Steamtown Marathon

Steamtown Marathon
File:Steamtown-marathon.jpg (2009 photo)
Date	mid-October
Location	Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA
Event type	Road
Distance	Marathon
Established	1996
Official site	Steamtown Marathon

The Steamtown Marathon is an annual marathon (26.2 mi or 42.2 km) in northeastern Pennsylvania, held the Sunday before Columbus Day. The point-to-point course starts at Forest City High School in Forest City and passes through 13 communities before finishing at Courthouse Square in downtown Scranton. Nearly 3000 runners participate in the event annually.

The course is certified by USA Track and Field and has been ranked as one of the fastest qualifying courses for the Boston Marathon. On average, between 22% and 25% of all Steamtown finishers qualify for the Boston Marathon. In 2009, only five other marathons had a higher percentage of Boston qualifiers than Steamtown. Also in 2009, a Runners World survey ranked Steamtown as the 6th best overall marathon. Local support is enthusiastic, making runners feel very welcomed.

The marathon was founded in 1996 by Scranton Organized Area Runners in conjunction with the Scranton Cultural Center and the Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The race benefits St. Joseph's Center, a facility that assists families in need and handicapped children. Since 1996, the Marathon has donated more than $1.3 million to St. Joseph's Center.

External links

• Official website
• Steamtown Marathon at marathonguide.com