Earlier in May, the city of Pittsburgh became a running playground for more than 40,000 participants from all 50 states and more than 10 countries, representing six continents. The weekend was full of events for all ages and skill levels, including relays, a 5k, a kids marathon and all 26.2 miles of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Marathon.
The city of Pittsburgh houses a number of colleges and universities, offering some students the experience of running through the city they call home.
Pitt senior Bo Hoffman tackled the full marathon this year and described it as “an experience I’ll never forget.”
Hoffman credits a lot of this unforgettable experience to the more than 300,000 spectators that took to the start and finish line to cheer runners on and offer encouragement throughout the entirety of the running course.
“I wouldn’t have been able to finish in the time that I did if it wasn’t for all the people cheering me on,” Hoffman said. “The atmosphere was crazy. Everyone was just so generous, offering food and constant encouragement. When I made the last turn leading to the finish line, I’ve never felt anything so surreal, seeing massive crowds of people there cheering me on as I finished.“
Training to run an event like this can take a lot of time. Pitt sophomore Helen Hickey said it was difficult balancing her academics while preparing to take on the half marathon.
“I ran with my friend, and we originally tried to follow a specific training plan, running multiple times a week, but it became kind of difficult to fit all those runs on with classes and other activities during the week,” Hickey said. “So, we tried to stick to running two to three times a week, starting with lower distances and working our way up to longer runs.”
Hickey also said that running around Pitt’s campus helped prepare her for the race.
“We did a lot of our runs down through Panther Hollow and onto the trail by the river,” Hickey said. “Schenley Park was another one of our favorites. Being able to go through the trails there was really fun.”
The course for both the half and full marathon took runners on a route through some of the city’s neighborhoods and districts, allowing participants to take in everything the city has to offer.
Junior Lauren Jewell, who is originally from Atlanta, said taking on the half marathon gave her the opportunity to discover new places she hadn’t ventured to yet.
“It was such a special way to explore a city that I live in but I haven’t seen a lot of yet,” Jewell said. “I haven’t explored a lot of the North and South Side yet, so when we were running down that way, it was amazing. We were also so lucky to be able to run on the bridges, which I think is arguably one of the best ways to see the city.”
The full marathon offers a special experience for Pitt students, as part of the course allows you to run right up onto Forbes Avenue, the Cathedral of Learning standing as a rewarding sight right around mile 12.
“The hill going up Forbes leading to Pitt’s campus was awful, but it was pretty cool getting to run through there,” Hoffman said. “My friend’s family and a couple of friends were along Forbes cheering me on, so that was great.”
Tackling something like the half or full marathon can often seem daunting to newer runners or even conditioned ones who haven’t attempted races before. But all three students agreed — it’s worth overcoming those initial fears.
“It’s so fun and such a great experience. It’s an amazing environment to be a part of. Everyone’s just so supportive, and there’s no feeling like being able to accomplish something like that,” Hickey said. “It’s awesome.”