Saint Louis Half Marathon and 5K

The Saint Louis classic road race returns for the 52nd year! The Saint Louis Track Club will host the Saint Louis Half Marathon and 5K on November 12, 2023! 
World renowned Forest Park remains the centerpiece attraction of the Saint Louis Track Club’s Half Marathon. Runners and walkers will wind their way past the iconic institutions and beautiful scenery of Forest Park. The start and finish line are in front of The Muny at #1 Theatre Drive.   
First held in 1971, the Saint Louis Half Marathon is the longest running half marathon race in the Saint Louis region. We again will offer both virtual and in-person options!
Our Charity Partner for 2023 will be announced shortly. Please bring your old running shoes to donate! Proceeds for shoe donations will benefit Saint Louis Track Club’s scholarship fund (see hhttps://www.stlouistrackclub.com/general-6 for more details).
Packet pickup will be available on three days. Packet picket will be at the Muny at the following times: Saturday, November 11, 2023 from 12:00pm to 3:00pm, and prior to the races on Sunday morning, November 12, 2023, until 7:15am if you are a Half Marathon participant and until 7:45am if you are a 5K participant. In addition, we will offer packet pickup on Friday, November 10, 2023 from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at The Running Niche store located at 1601 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63110. You may pick up the packet of a friend or family member and you do not need the Track Club’s permission to do so. 
Prize money will be paid out to the top three overall male and female runners for the live, in-person Half Marathon. The prize money awards will be: $500 each to the overall male and female first place finisher, $250 each to the overall male and female second place finisher, and $100 each to the overall male and female third place finisher. We will also offer male and female age group awards for the following age groups (as of race day): under 19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, and 70+.
Registration for ALL RACES will close at 11:59pm on November 8, 2023. Seriously. We will spare you the details, but it makes it more difficult to print and assign bibs and to track runners when you sign up late. Please don’t ask us to accept race day registrations or registrations at packet pickup. Please register early and tell your friends and family to do the same!
WE MUST ORDER SHIRTS, MEDALS, AND ADD-ON OPTIONS WELL IN ADVANCE. IN NO EVENT CAN WE GUARANTEE A MEDAL, ADD-ON, OR SHIRT (OR ANY SPECIFIC SHIRT SIZE) IF YOU REGISTER AFTER 11:59PM ON OCTOBER 14, 2023.
Starting in 2023, our included race day shirt (for both distances) will be made of a higher quality, premium material when compared to the standard race day shirt you are used to receiving! 
To avoid a large pack at the start of the race, we will again utilize an "open start." There will be a typical gun start for the half marathon at 7:30am. However, you do not have to start with the 7:30am gun if you do not want to do so. You may start your half marathon race at any time between the 7:30am gun and 7:40am. For the 5K, there will be a gun start at 8:00am, but you may start at any time between the 8:00am gun and 8:10am.
For your reference the final finisher in the Half Marathon typically finishes around three hours and thirty minutes, or about 11:00am with a 7:30am gun start. To ensure that walkers and slower runners have extra time to finish before Ranges reopen the Park, we encourage participants who expect to have an average pace of 14:00/mile or slower to start early at 7:00am. You do not need further permission to start early. Just be around 14:00/mile or slower and be onsite and ready to go by 7:00am!
Starting before or after the gun start will not impact your time or place. The race is entirely chip timed, meaning your race time will start whenever your race bib and its attached timing chip cross the start line. Therefore, someone who starts the half marathon at 7:40am and running faster can potentially place higher than someone who started at 7:30am and running slower, even if the 7:30am starter actually crosses the finish line first. **Walkers or those who feel they may need more time may start the half marathon at 7:00am. Please make sure to check in with the Fleet Feet timer next to the start line before you begin at that earlier time.
***To keep the race competitive, we encourage runners that expect to race for prize money in the Half Marathon to start with the 7:30am gun.
Please visit our website for up to date information and images of the medals  www.stlouistrackclub.com