Races Marathon · Salt Lake City, USA
Deseret News Marathon
Deseret News Marathon is a hilly marathon in Salt Lake City, USA, held each July. Point-to-point net downhill course. It starts in Parley's Canyon, heads out toward Big Mountain and turns back, then descends Emigration Canyon and finishes through downtown Salt Lake City. Net drop is about 455 m. A 5:30 am start in the canyons is cool, and the day warms quickly, typically 15 to 30°C from start to finish. A course as hilly as Deseret News Marathon must be trained for specifically — long-run routes should mimic its climbs and descents.
Page rebuilt 2026-11-14 · race facts not independently verified — confirm dates and entries on the official race site
When
July
next: Saturday 24 July 2027
Course
hilly
Marathon
Conditions
A 5:30 am start in the canyons is cool, and the day warms quickly, typically 15 to 30°C from start to finish.
Racing this course well
Point-to-point net downhill course. It starts in Parley's Canyon, heads out toward Big Mountain and turns back, then descends Emigration Canyon and finishes through downtown Salt Lake City. Net drop is about 455 m.
A course as hilly as Deseret News Marathon must be trained for specifically — long-run routes should mimic its climbs and descents.
Getting a place
- How you get in
- Open entry: first come, first served
- Price
- From $95, rising in steps to $140 (2027 race)
Official Deseret News Marathon site →Checked November 2026
Race day
- Next race
- Saturday 24 July 2027
- Start time
- 05:30
- Time limit
- 6 hours
- Also on the day
- half-marathon, 10k, 5k
The course in numbers
The race finishes on the Days of '47 Parade route through downtown, after the long descent of Emigration Canyon.
- Layout
- Point-to-point
- Total descent
- 455 m (1,490 ft)
- Course status
- USATF certified
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
Worth knowing
- First run in 1970.
- The course follows the route Utah pioneers took into the Salt Lake Valley.
- The organiser calls it the oldest road race in Utah.
- Buses to the start leave Rice-Eccles Stadium between 3:45 and 4:15 am.
Getting there
- Nearest airport
- Salt Lake City International (SLC)
Pick your goal for Salt Lake City
Pace charts, weekly structure and timelines for the most common marathon goals:
The date shown is the one the organiser has announced. Change it if yours differs.
Build your training around Deseret News Marathon.
RunV works backwards from race day to today. Your plan adapts when life interrupts, and you approve every change. It does not adapt to this specific course — the pacing guidance above is where the course knowledge is.
Everything above stays free and complete — this is an optional next step, not a paywall.
Asked often
- When is the Deseret News Marathon?
- The next Deseret News Marathon is on Saturday 24 July 2027 in Salt Lake City, USA. It is held each July.
- Is the Deseret News Marathon course flat?
- Point-to-point net downhill course. It starts in Parley's Canyon, heads out toward Big Mountain and turns back, then descends Emigration Canyon and finishes through downtown Salt Lake City. Net drop is about 455 m.
- How do I enter the Deseret News Marathon?
- Open entry: first come, first served. Price: From $95, rising in steps to $140 (2027 race).
- Is the Deseret News Marathon a Boston qualifier?
- Yes. The Deseret News Marathon is run on a certified course, so a time set here can be used to apply for the Boston Marathon.
- How should I train for the Deseret News Marathon?
- Match your preparation to Deseret News Marathon's profile and the July weather, then protect consistency — with RunV Premium you can adapt your plan to fit your week, so one bad week never derails the block.
Not sure what to target? Predict your marathon time from a recent race →
More marathon races
Supplements research for this distance
Build for Salt Lake City — around your actual life
RunV engineers your block backwards from race day in July — and adapts it when training doesn't go to script. You approve every change.
