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.