USA Half Marathon part of Pittsburgh Marathon

that goes into this, for sure.”

Additional cameras will be set up at the finish line, and BMW motorcycles mounted with cameras will lead the runners and broadcast a live stream of the event on USATF’s website.

“When Pittsburgh came to the table as a possible host for the USATF Half Marathon Championships, our decision was largely informed by the exceptional treatment that American elite athletes have had at Pittsburgh’s races in the past,” USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said in a statement. “Providing a superb athlete experience, from hospitality to race-day logistics, is critically important, as well as prize money and collaboration with USATF. The race organizers have been outstanding to work with in 2018, and we look forward to a successful race.”

Pittsburgh submitted its bid for the 2018 and 2019 USATF Half Marathon Championships in fall 2016 and was officially awarded the bid in March 2017. Hogan said the committee’s experience (the first iteration of the Pittsburgh Marathon took place in 1985) likely made Pittsburgh an appealing choice for the USATF committee.

“We have an elite athlete field in all of our four races that we’ve put on each year,” Hogan said. “So that experience coupled with our ability to network and know some of the folks in the industry — and we have a really good reputation — I think those two things are probably what sealed the deal for us.”

Though Pittsburgh has been host to USA Marathon Championships several times in the past (most recently in 2000), this is its first time for the Half Marathon Championships. The event was in Columbus, Ohio, in 2016 and 2017. Last year’s men’s winner, Leonard Korir, will defend his crown. Natosha Rogers, who won the women’s race in 2017, will not compete Sunday.

Pittsburgh is paying to be the host of this year’s championships, and while officials say an exact total won’t be known until after the event ends, it’s well into the six-figure range and is being paid for with the help of sponsors. The event has a record $85,000 prize purse, which will be split among the top 15 men and women finishers. The men’s and women’s winners will get $15,000 each.

“It’s been really a great process with the team,” said Patrice Matamoros, Pittsburgh Marathon race director. “We’ve been pouring in a lot of planning hours and making sure that we really have every down and everything is going to go really smoothly.”

The committee will have to plan the same accommodations for next year, as Pittsburgh will play host once again. The committee anticipates it being a smooth process, assuming Pittsburgh’s construction cycle doesn’t necessitate a route change for the ninth time in the half marathon’s history.

“Hopefully there’s no construction,” Matamoros said. “Our intent is to leave the course exactly the same so that we don’t have to go through the same certifications. If anything changes, we’ll have to go through a re-certification, but it won’t be as lengthy a process as it was for the one that we just obtained.”