Golden Years: St. George Marathon Celebrates 50th Anniversary

“…Five…four…three…two…one…GO!”

Just before dawn on a frigid November 5, 1977, the countdown rang out. And with those words, 42 excited runners began the inaugural Pioneer Marathon. All but four covered the entire 26.2-mile distance that day.

Fifty years later, what is now the St. George Marathon (SGM) is about to welcome a record 10,000 runners and walkers. Traditionally, a 50th anniversary sees gifts of gold bestowed, signifying wisdom, strength, and a love that has stood the test of time. While the wisdom of running a marathon may be open to debate, the strength and love of every SGM participant, as well as the community that has supported the event for five decades, cannot be overstated.

Today, SGM ranks among the top 10 marathons in the country. Runner’s World magazine has, at various times, cited the race as “One of Four Marathons to Build a Vacation Around,” “One of Ten Most Scenic Marathons in the U.S.,” “People’s Choice: Most Organized Event,” and a “Cream of the Crop Marathon.” CNN also has joined in the accolades, deeming SGM one of “7 Marathons Worth the Trip.”

How did a small-town race make it into running’s biggest leagues? Credit goes to former City of St. George Parks & Recreation Director Sherm Miller and his successor, Director of Leisure Services Kent Perkins, for their vision and dedication to creating a world-class event. Sherm, himself a dedicated runner who’d organized a host of fun runs for local residents, stepped up to the starting line of the Deseret News Marathon in 1975. When he finished the race, beating his estimated time by a full hour, he decided that St. George needed a marathon of its own.

Back then, the planning and execution of the event were more seat-of-the-pants than precise. For example, Sherm mapped out the marathon course he’d selected along Highway 18 by driving his Volkswagen van back and forth five times. Today, course certification is a very exacting process requiring prescribed equipment, plus a dizzying number of measurements and calculations conducted multiple times.

Mike Schramm—a 27-time marathoner who’s run SGM 11 times—is one of the race’s historians and statistics gurus. He notes that during the first edition of SGM, aid stations were a scarcity on the course. “They were few and far between, about 2.5 miles between each one,” Mike said. “Mainly they were staffed by the same few people who just kept hopscotching down the course, giving water to the runners every few miles.”

Mike adds that local running icon Debbie Zockoll, a kindergarten teacher who ran the St. George Marathon 43 times before her passing in 2021, almost didn’t finish that first race. “A hay truck and Debbie nearly collided at mile 21, as traffic wasn’t stopped for the race back then,” Mike laughs. “Steve Naylor from northern Utah was the overall champion that first year, and when he finished, his comment was, ‘That was tougher than I thought it would be.’”

Barbara Peterson was just 20 years old when she became the first women’s overall champion, finishing almost 20 minutes ahead of the second-place female. Curt Brinkman took top honors in the wheelchair division, despite his use of a conventional chair versus a racing rig, resulting in a finishing time of roughly three hours—twice that of present-day wheelchair athletes.

As word spread about the mostly downhill, extraordinarily scenic course, as well as the unparalleled kindness of the St. George community, SGM quickly became a “must-do” race, with registration for the 1978 event quadrupling that of the inaugural year. In 1979, the “Pioneer Marathon” name was officially retired; the race has since been known as the St. George Marathon.

Over time, the City of St. George allocated more funds and resources to SGM’s presentation, significantly increasing its number of participants. One of the most crucial factors in the event’s growth was the dedication of supporters and community volunteers, who have worked tirelessly each year to ensure the best possible experience for all marathoners.

“We’ve had multigenerational staffers at our aid stations,” said Michelle Graves, the City’s Assistant Director of Parks & Community Services. “Every year, families have turned out at ‘their’ stations, with music, decorations, costumes, and all sorts of fun things to keep our runners’ spirits up. Time and time again, the most consistent feedback we receive on our post-race surveys is that we have the nicest, most caring group of volunteers of any marathon in the country.”

Such a can-do attitude can be traced back to Kent Perkins, who became SGM Race Director in 1982 and served in the role for 34 years. Admittedly, his tenure with the event had challenging beginnings.

“The first year I was with the race, the runners congregated in what was basically a trash collection area with a circle of dumpsters, so that was less than positive,” he recalls ruefully. “There were a few porta-johns, but not nearly enough.”

“Over the years,” Kent continues, “we graded the area, brought in gravel, got it cleaned up, and brought in every port-o-potty that was available in two counties. We also built a long stretch of bonfires for runners to warm themselves in the early morning. Now the site is one big, well-maintained area with light towers, music, and flags for all the countries and states represented in the race each year.”

In the ensuing decades, Kent helped recruit and retain what has become SGM’s dedicated coterie of volunteers; as many as 2,000 now support the race annually. He also assembled the kind souls known as “catchers,” who aid runners crossing the finish line in distress and ensure they receive medical assistance if needed. Additionally, in 1989 Kent introduced the Mayor’s Walk, a casual two-mile stroll through downtown that lets walkers, accompanied by the St. George mayor, experience the excitement of crossing the marathon finish line.

Perhaps most importantly, Kent took the lead in creating the “sister city” relationship with the Ibigawa Marathon. SGM’s top finishers now compete each year in Japan, and Ibigawa sends a delegation to St. George as well. “Every person who’s ever gone over there has always come back saying it was one of their best-ever life experiences,” Kent says. “Our relationship with Ibigawa is still strong to this day. In my opinion, it’s one of the best things to come out of the St. George Marathon.”

Throughout his tenure at the helm of SGM, Kent’s constant quest for improvement was a significant factor in the event’s enthusiastic accolades from runners, the running media, sponsors, volunteers; indeed, virtually everyone who was, or continues to be, a part of the St. George Marathon. Almost immediately after each race, Kent pressed his staff to consider what could be done better the next time, and he kept careful notes about process improvements. With the marathon’s golden anniversary imminent, Kent deserves the gratitude of runners worldwide.

Asked to reflect on his three decades at the helm of SGM, Kent says, “I’m happy with what we’ve left St. George. My goal was to do my best to help the city and the marathon be better than when I got there; to contribute in some way. I didn’t create anything. But I’d like to think that I was part of a process that helped make some wonderful things happen in St. George.”

Part of Kent’s legacy was the creation of St. George Races (SGR), an entire department devoted to producing SGM, as well as a bevy of running, walking, and cycling events, a triathlon, a 24-hour endurance race, and, for the past two years, a stair-climbing competition at Tech Ridge. Appropriately, SGR is headed by Aaron Metler, a four-time St. George Marathon champion and the 2025 Masters Men’s champion here (the latter title earned him a berth in the exclusive Masters Men’s division at the 2026 Boston Marathon).

Aaron and his team have spent months preparing for the 50th edition of SGM, planning special events and implementing initiatives aimed at attracting the most accomplished field of competitors. A first-ever prize purse totaling $100,000 proved highly attractive. Registrations filled completely within days of opening, and all 50 states and many nations will be represented at this year’s event. SGM also has produced a commemorative book, 50 Years Running: St. George Marathon 1977–2026, which is available through the SGM website.

“As we celebrate the 50th running of the St. George Marathon, we are incredibly grateful to the community that has been home to this race for five decades,” Michelle Graves said. “Our sincere thanks go to the volunteers, spectators, and the 10,000 runners who will commemorate this milestone event. This will be a truly special year, and we hope everyone involved can feel the extra love, care, and excitement that has been poured into making the 50th anniversary ‘like no other.’”

For more information about the October 3, 2026 St. George Marathon, visit the marathon website at www.sgcityutah.gov/activity/special_events/st._george_marathon/