Besides Missoula, Which Montana City Has Most Marathon Runners?
It goes without saying that most of the runners in the Missoula Marathon come from the Garden City.
But you might be surprised that the number 2 city on the list isn't in Montana.
The conclusion comes from looking at the latest registration data for the Marathon, which returns in June. And while it shows that most of Montana cities send several dozen runners each to the annual marathon, and associated events, there's a closer neighbor that has more residents running in Missoula than anywhere else.
As of late March, Missoula Marathon Director Trisha Drobeck told me that approximately 3700 runners had already registered for the various races. That includes 1,800 for the half-marathon, almost 1,300 for the full race, and 600 for the 5k. Most of those runners all come from the United States, with 15 from Canada, 3 from Germany, and one each from the United Arab Emirates, Australia, China, Ireland, Mexico, and Peru.
The U.S. runners come from many different states
While Montana residents represent the most runners, with 1,880, there's a wide mix of other states represented. Washington sends the most with 371 registered right now. That's followed by Idaho with 133, California with 130, and 123 Texans set to run. But Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Arizona, Minnesota, Florida, Indiana, Georgia, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Virginia, Minnesota, Utah and Kentucky all have several dozen runners from each state.
But which city is sending the most Missoula Marathon athletes?
It's obvious that the Missoula Marathon remains a hometown favorite, with nearly 1,000 Missoulians already signed up for one of the three events. But Spokane runners love this race, with 130 runners registered as of that late March date. That makes sense when you think of the popularity of running in Spokane, with events like the Bloomsday Run in early May among the largest in the Northwest, also attracting many of Montana's best runners.
What other Montana cities love the Missoula Marathon?
Apparently, a lot of the state government types, because Helena holds second place among Montana cities in registrations, with 88 on the list. That's followed by Billings and Bozeman with 69 each, and Kalispell with 55.
Lolo isn't far behind with 55 registered runners. Great Falls, Hamilton, Butte, Stevensville, and then Seattle round out the list. Not to be overlooked is Ronan with 28 runners registered.
Registration fees for the Marathon will remain at $115 through the end of the month, with the next price increase to $125 kicking in on May 1st.
READ MORE: Travel and Lodging Info for the Missoula Marathon