Pittsburgh Marathon

Details

Date:May 3, 2026 9:30 am

2026 GNC PITTSBURGH 4-MILE FITNESS CHALLENGE

Test your full body endurance through a series of fitness challenges while running the final four miles of the DICK'S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon course. Waves will start going off at 9:30 am. Participants will be set off in groups of 18-20 participants every 4 minutes within each wave. All participants must be at the start line by the timeslot they select during registration.

2025 GNC PITTSBURGH 4-MILE FITNESS CHALLENGE COURSE

Shuttles will start running at 6 AM on race morning. You can catch the shuttle on Centre Ave. in front of the DoubleTree Hotel, Downtown (there will also be relay participants on the shuttles). You should plan for at least a 30-minute bus ride. We strongly recommend that you plan your travel to arrive at the start line in Bloomfield at least 30 minutes prior to your wave start time (this will be printed on your bib!).

COURSE MAP

2026 Finisher Medal

Station 1, Buoy Chain Pull and Planks:

Chain weight options:
- Heaviest: Three strands of fifteen foot chain
- Medium: Two strands of fifteen foot chain
- Lightest: One strand of fifteen foot chain
Obstacles and instruction presented by the Coast Guard

Station 2, Weighted Jump Rope:

Three pound rope, 100 reps

Station 3, Circuit:

Carry: 40lb kettle bells
Pull ups: pull ups or 30 second hang
Sled: Push 45 or 90 pounds
Obstacles and instruction presented by the US Army

Station 4, Tire Flips and Burpees

Obstacles and instruction presented by the PA Army National Guard

Station 5, Weighted Lunges:

Three weight options
- 5 lbs, 10 lbs, 15lbs

Station 6, Your Adventure:

Spin Wheel of Exercise
Inflatable Obstacle Course
Obstacles and instruction presented by the Air Force

4-Mile Fitness Challenge Information

Date: Sunday, May 3, 2026

Start Time: 9:30 am

Start Line: Corner of Baum Blvd and Liberty Ave in Bloomfield

Finish Line: Boulevard of the Allies near Point State Park, Downtown Pittsburgh

All participants are required to pick up their bibs at the 2026 GNC Pittsburgh Live Well Expo.

Friday, May 1: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET (VIP ONLY)
Friday, May 1: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET
Saturday, May 2: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET

Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center (1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222)

Location: Gateway Station
You must use a race-issued clear Gear Check bag (which you can get at the Health & Fitness Expo) and corresponding Gear Check tag (attached to your bib).
Luggage bags, oversized or overnight items, loose articles, or bags that are not race-issue will not be accepted at Gear Check
Do not check valuable items such as medication, jewelry, cell phones, cameras, electronic devices, etc. The event is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.
You must show your bib number when dropping off and picking up your gear.
Runners will NOT be permitted to bring or carry bags into the start line corrals. All bags must be checked into Gear Check prior to the start of the race.

The overall course pace requirement is 16:00 minutes per mile. If you are unable to adhere to the permitted pace per mile, you may be asked to board a sweep vehicle. If you refuse to board the vehicle when asked, you must move to the sidewalk so traffic can resume. If you choose to continue after the roads have reopened, there will be no medical support, fluid stations, or course marshals at intersections, and the course will no longer be marked. Participants after that time will not be guaranteed a time or finisher’s medal.

There are several garages where you can park on race weekend. We recommend that you use the ParkPGH app to help you plan your parking based on real-time information.

16 on May 3, 2026 (no exceptions)

Bicycles, skateboards, scooters, baby joggers, strollers, roller skates, and roller blades are not permitted on the course.

No animals are permitted on the course.

Headphones are strongly discouraged

To be eligible for elite entry or prize purse at any P3R event, an athlete must:

Not be currently serving a suspension for use of a banned substance*
Not have ever served a ban for use of performance-enhancing drugs*+
Not be represented by coaches and/or agents who have had two (2) or more athletes receive such suspensions in the previous four (4) years (from the current year’s race date)*
Provide proper documentation proving they are eligible for prize money (Form W-9, W-8ECI, or W-8BEN)
Consent to random drug testing according to the standards and procedures of USATF, USADA, and WADA

*A list of athletes who have received a sanction for a doping violation under the athlete’s international federation rules and/or the USOC Anti-Doping Policies can be found here: https://www.usada.org/ and https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/athlete-representatives/directory.

+Unless otherwise agreed by the P3R Games Committee