Seattle Marathon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seattle Marathon |
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Memorial Stadium, location of the finish
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| Date | Usually November |
| Location | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Marathon |
| Established | 1970 |
| Official site | https://www.seattlemarathon.org |
| Participants | 1,439 finishers (marathon) (2017) |
The Seattle Marathon is a big running event that happens every year in Seattle, Washington, USA. It's usually held around the end of November. This exciting race first started way back in 1970.
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History of the Seattle Marathon
The very first Seattle Marathon took place on November 15, 1970. A group of friends from the University of Washington organized it. Only 38 runners joined that first race, and 31 of them finished the full marathon distance.
In 2020, the in-person race was cancelled because of health concerns. Runners who had signed up could choose to run in 2021 instead or get their money back.
Race Course Details
The Seattle Marathon course has changed a few times over the years.
Old Race Course
One of the older courses started near the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle Center. It went through Downtown Seattle and the International District. Runners then crossed Lake Washington on Interstate 90 to Mercer Island.
The course turned around and came back across the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge. It followed Lake Washington Boulevard S. to Seward Park. After looping around Bailey Peninsula, it went back up the shoreline. The race then went through different neighborhoods and parks, like the Washington Park Arboretum. It ended inside Memorial Stadium in Seattle Center.
Current Race Course
The marathon race now starts on 5th Avenue N and Harrison Street, close to the famous Space Needle. It finishes in the nearby Memorial Stadium.
The course first goes into Downtown Seattle. Then, runners head north on Interstate 5 and cross the Lake Washington Ship Canal over the Ship Canal Bridge. After that, runners go up to NE 103rd Street and back using the Burke-Gilman Trail.
The marathon continues mostly on the trail until it reaches a turnaround point. Then, runners head back south across Lake Union using the Aurora Bridge. Finally, they finish the race in Memorial Stadium.
Race Sponsors
The Seattle Marathon has had different sponsors over the years. It was once sponsored by Amica Insurance.
As of 2023, the main sponsor for the marathon is UW Medicine.
Seattle Quadzilla Challenge
The Seattle Marathon is the last race in a special series called the Seattle Quadzilla. This challenge involves running four marathons in four days!
The other races in the series are:
- The Wattle Waddle Marathon on Thursday
- The Wishbone Run on Friday
- The Seattle Ghost Marathon on Saturday
In 2010, the first year this series was held, 24 runners completed all four marathons.
Past Winners
Here are some of the past winners of the Seattle Marathon:
| Date | Male Winner | Time | Female Winner | Time |
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| November 15, 1970 |  Evan Shull (USA) |
2:38:41 | none | |
| November 21, 1971 |  Sean O'Riordan (IRL) |
2:31:09.8 |  Suzanne Taylor (CAN) |
4:16:34 |
| November 19, 1972 | Wolf Schamberger (CAN) |
2:35:45 | none | |
| December 1, 2019 | Cesar Mireles (USA) |
2:33:16 | Kristina Randrup (USA) |
3:03:59 |
| 2020 | cancelled due to health concerns | |||
| December 15, 2021 | Alex Forte (USA) |
2:29:32 | Jordan Oakes (USA) |
2:56:45 |
| November 26, 2022 | James Wenzel (USA) |
2:32:32 | Fawn Whiting (CAN) |
3:00:19 |
| November 26, 2023 | Max Randal | 2:27:03 | Callahan McKenzie | 2:47:54 |
