The 2022 DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh P3R Marathon races will be back on the April 30-May 1 weekend. Participants have a variety of competitive race distances to choose from, including the full marathon, half marathon, five-person relay, 5K, kids marathon (one-mile run), toddler trot, and pet walk. They also have challenges, a back half marathon, a half marathon walk, and virtual races. P3R expects tens of thousands of participants to compete in these races.
The full marathon spans 26.2 miles. The course starts at 7 a.m. on Liberty Avenue near 10th Street Downtown, crosses the Allegheny River to North Side, and proceeds over the Ohio River on the West End Bridge to West Carson Street.
In South Side, the course continues past Station Square on East Carson Street to S. 24th Street, where it turns there and again on Sidney Street to the Birmingham Bridge toward Oakland and other neighborhoods. It ends Downtown on the Boulevard of the Allies at Wood Street.
There is a lot of excitement about having the marathon return, both for the participants and the spectators. P3R CEO Troy Schooley said, “With some of the best views of the city and a tour of fourteen neighborhoods, our course is one of the reasons why runners love to come back year after year to run our race. Each year the crowd support along the course is incredible. No other city has fans like Pittsburgh, and those fans show up on race day, cheering our runners all the way to the finish line.”
South Side is one of the neighborhood “Cheer Zones” for the full marathon. The South Side Chamber of Commerce will host South Side’s Welcome Festival and Cheer Zone on Sunday morning, May 1, from 7 a.m. to at least noon at the corner of East Carson and S. 11th streets. This is between Mile 9 and Mile 11 on the race course.
The popular Pittsburgh Guitars Occasionals band and DJ Phil Sauter will rock their music to entertain the marathoners and bolster our cheering squad and fans. The Chamber welcomes South Siders to fill the Welcome Festival corners and East Carson Street sidewalks with lively entertainment to make South Side the most amazing neighborhood filled with cheering fans and noise along the course.
Hundreds of cupcakes and oranges will be handed to passing marathoners while they last. Dinosaur party animals will dance to the music and delight in selfies.
The Chamber encourages everyone to wear Pittsburgh Black & Gold sports gear, bring homemade cheer signs, and make a lot of fan noise. Applaud the marathoners as they pass by. Dazzle them with your music. Bring your bells and whistles, your pots and pans, and other noisemakers to cheer them on. It is the Chamber’s goal to have the marathoners remember South Side’s exciting welcome and encouraging vibes in their race day memories.
East Carson and other streets on the South Side marathon course will be closed by 6:30 a.m. on race day.
Visit Pittsburgh Marathon website for more marathon details. For the South Side Welcome Festival, contact the Chamber at [email protected] or 412-431-3360.