The St. George Marathon Podcast
by The St. George Marathon
From the iconic St. George Marathon to the stunning courses and backdrops of events happening all year long. The world runs in St. George City and so should you. Each episode inspires you through the people and events that call Southern Utah home. Let's Run! But be careful, you might never stop.
Episodes
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The Front of the Pack - Michael Ottesen
IT'S RACE WEEK and we are literally days away from the start of the 50th Anniversary of the St. George Marathon! To get you motivated and ready to take on the course, Colleen sits down with Elite Runner and 2024 St. George Marathon Champion Michael Ottesen. Michael tells us what it's like to run…
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Let's Race! - Race Director Michelle Graves
It's Race Week in St. George and the city is buzzing! Race Director Michelle Graves sits down with Colleen to talk through all the activities of Marathon Weekend. She has tips for participants and a spectators to make your St. George Marathon experience "LIKE NO OTHER!" Find Expo and Event…
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The Mayor's Walk - Mayor Jimmy Hughes
We are in the final countdown to race day for the 50th Anniversary Edition of the St. George Marathon! But what if you don't want to run 26.2 miles? What if you want to cheer on athletes from the best seats in the house? What if we told you there is a way to get to experience the finish line...
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Eleven Years Old - Jeff Ferguson
Think back to when you were 11 years old. What were you doing? Who were you spending your time with? And could you have imagined how the things you loved then might still be shaping your life decades later? In 1988, 11-year-old Jeff Ferguson was standing on the start line of the St. George...
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To Serve & Protect and to Run - Lt. Sam Despain
Twenty-four years ago, Sam Despain graduated from the Police Academy and accepted a job as an officer with St. George City. But before he ever pinned on the badge, he laced up his running shoes. Just two weeks before being sworn in, Sam lined up for his first St. George Marathon alongside his…
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The 1977 Start Line - Blair Bentley
In 1977, Blair Bentley was one of only 42 people who toed the line of the original St. George Marathon (.....then the Pioneer Marathon). He was a 16 year old, cross-country kid from Parowan, Utah. This race would be his second marathon. On the invitation from his cross-country coach, he and his...
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A Stepping Stone to World Records - Ashley Paulson
To look at Ashley Paulson today you see a veteran ultra-endurance athlete. She makes a 100 miles almost look easy and SO FUN as her signature pink hair floats behind while she breaks barriers and world records. But it wasn't so long ago that Ashley was running down the St. George Marathon course...
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Power Couple - Tom & Liz Dansie
When you talk about endurance sport in Southern Utah, there are just some people who will always come to mind - Tom & Liz Dansie always top the list. From local St. George Races, to cycling events, to the St. George IRONMAN, the Dansie's have toed the line for what seems like every race in…
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From Spectator to Winner x3 - Amber Green
It all started when she was a little girl growing up in Brookside, just a few miles from the start of the St. George Marathon. Every race day, Amber Green and her family would head out to "the road" to cheer for runners as they made their way toward St. George. She still remembers watching her…
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The 100th Marathon - Polli Peterson
Have you ever stood at a finish line and thought "maybe I could do that?" That's exactly what happened to Polli Peterson in 2008. She brought her kids to the Mayor's Walk every year, but this year she was inspired by what she saw: thousands of runners of all shapes and sizes finishing 26.2 miles....
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The Hanks Hundred - Brent Hanks & Sons
The Hanks are a family of 12 siblings—nine boys and three girls. And if there’s one thing that runs as deep as family in the Hanks household, it’s the St. George Marathon. It all began in 1996 when Brent invited his 14-year-old son, Nick, to run his first marathon alongside him. What started as a...
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Because Mom Ran - Jake Kirkpatrick
Some stories are about finishing a marathon. Others are about the people who inspire us to take the first step. When Jake Kirkpatrick was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, his mom, Kelly, encouraged him to discover the strength and confidence that running could provide. At just 11 years old, Jake...
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Welcome to Greater Zion - Chad McWilliams
Everything is Greater Here! Chad McWilliams from Greater Zion (Washington County Tourism) sits down with Colleen to celebrate all the FUN you can expect on St. George Marathon Weekend.....let's just say, you should probably plan to stay an extra night because you won't want to miss this line up....
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Training Tips - Dayna Robinson
You signed up for the 50th Anniversary of the St. George Marathon! Now what? IT'S TIME TO TRAIN! Training and preparation is critical when taking on a challenge like the St. George Marathon......but don't forget, it's going to be FUN too! So grab your running shoes and let's hit the pavement with...
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Giving Meaning to Your Miles - The Kyle Pease Foundation
Brent & Kyle Pease of The Kyle Pease Foundation (KPF) join Colleen to talk about what inclusion in sport looks like and how every runner can play a part! With the St. George Marathon and 1/2 Marathon event SOLD OUT for 2026, running to support a St. George Marathon charity gives you a chance to…
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Honored Guests - Kent Perkins
Kent Perkins served as the Race Director of the St. George Marathon for 34 of the last 50 years. He and his team helped establish the marathon as a cornerstone of marathon racing, not only in Utah, but around the world! From growing pains to accolades, Kent was there for it all (and still…
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The Year Was 1977 - Jonathan Miller
We are taking it back.....WAY back! Back 50 years to the start line of the Pioneer Marathon (which would later be renamed the St. George Marathon). Jon Miller joins Colleen to talk about the legacy of his father, Sherm Miller, the first race director of this iconic event. Learn the roots of the...
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50 Years of Stories - Marianne Hamilton
Marianne Hamilton sparkles, quite literally! When you meet her at a local St. George event you see as much as you can FEEL her passion for this community. When the St. George Marathon wanted to celebrate and commemorate 50 years running, Marianne was their first phone calls. As a writer, she was...
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Boston Fever! - Aaron Metler & Steve Hooper
Southern Utah is experiencing Boston Fever this week as dozens of local athletes prepare to take on the 130th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20th! Why is Boston so iconic and why do runners old and young try to qualify each year to toe the line in Hopkinton? Aaron Metler (St....
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Like No Other - Michelle Graves
#likenoother — for Michelle Graves, it’s more than a hashtag. It’s a standard. A mindset. A promise. As Race Director of the St. George Marathon, Michelle carries that mantra into every detail—shaping an experience in Southern Utah that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best marathons in the...
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Unbreakable Sole - Missy Moss Wright & Alan Moss
A marathon is 26.2 miles—but ask any runner, and they’ll tell you it’s so much more than that. The real journey begins long before the starting line and continues long after the finish. Endurance sport is one of the greatest metaphors for life. Some miles feel effortless. Others stretch on…
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It Feels Like Home - JJ Santana
JJ Santana has won the St. George Marathon twice; once in 2022 and again in 2023. Living and training in Henderson, NV means St. George has become like a "home town" race for him. What's fascinating about JJ, is though he has been involved in sport in some way or another throughout his entire…
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Let's Run! - Jordan Byrd & Aaron Metler
Blue skies, red rocks, towering mountains and bluffs plus hundreds of miles of trails. Just add you and your favorite pair of running shoes. This is St. George City! This is where we love to run! Welcome to the St. George Marathon Podcast where we talk all things running and Southern Utah. From...
About this show
From the iconic St. George Marathon to the stunning courses and backdrops of events happening all year long. The world runs in St. George City and so should you. Each episode inspires you through the people and events that call Southern Utah home. Let's Run! But be careful, you might never stop.
Hosted by
The St. George Marathon