director of operations for P3R, the organization hosting the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon.
More than 42,000 participants ages 5 months to 87 years old from all 50 states and 24 countries are expected to participate in various marathon events in addition to the main course. This includes the 13.1-mile half marathon, marathon relay and walking division on Sunday and several happenings on Saturday.
Sunday’s competition will include international and American runners who will vie for $102,000 in purse prizes.
The weekend kicks off at 11 a.m. Friday at the free Pittsburgh Health and Fitness Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods House of Sport at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where participants can pick up packets that contain race information. There will be vendors and activities such as workout classes at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
The marathon was held annually from 1985-2003. It returned as the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon in 2009. It debuted with a sold-out field of 10,000 participants and has grown each year since.
Be prepared for many street closures and detours, Schmidt said.
The city uses more than 300 barricades to block off streets. There will be additional police help at those barricades to make sure runners and spectators are safe, Schmidt said. The city police force coordinates with officers from the county, sheriff’s office, state police and Pitt’s and Carnegie Mellon’s forces.
“My advice is to give yourself extra time this weekend if you are coming into the city or driving to any of the neighborhoods along the course,” Schmidt said.
Street closures
Roads close early to keep everything running on time, Schmidt said. On Thursday and Friday, organizers will post signs alerting people along the course to remove cars or face their vehicles being towed.
Some closures begin Friday at noon at the Boulevard of the Allies and Wood and Stanwix streets, Downtown, and at 6:30 a.m. Saturday on the North Shore near PNC Park in preparation for the 5K race, which begins at 8 a.m. The Toddler Trot is at 8:30 a.m. and a Champions Mile at 9 a.m. The Kids of STEEL marathon, which has 15 heats, begins at 9:30 a.m. A pet walk is at noon.
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Schmidt said 8,500 children are expected to participate.
Beginning at 4:30 a.m. Sunday, more than 100 streets in Downtown, the Strip District, North Side, West End, South Side, Uptown, Oakland, Shadyside, Point Breeze, Homewood, East Liberty, Highland Park, Friendship and Bloomfield will be closed.
According to P3R, street closures with the most impact will be the Boulevard of the Allies, West General Robinson Street, North Shore Drive, Ridge Avenue, Penn Avenue, Liberty Avenue, West End Bridge, Carson Street, Birmingham Bridge and Fifth Avenue. The 16th Street, West End and Birmingham bridges will be closed at times. Streets will reopen on a rolling basis.
On Sunday, runners should arrive by 5:30 a.m. The marathon, half marathon and first leg of the relay begin at 7 a.m. The back half marathon – the final 13.1 miles — starts at 9 a.m. and is exclusive to runners who are part of the Run for a Reason Charity Program and raise money for their charity of choice.
Handcycle participants start at 6:50 a.m. The 4-mile fitness challenge begins at 9:30 a.m. at Baum Boulevard and Liberty Avenue.
More than 2,000 walkers are registered this year for the UPMC Health Plan half marathon walking division.
There is also virtual participation to allow runners and walkers to be part of the event from wherever they are.
Parking/Transportation
There are several garages where you can park. The recommendation is to use the ParkPGH app to view parking spaces based on real-time information. ALCO parking lots are cashless.
Parking is available on the North Shore, Station Square on the South Side and First Avenue, Downtown, with access to the Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s light rail system. Pittsburgh Regional Transit will operate according to its regular weekend schedule with extensive detours because of street closures. It is best to check its website for the most up to date information.
Making an impact
Last fall, P3R partnered with Carnegie Mellon University to calculate the economic impact of the 2023 marathon. Students from the university’s Tepper School of Business found the event brought in an estimated $25 million to $30 million. Those dollars are in addition to the money raised through the aforementioned Run for the Reason Charity Program. Since its inception in 2009, this program has raised more than $16 million.
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The goal for this year’s event is to raise $1.5 million.
Neighborhood participation
More than 300,000 spectators are expected to line neighborhood streets.
“Each neighborhood creates an individual piece to the whole offering encouragement the entire way,” Schmidt said. “Runners see different sites along the way, which keeps them engaged. There also is a camaraderie. Some of these runners may not have known each other before the race, but by the end, some of them become friends.”
Neighborhood festivals include the North Side at East Ohio Street and East Commons and the South Side from East Carson Street to the Birmingham Bridge. Look for people at Fifth Avenue and Magee Street in Uptown and in Oakland at Schenley Plaza. Mellon Park in Shadyside, Bryant Street Market in Highland Park, and Liberty Avenue from Silky’s Pub to Church Brew Works in Bloomfield are well-known spots for spectators.
Many will also gather Downtown at the starting line at Liberty Avenue between 10th and Grant Street near the Westin Hotel. The best finish line view is between Grant Street and Wood Street.
Marathon app
The P3R app gives real-time participant tracking from start to finish. Friends and family can submit a cheer for runners that may be seen on screens along the course. The app features course maps and notifications, including the most up-to-date weather forecast.
Weather
The weather looks to be a little above average in terms of temperature — but not as warm as it was Sunday and Monday, according to Matt Brudy, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
He said there is a chance for some rain and it will be mostly cloudy, limiting the temperature from rising too high.
“It is hard to pin down how much precipitation this early in the week,” Brudy said. “The temperature will be mild but if you plan to be outside, I would at least have a rain jacket with you.”
Details:ThePittsburghMarathon.com
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JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people and a weekly column about things to do in Pittsburgh. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.