The breathtaking St. George Marathon is an integral part of Altra's heritage. Many employees frequent this backyard oasis to train through Utah's harsh winters, for some it has been their first big race, and others a place for setting records. Part of the founding inspiration for Altra came from Golden Harper's own interesting relation to this event. His father won the St. George Marathon in a pair of modified shoes with the heel lightened to relieve pain in his knees, and Golden himself has run St. George many times. His most notable performances being an age group World Record when he was 12 years old that still stands (2:45:34), and this year (2017), 20 years later in a respectable 2:35:29. Arguably one of the most awe-inspiring courses out there, and ranked top 10 by Runner's World for both scenery and speed, the St. George Marathon takes you past the towering red rock cliffs of Snow Canyon, under the shadows of Zion National Park and winds along spectacular lava rock formations before finishing in downtown St. George. Competitors travel from all over to enjoy this once in a lifetime course and experience the pure exhilaration of running one of the fastest downhill courses in the United States.