Saint Louis Half Marathon and 5K

The Saint Louis classic road race returns for the 53rd year! The Saint Louis Track Club will host the Saint Louis Half Marathon and 5K on November 10, 2024! 

First held in 1971, the Saint Louis Half Marathon is the longest running half marathon race in the Saint Louis region. We again will offer both virtual and in-person options! 

If you have run our race before, this is a brand new course. The start and finish line is NOW LOCATED AT THE MUNY FESTIVAL GROUNDS (the parking lot on Summit Drive immediately behind The Muny). The new course maps are here: https://www.stlouistrackclub.com/half-marathon-and-5k. 

The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery is again our Charity Partner. Please read more about them, their mission, and their great work here: https://www.crisisnurserykids.org/crisis-nursery-board-members. You may make an optional donation to them during the online race registration process. 

Packet pickup will be at Running Niche on Tower Grove on Friday, November 8, from 1:00pm to 6:00pm; at the Forest Park Visitor's Center on Saturday, November 9, from 10:00am to 4:00pm; and the morning of the race at the start/finish line starting at 6:00am. If you are signing up for a virtual race and do not pick up your packet in person, we will mail it to you after race day. You may pick up the packet of a friend or family member. 

Aid stations will be at the following APPROXIMATE locations: miles 1.4, 4.3, 4.5, 6.4, 7.1, 9.25, 12.1, and 12.4 for the Half Marathon; mile 1.5 for the 5k. We will also of course have plenty to eat and drink at the finish line. 

Prize money will be paid out to the top three Overall male and female runners for the live, in-person Half Marathon. The prize money awards for Half Marathon Overall winners will be: $500 each to the Overall male and female first place finisher, $250 each to the Overall male and female second place finisher, and $100 each to the Overall male and female third place finisher. We will also offer male and female Age Group awards for the following Half Marathon age groups (as of race day): under 19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+.

For the 5K, awards will be given to the top three overall male and female finishers only. 

Registration for ALL RACES will close at 11:59pm on November 5, 2024. Seriously. We will spare you the details, but it makes it more difficult to print and assign bibs and to track runners when you sign up late. Please don’t ask us to accept race day registrations or registrations at packet pickup. Please register early and tell your friends and family to do the same!

WE MUST ORDER SHIRTS, MEDALS, AND ADD-ON OPTIONS WELL IN ADVANCE. IN NO EVENT CAN WE GUARANTEE A MEDAL, ADD-ON, OR SHIRT (OR ANY SPECIFIC SHIRT SIZE) IF YOU REGISTER AFTER 11:59PM ON OCTOBER 20, 2024.

Our included race day shirt (for both distances) will continue to be made of a higher quality, premium material when compared to the standard race day shirt you are used to receiving! 

To avoid a large pack at the start of the race, we will again utilize an "open start." There will be a typical "gun start" for the half marathon at 7:30am. However, you do not have to start with the 7:30am gun if you do not want to do so. You may start your half marathon race at any time between the 7:30am gun and 7:40am. For the 5K, there will be a "gun start" at 8:00am, but you may start at any time between the 8:00am gun and 8:10am.

However, to keep the races competitive, you are only eligible for Half Marathon or 5K Overall Awards if you start at the respective 7:30am (Half Marathon) or 8:00am (5K) "gun start." Half Marathon age group awards are based on chip time. 

For your reference, the final finisher in the Half Marathon typically finishes around three hours and thirty minutes, or about 11:00am with a 7:30am gun start. To ensure that walkers and slower runners have extra time to finish before the Park reopens, we encourage participants who expect to have an average pace of 14:00/mile or slower to start early at 7:00am. More information about this will be provided in the pre-race email. 

Please visit our website for up to date information: www.stlouistrackclub.com.

Check back regularly for additional information.