The Pittsburgh Marathon keeps growing, and this year is no exception with more than 52,000 participants expected for the 11 events throughout the weekend.
Troy Schooley, CEO of P3R, the local engine behind the marathon’s various activities, said excitement comes from seeing people of all ages, abilities, and goals come together with energy to get moving while celebrating the spirit of how Pittsburgh embraces the event each year.
“It is definitely an exciting time to be a Pittsburgher and be from our region with the NFL Draft last weekend and the biggest Pittsburgh Marathon ever this weekend,” Schooley said.
Sunday morning’s full marathon and the half marathon highlight the weekend with many also ready for Saturday’s “Family Day” events, including the 5K, the mile, the Kids Marathon and the Toddler Trot.
The defending women’s half-marathon champion, Kenya’s Everlyn Kemboi, captured the 2025 title in 1 hour, 10 minutes, 6 seconds and returns and hopes to fend off a challenge from Ethiopia’s Buze Diriba Kejela, who owns the fastest personal best in the field (1:05:57). Kejela owns past successes in Pittsburgh with three EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler titles.
Three-time U.S. national champion Stephanie Bruce also returns, seeking her third Pittsburgh half-marathon title.
“It’s the first weekend in May. Where else would I be?” Bruce said.
Dominic Ondoro is back to defend his men’s half-marathon title after running a personal-best 1:01:57 last year. He is expected to be challenged by Morocco’s Mohammed El Youssfi, who owns the fastest 13.1-mile time in the field (59:21) set earlier this year. He will make his Pittsburgh debut hoping to challenge the course record of 1:01:21.
Amanuel Mesel, Ethiopia-born and a resident of Eritrea in Africa, competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Elite American Aidan Reed is back after a third-place finish in Pittsburgh in 2025. Also entered is 2024 full-marathon winner Andrew Bowman.
Pittsburgh native and 2024 full-marathon runner-up Will Loevner again is one of the top contenders in the 26.2-mile race along with Jared Ward, a 2016 Olympian who placed third in the 2022 half marathon.
Milton Rotich and Ian Carter, second and third, respectively, last year, also return.
American Jane Bareikis, a native of Kenya, will go after a third consecutive women’s full-marathon title and hopes to surpass her personal best of 2:29:00.
The full and half marathons will offer a combined prize purse of $102,000, including $70,000 for the half marathon. Each half-marathon winner will take home $10,000.
“It is a really exciting field for both races, as usual,” Schooley said.
“We hear nothing but great things from the elites when they come in, and we try to take care of them as much as we can. The crowd support for them is exciting. I think the weather is going to be prime for some course records.”
Several of the elite runners will meet the media at a news conference Friday morning at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center to kick off the weekend of race activities and also help open the Pittsburgh Live Well Expo.
A record 4,770 runners supporting 50 official charities and 14 contributing charities will take part in the Run for a Reason Charity Program, which is expected to raise $1.5 million this year. A majority of the funds will stay in the Pittsburgh region.
“To see that grow is just so important to us,” Schooley said. “Whether they have been touched individually or are passionate about a cause beyond themselves, it is great to see so many people engaged. It is important for the Pittsburgh Marathon to be an outlet for that.”
The Pittsburgh Kids Marathon also will set a record with more than 11,000 from 360 Kids of STEEL programs expected to run Saturday.
“That is always one of the most exciting parts of race weekend,” Schooley said.
“Last year was the largest kids running event in the country. We couldn’t be happier to see that program continue to expand into more and more schools to help instill healthy habits and encourage active lifestyles throughout the year. Kids who graduated from the program are now running the half and full marathons this year.”
With the various marathon events and activities in and around the downtown sector, several road closures will happen from noon Friday through Sunday afternoon. For detailed road closure information, visit thepittsburghmarathon.com.
The marathon’s morning races Sunday will give way to a pair of afternoon events within the city drawing additional traffic through the area to the North Shore.
The Pirates will take on the Cincinnati Reds at PNC Park at 1:35, and the University of Pittsburgh will hold its commencement ceremonies at Acrisure Stadium at 3 p.m.
Marathon events actually began last weekend in connection with the NFL Draft. Nearly 3,000 runners and walkers from 33 states and seven countries donned jerseys and waved Terrible Towels for the PicksBURGH Draft Day 5K Downtown and on the North Shore.
“It added to showcasing the city and how big the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon has become,” Schooley said.
“There were a lot of late registrations of people who came in from out of town and realized it was something fun to do on Saturday morning.”
Marathon hall of fame to induct quartet
P3R and the Pittsburgh Marathon Hall of Fame Committee has selected four individuals for induction into the Pittsburgh Marathon Hall of Fame, celebrating their lasting contributions to the sport of running and the Pittsburgh community.
Lisa Bonaccorsi Lucas, Dan Cunkleman, Robert Pikelis, and Ed Stack will be enshrined in a ceremony at 4 p.m. Saturday at the entrance to the Live Well Expo at the convention center.
Tne ceremony is open to the public.
Bonaccorsi claimed the female master title at the EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler (1:03:18) and won the masters division at the Pittsburgh Great Race 10K (35:41). She also claimed the master title at the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon (3:04:09).
Cunkleman excelled in college running as he recorded one of the fastest 10K times in IUP history in 1976 with a 30:59 at the NCAA Championships in Springfield, Mo. That same season, he posted one of IUP’s top 8K performances (24:52) at the Malone Invitational.
Pikelis has displayed the spirit of running in the Pittsburgh area with year-round training on the demanding region terrain and conditions. That commitment has proven successful with consistency and steady progression.
Stack, as executive chairman of DICK’S Sporting Goods, has elevated this annual event into a top regional endeavor through the many race activities and initiatives that bring together runners of all ages and abilities.