Thousands of runners and spectators will be in Northeastern PA this weekend for the Steamtown Marathon

SCRANTON, Pa. — More than 1,000 runners and thousands more spectators will beat feet to Northeastern Pennsylvania this weekend for the 29th running of the Steamtown Marathon. 

For three decades, the Steamtown Marathon has taken over Northeastern Pennsylvania the second weekend of October. Held annually the Sunday before Columbus day, the Steamtown Marathon is a popular race because it is an official Boston Marathon qualifier. 



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In a runner’s world online survey completed by thousands of runners, Steamtown was named the 6th best overall marathon. A lot of times the weather is really nice; sometimes it’s a little rainy, sometimes it’s warmer than average, sometimes it’s cooler. But overall, this time of year is a really special one here in northeastern Pennsylvania, which makes for a perfect backdrop for the race that passes through 13 communities. 

Year after year, runners from out of the area tell Newswatch 16 they love seeing the changing colors of the trees along the 26.2-mile route. 

In 2024, rain was in the forecast for that Sunday morning, but runners were prepared. And even though rain was falling that morning, runners actually agreed it ended up being ok. 

The race was canceled in both 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic. 

But in 2019, the weather was perfect. It was cold in the morning, with temperatures in the 30s in Susquehanna County, but it warmed quickly into the 50s in the afternoon. 

That made runners think about the two years prior, when heat was an issue, but the humidity was an even bigger one. The male and female first-place finishers told us in 2018 they had to run a smart race because of the weather.

And the year before that, in 2017, it was even worse. Marathon officials knew the heat was going to be a problem that year, so they were able to prepare with additional hydration and first aid stations. Runners were able to prepare differently, too. One runner told us he watched his salt intake in the days leading up to the race; he explained the more, the better. 

It was warmer than 70 degrees at the start of the race that year. The next day we spoke to Tim Rowland, the Lackawanna County coroner and marathon medical coordinator. Rowland has been the marathon medical coordinator since the first one in 1996.

He told Newswatch 16 that more people dropped out during the 2017 race due to heat exhaustion than the three marathons before it, combined. Close to 50 runners were unable to finish.

The weather this year is looking a little rainy Sunday morning, but temperatures should be comfortable in the 50s.