THE HEIGHTS AND THE SLOPES OF SOME OF PITTSBURGH’S BIGGEST HILLS, FINISHING A MARATHON IS NO SMALL FEAT, BUT CONQUERING 26.2 MILES IN A CITY KNOWN FOR ITS HILLS DOWNRIGHT DAUNTING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HILLS SHOW UP ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE RACE. THIS IS LIKE THE CRUX, THE TOUGHEST, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TOUGHEST EARLY CHALLENGES IN THE IN THE RACE. ERIC ASH KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT THOSE HILLS. IN FACT, IT MAY BE HIS FAVORITE PART OF THE COURSE. THAT’S WHY HE VOLUNTEERS AS A HILL RUNNER EACH AND EVERY YEAR. IT FEELS REWARDING FOR. FOR US AS HILL RUNNERS TO, YOU KNOW, WE’RE JUST AT THE TOP OF THE HILL, TURNING AROUND AND GOING BACK DOWN AND GETTING THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, GROUP OF PEOPLE TO HELP THEM UP THE HILL. IT’S A VOLUNTEER POSITION, WHICH MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AS YOU’D HAVE TO BE A LITTLE CRAZY TO WANT TO HANG OUT ON THESE HILLS LONGER THAN REQUIRED. JUST TOOK SOMEBODY UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL AND COMING DOWN, YOU SEE SOMEBODY THAT MAY BE STRUGGLING, SO YOU MAY JUST OFFER WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OR MAY JUST STOP IN MY TRACKS AND JUST JOIN UP WITH THEM SEEING LIKE, HEY, THEY JUST, THEY NEED A BREAK. THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO MAYBE CONFIDE IN AND TALK TO FOR, FOR A MOMENT TO HELP THEM GET UP THE HILL. PETER PARKER SAYS THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THE PITTSBURGH MARATHON, MEANT TO HELP RUNNERS MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EVEN EMOTIONALLY WHEN THEY GET TO THE OAKLAND PORTION OF THE COURSE. THAT’S A MILE 11. THAT’S LIKE ONE OF THE MOST DAUNTING THINGS EVER. AND YOU CAN’T REALLY LIKE SEE THE TOP. THAT’S ERIC’S DAUGHTER, LILY. SHE’S A JUNIOR AT ELIZABETH FORWARD HIGH SCHOOL AND AN AVID RUNNER NOW. BUT IT WASN’T ALWAYS THAT WAY. IN THE BEGINNING OF HIGH SCHOOL, I STARTED RUNNING WITH MY DAD AND LIKE WE DO A LOT OF FAMILY, LIKE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TOGETHER. AND THIS LIKE JUST KIND OF BECAME ONE OF THEM. LILY GREW UP WATCHING HER DAD RUNNING AND VOLUNTEERING. ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, SHE DECIDED TO JOIN HIM ON THE COURSE. IT’S REALLY COOL BECAUSE I CAN LIKE I SEE HIM HELPING OTHER PEOPLE TOO, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING. AND LIKE, AS I’M GOING UP OR DOWN THE HILL, YOU SEE HIM AND YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE SUPPORTING OTHER PEOPLE. LIKE HE SUPPORTS ME BECAUSE AS THE ASH FAMILY KNOWS, SUPPORT IN A SPORT THAT CAN BE SO MENTALLY TAXING CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE, KIND OF FEEL LIKE IT’S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE ONE OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, BABY BIRDS LEAVING THE NEST, LIKE YOU’VE KIND OF HELPED THEM UP THE HILL, YOU KNOW, GOT THEM OUT OF THE NEST AND THEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SET THEM FREE. I RUN ALL THE TIME NOW INSTEAD OF JUST LIKE DREADING IT. AND I ACTUALLY LIKE, WANT TO BECOME BETTER AND BECOME A BETTER RUNNER. SO I DO THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT WILL REFLECT ON THAT PROOF THAT SOMETIMES
Pittsburgh Marathon twists and turns made easier thanks to the ‘Hill Runners’
Updated: 9:40 PM EDT May 1, 2026
Running a marathon is no small feat. But running a marathon in Pittsburgh, a city known for hills and valleys, presents its own unique challenges thanks to the layout of the course. The hills and bridges could be intimidating for some, especially first-time racers here in Pittsburgh. However, a group of marathon volunteers known as the “Hill Runners” works to ease those fears every year. The entirety of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon course is challenging. If you ask any runners, it can get daunting about halfway through, when the big hills in Oakland start to appear in the gaze of already tired runners. “This is like the crux — one of the toughest early challenges in the race,” said Eric Ash, a longtime Hill Runner volunteer.Ash knows the hills well; in fact, he even considers them a favorite part of the course. “It feels rewarding for us as Hill Runners. We’re just at the top of the hill, turning around, going back down and getting the next group of people to help them up the hill,” he said.The role is voluntary, requiring a unique dedication to spending extra time on one of the most challenging portions of the course.Your guide to the Pittsburgh Marathon >> Events, road closures, and race highlightsP3R, the organization behind the Pittsburgh Marathon, said these volunteers are a critical part of the event, helping runners mentally, physically and emotionally when they reach the Oakland portion of the course. “It kind of feels like it’s your baby bird is leaving the nest,” said Ash with a smile. He explained, “It feels like you helped them up the hill, got them out of the nest and then set them free.””Mile 11 — that’s, like, one of the most daunting things ever, and you can’t really see the top,” said Ash’s daughter, Lily, who also volunteers on the hills. The Elizabeth Forward junior is now an avid runner, but her passion for running was not always there. She credits her dad for her love of running and volunteering. “In the beginning of high school, I started to run with my dad. We do a lot of family outdoor activities together, and this just kind of became one of them,” Lily said. She grew up watching her dad run and volunteer, and about three years ago, she decided to join him on the course.”It’s really cool because I see him helping other people too, which is a really important thing, and as I’m going up or down the hill, you see him, and it’s like supporting other people like he supports me,” Lily said.For the Ash family, support in a sport that can be so mentally taxing can make all the difference. “I run all the time now instead of just dreading it, and I actually want to become better and become a better runner, so I do things in my life that will reflect on that,” Lily said. PITTSBURGH MARATHON: WHAT TO KNOWFor more information about the marathon, visit these links:2026 Pittsburgh Marathon guideRoad closures and detoursCourse map and list of neighborhoodsFind your finishLive Well Expo
PITTSBURGH —
Running a marathon is no small feat. But running a marathon in Pittsburgh, a city known for hills and valleys, presents its own unique challenges thanks to the layout of the course.
The hills and bridges could be intimidating for some, especially first-time racers here in Pittsburgh. However, a group of marathon volunteers known as the “Hill Runners” works to ease those fears every year.
The entirety of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon course is challenging. If you ask any runners, it can get daunting about halfway through, when the big hills in Oakland start to appear in the gaze of already tired runners.
“This is like the crux — one of the toughest early challenges in the race,” said Eric Ash, a longtime Hill Runner volunteer.
Ash knows the hills well; in fact, he even considers them a favorite part of the course.
“It feels rewarding for us as Hill Runners. We’re just at the top of the hill, turning around, going back down and getting the next group of people to help them up the hill,” he said.
The role is voluntary, requiring a unique dedication to spending extra time on one of the most challenging portions of the course.
Your guide to the Pittsburgh Marathon >> Events, road closures, and race highlights
P3R, the organization behind the Pittsburgh Marathon, said these volunteers are a critical part of the event, helping runners mentally, physically and emotionally when they reach the Oakland portion of the course.
“It kind of feels like it’s your baby bird is leaving the nest,” said Ash with a smile.
He explained, “It feels like you helped them up the hill, got them out of the nest and then set them free.”
“Mile 11 — that’s, like, one of the most daunting things ever, and you can’t really see the top,” said Ash’s daughter, Lily, who also volunteers on the hills.
The Elizabeth Forward junior is now an avid runner, but her passion for running was not always there. She credits her dad for her love of running and volunteering.
“In the beginning of high school, I started to run with my dad. We do a lot of family outdoor activities together, and this just kind of became one of them,” Lily said.
She grew up watching her dad run and volunteer, and about three years ago, she decided to join him on the course.
“It’s really cool because I see him helping other people too, which is a really important thing, and as I’m going up or down the hill, you see him, and it’s like supporting other people like he supports me,” Lily said.
For the Ash family, support in a sport that can be so mentally taxing can make all the difference.
“I run all the time now instead of just dreading it, and I actually want to become better and become a better runner, so I do things in my life that will reflect on that,” Lily said.
PITTSBURGH MARATHON: WHAT TO KNOW
For more information about the marathon, visit these links: