St. George Marathon to induct three new members into its Road of Fame

The St. George Marathon will induct three new members into its Road of Fame, Oct. 4 at the Dixie Convention Center at 4 p.m. Runners Melanie Burnham and Manny Kalt, and longtime former Leisure Services Director Kent Perkins will be enshrined, bringing the total to 117.

“This is an impressive group of new members to our Road of Fame,” said Michelle Graves, Race Director and Deputy Director of Arts and Events for the City of St. George. “In Melanie Burnham and Manny Kalt you have excellence sustained over a significant length of time, and in Kent Perkins you have a visionary who is the biggest reason why our marathon enjoys its stature as one of the nation’s best. It is an honor to induct them into our Road of Fame.”

Established in 2011, the Road of Fame inducts new members on each odd year. Those enshrined include athletes, race organizers and volunteers.

Burnham, a Lehi resident, ran her first St. George Marathon in 1995 at age 17 and promptly established a new record in her age division. In 2011, as the mother of five children, she began a span of eight marathons in which she averaged times of 2 hours, 58 minutes, 39 seconds. She is the fastest woman to complete at least 20 St. George Marathons.

Kalt is one of only 54 runners to have competed in at least 30 St. George Marathons. The Lehi resident’s average finish of 2:56 is the second-fastest average for anyone who has completed 30 or more St. George Marathons.

Kent Perkins was the race director of SGM for 34 years, helping to usher an exponential increase in participation since he took over in 1983. Perkins was also instrumental in establishing the relationship with marathon sister city Ibigawa, Japan, in 1989. Each year the respective marathons send a delegation to the other’s country that includes the top male and female finisher of each race.

More information

General: www.stgeorgemarathon.com

Road closure map: www.stgeorgemarathon.com/SM%20Road%20Closure%20Mailer%202019.pdf

About St. George Marathon

Rated by Runner’s World as one of the four “Marathons to Build a Vacation Around” in the World and included in Runner’s World 10 Most Scenic and Fastest Marathons and Top 20 Marathons in the USA, the 43^rd edition of the St. George Marathon is set for Oct. 5. It begins in the majestic Pine Valley mountains and descends nearly 2,600 feet through scenic southwest Utah, to the beautiful Worthen Park. The St. George Marathon is a point-to-point race which is USA Track & Field certified and sanctioned. Runner’s World listed the St. George Marathon as the fastest fall marathon.