Pittsburgh Marathon updates: Handcycles kick off marathon

Tens of thousands of athletes downtown for start of Pittsburgh Marathon

Updated: 6:54 AM EDT May 5, 2024

More than 42,000 participants of all ages will take part in the 2024 Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon weekend.The Handcycle Division is already off and making their way through the city. The division started at 6:50. Elite athletes, including last years winner Tyler McCandless will start at 7 a.m.MARATHON SUNDAY:Handcycle Division: 6:50 a.m.Elite Athletes: 7 a.m.Corrals A through E: 7 a.m. through 7:40 a.m.Finish Line Festival: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.UPMC Health Plan Pittsburgh BACK Half Marathon: 9 a.m.Oxford Athletic Club 4-mile Fitness Challenge >> See your finishParticipants from 50 states and 24 countries will cross the finish line at this year’s event as over 300,000 spectators watch their run from all over the course.This year’s marathon is bigger and better than ever, bringing in new events and more people. “There are movers from all over the world coming to move with us this weekend, whether they’re walking, jogging or running this weekend,” P3R CEO Troy Schooley said. For over 43% of runners, this will be their first time running a 26.2-mile marathon. The Pittsburgh community coming together to cheer on its hometown runners and support new visitors coming to the city. “It’s unbelievable,” Schooley said. “And not just the movers with us, it’s the spectators. Some will never take part in the event, but they know the first weekend in May, they’re going to get out on the street, support the runners and help them get to the finish line.”>> All you need to know about this year’s course RUNNERS TO WATCHLast year’s top men’s finisher Tyler McCandless, 37, crossed the finish line at 2:16:08. McCandless looks to repeat his victory and become the first repeat American winner since 1989.He’ll be running against Alvaro Abreu of the Dominican Republic who took the title in 2022 with a time of 2:16:07. The current record for fastest time by men was set in 1995 by John Kagwe. Kagwe finished in 2:10:24. In 2023, Pittsburgh’s own Margo Malone was the first women’s elite runner to cross the finish line. According to the Pittsburgh Marathon’s Bib Lookup, Malone will be taking part in this year’s 5k.This year, Jane Bareikis, 29, will be taking the course. She set her personal best marathon time at the BMW Berlin Marathon last fall at 2:29:00.In additional to Bareikis, Jennifer Bigham, 42, will put her feet to the pavement. The five-time winner of the City of Pittsburgh Great Race will tackle the Pittsburgh marathon for the first time.>>Click here to look up a runner’s bib numberRUNNING FOR A CAUSEThe Pittsburgh Marathon has raised $16.5 million for charity since 2009, with another $1.5 million expected to be raised this year.The marathon has 46 official charities, including Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Humane Animal Rescue and Light of Life Rescue Mission. >> The full list of charities for this year’s marathonOver 3,670 participants will be running for local, national and global causes this year. The number of runners taking part is a record for the marathon. MARATHON BY THE NUMBERSIt takes a lot to put together the Pittsburgh Marathon. Officials provided Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 with impressive numbers for what it takes to put together the marathon.More than 4,000 volunteers, including 500 clinicians20,000 gallons of water480,000 cups60,000 bottles of water33,600 bananas168,000 safety pins30,000 mylar blankets700 Port-O-Johns1,500 cones and barricades