Record Turnout At Cedar City Half Marathon Impresses All

A record number of runners participated in this years Cedar City Half Marathon this past weekend. The morning started cool as runners gathered at Woods Ranch starting at 6 in the morning for the marathon that was scheduled to start at 7.

The coolness of the morning in no way put a dampening on the spirits of the people who were there for the 16^th running of the Cedar City Half Marathon. Brandon Burk, Events Director for Cedar City and Race Director for the half marathon told us, “906 participants will be running this year in the Cedar City Half Marathon, and another 200 will be participating in the 5K event.” The 5k would start a little later in the morning from a location near the mouth of Cedar Canyon.

Iron County School District Provides Transportation For Runners

Runners arrived at the start line having been bussed up from town in about 10 busses provided by the Iron County School District. They were met by a DJ playing the tunes to keep the crowd pumped up along with Utah Shakespeare Festival Executive Managing Director Michael Bahr who was also keeping the runners excited.

The event was extremely well-organized, with aid stations along the course providing water energy snacks, emergency aid if necessary, and communication tracking the progress of the runners. Volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring the event runs smoothly, and many locals get involved, either by participating or offering support.

Starting at an elevation of 8,199 feet, participants are treated to stunning views of red rock cliffs, pine forests, and the changing fall foliage, making it one of the most picturesque races in Utah. The course is mostly downhill, descending over 2,000 feet, which can help runners achieve personal best times while also providing a rewarding and scenic run. But downhill running can also prove to be a challenge to runners knees.

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State Route 14 was closed to traffic as runners made their way down the canyon until they met up with the Coal Creek Trail, at which point they would leave the highway, and follow the trail to the Soccer Complex at Bicentennial Park. There runners would participate in the award ceremony. 90's cover band, Empire Records was there playing music as participants crossed the finish line, and to give the community a celebration that lasted through the morning.

For those not wanting to run the entire Half Marathon, the city also held the 5K Adventure Race that was run on the trail system through out the city.

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For those planning ahead for next year, because Labor Day won't happen until September 7^th, the 2026 Cedar City Half Marathon will be held on Saturday, September 12^th.