Visit us at www.seattlemarathon.org.

The Seattle Marathon Association (SMA) is a non profit organization governed by a ten member Board of Directors. It is proud of its commitment to providing a quality running event in the Pacific Northwest, providing our sponsors with maximum exposure in association with the event and making a positive social and economic impact on the city of Seattle. Using the Visitors and Convention Bureau Statistics, a conservative positive economic impact to the Seattle economy is five million dollars per year. With the current growth trend of the Seattle Marathon, the economic impact could double within three years.

Our Mission: To produce an annual Seattle Marathon event, the quality of which is a credit to our sponsors and the communities we serve. We encourage participation by runners, walkers and volunteers of all skill levels.

Our History: The Seattle Marathon began modestly in 1970 when a group of friends from the University of Washington decided to hold their own running event. 38 runners started the first annual event, with 31 of them completing the full 26.2 miles. From these modest beginnings the Seattle Marathon Family of Events has risen to become one of the largest and most influential mass-participation runs on the West Coast, being ranked by Runners World Magazine as one of the top 20 marathons in the United States. In 1999, a Seattle Kids Marathon was added, which allows children of all ages to run a "full marathon" one mile at a time. 357 children participated the first year, and the event has grown to more than 2,500 in 2007, with over 3,000 expected in 2008. Through the years, Seattle Marathon runners have donated their money to the marathon's designated charities.

Celebrating 40 Years of Going the Distance

This year, the Seattle Marathon turns 40, making it one of the two oldest marathons on the West Coast. During these past 40 years we’ve seen tremendous growth in participation as well as in community support. Both the northwest running community and business community, which makes up the majority of our sponsors, have played major roles in the success of this event.

At the same time, we’ve been able to give back to those communities in multiple ways. In addition to the economic impact the event brings to the Downtown Seattle area, the Seattle Marathon Association supports local businesses year-round as well as local youth programs such as high school running clubs and the Boys & Girls Club. The addition of our Kids Marathon and 5k Race stemmed from our commitment to being an event for the entire family. The Seattle Marathon Association takes pride in our hometown and looks forward to bringing you our best event yet. Join us November 28, 2010 as we celebrate 40 years of going the distance.