Over 700 Participants Join The 15th Cedar City Half Marathon

The temperature readout on our car instrument panel said 47 degrees. While that is no way the official temperature, to say the least it was on the chilly side at 6 O' Clock in the morning on Saturday up at Woods Ranch.

But the coolness of the morning in now way put a dampening on the spirits of the nearly eight hundred people who were there for the 15^th running of the Cedar City Half Marathon. 720 of those there would be running in the marathon. They arrived at the start line having been bussed up from town in about 10 busses provided by the Iron County School District.

The rest of us up there were there to provide support for those running the race. A DJ was there playing the tunes to keep the crowd pumped up.

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.

The marathon got underway at 7:02AM.

State Route 14 was closed to traffic as runners made their way down the canyon until the 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, where 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.

The city has already opened registration for the 2025 Cedar City Half Marathon, which will take place on Saturday, September 6^th.

This story will be updated with race results when available.