Utah’s Prison Half-Marathon Gives Inmates Purpose and Visibility

Just after 7 a.m. on a cool, breezy July morning, 50 runners gathered on a paved loop inside the Utah State Correctional Facility.

It was an unusual summer day in Salt Lake City, offering mild weather perfect conditions for a race that was anything but ordinary.

This wasn’t your typical half-marathon. The 13.1-mile race, held entirely within the confines of a secure exercise yard, was the first official event organized by Fit From Within, a running club started by and for incarcerated individuals.

To complete the race, participants ran 39 laps around a small track inside a low-security yard.

Most wore standard-issue prison clothing: gray shorts, white T-shirts, and basic sneakers. Among them were a few civilians, including Republican state Rep. Katy Hall, who showed up in running gear to join the race alongside the inmates.

“They’re just people,” Hall said. “These could be your neighbors, your kids, your parents. We want them to feel like part of society again.”

A Running Club Born Behind Bars

The idea for the club was sparked by the documentary 26.2 to Life, which chronicled a similar program at California’s San Quentin Prison. Inspired, both Hall and incarcerated runner Casey Vanderhoef independently began pushing to start something similar in Utah.

“We already had the space and the staff support,” said Vanderhoef. “I thought why not here?”

Two years later, Fit From Within is not just active, but growing. Lawmakers train with the runners, volunteers donate shoes, and Hall is currently raising money for indoor treadmills so training can continue year-round.

The club has a shared annual goal: 1,000 collective miles. Inmates train individually, but events like this half-marathon give them a chance to come together and test their progress.

Many of the runners were new to the sport. Some walked. A few were in wheelchairs. Every participant, regardless of pace or ability, finished.

Later this year, a full marathon is on the calendar.

More Than Miles: A Way to Feel Seen

The power of Fit From Within goes beyond fitness. The program brings together people across different backgrounds, convictions, and ages. In a prison system where most programs are limited by housing units, this kind of cross-unit interaction is rare.

“It’s another way to feel seen,” said Vanderhoef. “To feel loved. We’re trying to return men to their families in better shape physically, emotionally, mentally.”

Rehabilitation-focused programs like S.O.L.I.D. (Successful Offenders Learning Individual Development) encourage peer support, leadership, and healthier communication.

‍Fit From Within fits right in, offering purpose and community in a place where both are often in short supply.

Therapists Annie Snyder and Ellie Madenberg are tracking the program’s impact and the results speak volumes. “We’re seeing reduced stress, depression, and anxiety among participants,” said Snyder.

“They’re more motivated. They feel connected. It’s real transformation.”

A Finish Line and a New Start

As the race ended, inmates and staff stood side by side, cheering each other on. Handmade signs waved. Runners called each other by name. There were high-fives, hugs, and tears.

Casey Vanderhoef was the first to finish with a time of 1:37. He’ll be released on parole the following week. His next goal? Qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

For others, freedom may be far away or never come. But that doesn’t mean the running stops.

“I have a friend in here who told me: ‘I have life without parole, not life without purpose,’” Vanderhoef said. “We find purpose in here. This is part of it.”

Even those who have left the prison walls are planning to return not as inmates, but as runners. Many former participants want to come back in November to run the marathon alongside the friends they trained with inside.

Because once you’ve found your stride, you keep running.