The Pittsburgh Running Library
Articles & Guides
Race guides, route breakdowns, store profiles, and training advice — written by a Pittsburgh runner, for Pittsburgh runners.
Races
Guides to Pittsburgh's marquee races and the local racing scene
The Great Race: Complete Guide
History since 1977, the downhill 10K course from Squirrel Hill to Point State Park, race strategy, and logistics.
The Pittsburgh Marathon: Complete Guide
History, the three-rivers course, the Birmingham Bridge climb, weather, and what first-timers need to know.
How to Pace the Pittsburgh Marathon
Managing the early bridges, surviving the Birmingham Bridge climb into Oakland, and using the downhill finish.
Your First 5K in Pittsburgh
How to choose, train for, and run your first 5K in Pittsburgh — the best beginner-friendly local races, an 8-week plan, and race-day tips.
Pittsburgh's Trail Racing Scene
The Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, North Park trail races, how trail racing differs from roads, and how to prepare.
Routes
Where to run: the trails, parks, loops, and bucket-list routes
Running the Three Rivers Heritage Trail
The best loops, surfaces, safety tips, seasonal conditions, and how to turn the riverfront into workouts.
The Runner's Guide to North Park
The famous five-mile lake loop, the wooded singletrack network, the trail running community, races, parking, and seasonal tips.
Trail Running in Frick Park
Frick Park's ravine singletrack, essential routes, gear for the clay and mud, and the Tuesday night trail run community.
The Seven Bridges Run
A classic route crossing seven downtown bridges in one 10-mile outing, with turn-by-turn guidance and training value.
Hill Training in Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill's long grades and steep side streets, hill repeat sessions, downhill technique, and the 4.5-mile Climber loop.
The Runner's Guide to Schenley Park
Track workouts at the Schenley Oval, Panther Hollow trails, rolling road loops, races, and how the park connects Oakland to Squirrel Hill.
Long Runs on the Montour Trail & GAP
The 60-mile Montour Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage — surfaces, logistics, hydration strategy, and marathon training tips.
Stores
Pittsburgh's specialty running stores and how to use them
Pittsburgh's Running Stores: The Complete Guide
Fleet Feet, Pro Bike+Run, 3 Rivers Outdoor Company, and New Balance/Gordon's — which store fits which need.
Inside Fleet Feet Pittsburgh
The Fit id 3D scanning process, group runs, training programs, and how to get the best fitting.
Inside Pro Bike+Run
The Strip District flagship, the North Park location, the six-step shoe fitting, and when to choose Pittsburgh's biggest specialty shop.
Inside 3 Rivers Outdoor Company
Trail shoes, hydration gear, consignment finds, and the Tuesday night trail run that anchors Pittsburgh trail running.
Why Gait Analysis Matters
What actually happens during a running gait analysis, why Pittsburgh's hills make proper shoe fitting essential, how to read your own wear patterns, and the economics of buying local.
Training
Season-by-season and goal-by-goal training guides for Steel City runners
Winter Running in Pittsburgh
The layering formula, handling river-valley wind, ice and traction strategy, running in the dark, and why winter miles pay off in spring.
Summer Running in Pittsburgh
Effort-based pacing, shade-first route strategy, hydration and electrolytes, heat illness warning signs, and racing through the season.
How to Start Running in Pittsburgh
Getting fitted for shoes, the run-walk method on flat routes, joining Pittsburgh's welcoming clubs, and picking your first 5K.
Training for Your First Half Marathon
Choosing a Pittsburgh race, structuring the training week, using the city's terrain, fueling, and race-day pacing.