If you head 26.2 miles east of Ogden’s Historic 25th Street, you’ll find yourself in the heart of the Wasatch Range, just below a beautiful mountain reservoir. You’ll be standing at the start line of the America First Ogden Marathon, known locally as “Utah’s Spring Run-Off.”
At the firing of the cannon, you’ll begin a gentle downhill race that parallels the South Fork of the Ogden River until it enters the lush Ogden Valley and circumnavigates the stunningly beautiful Pineview Reservoir through the idyllic communities of Huntsville and Eden. You’ll continue to follow the Ogden River through Scenic Ogden Canyon. A dramatic waterfall at the mouth of the canyon will welcome you back to Ogden as you jump on the Ogden River Parkway and head back to Historic 25th Street.
It’s a course that Runners World magazine voted as one of the Top Ten Marathons in the World, and “one of the best courses in America for first-time marathon runners.” Similarly, Shape magazine weighed in, proclaiming it the “Fifth-Best Marathon in the Country for Beginning Marathon Runners.” Legendary marathoner, Jeff Galloway ranks it as the 6th most scenic race in America in his book, “America’s Best Places to Run.”
But enough about the course and its surrounding beauty. All along the way, you’ll be supported by a legion of enthusiastic volunteers and encouraging locals…a different kind of beauty as any marathoner can attest. Once across the finish line, dozens of volunteers are standing by to aid your recovery in the shade of the mighty trees that surround Ogden’s Municipal Gardens. After that, a gentle stroll through the independently owned restaurants, brewpubs, art galleries, and shops of 25th Street eases your legs back to normal.
In short, if a marathon is on your bucket list, Ogden is the place to check it off.