Temple-to-Temple marathon aims to unite Sanpete runners this year

MANTI—For the Bradley family, whose roots in Sanpete County stretch back to George Washington Bradley, one of the founding pioneers of Manti, endurance is not just a hobby but a way of life.

Nathan Bradley was 7 years old the first time he finished a 50-mile horse endurance race. Bradley, alongside four of his five siblings, competed in horse endurance racing at the national level, earning championships and titles. Most of the family has completed 100-mile races.

In the same spirit of endurance, Bradley, now 27, and a Manti resident set out to create something meaningful for the community he loves. He didn’t think small; he thought 26.2 miles.

The Temple-to-Temple Marathon, a planned half-marathon and full marathon running from the Ephraim Temple to the Manti Temple, is Bradley’s latest effort to bring people together around endurance, personal growth, and community pride.

The event is still in development and no date has been set, but interest is building fast. By mid-February, more than 130 people had filled out the interest form online.

Prior to the marathon project, Bradley founded Leading Trails, a horsemanship and leadership program for youth ages 6 and up.
The program, created five years ago, is based on principles taught by John C. Maxwell, a world-famous speaker and New York Times best-selling author specializing in leadership.

Bradley is a certified leadership coach with Maxwell’s organization as well as a certified Equine Assisted Therapist Facilitator.

The goal of Leading Trails is to help people lead their life trails,” Bradley said. “Very literally. Everybody has their own trail to live. So Leading Trails helps people define that. It helps give them the tools and skills to carry out that journey.”

Leading Trails currently operates as an LLC with plans to potentially transition into a non-profit. Due to horse capacity, the program can only accept 15 students per year, but its reach has already extended well beyond that.

Bradley has provided volunteer leadership training for Snow College, keynoted an FFA conference in Vernal, and worked with local businesses on leadership development. Over the past five years, the program has served more than 100 youth.

Despite this impressive reach, Bradley kept asking himself: “How can I simulate the life leadership experience so more people can benefit?” The answer turned out to be the Temple-to-Temple Marathon.

The route connecting the Ephraim and Manti temples isn’t just geographically convenient. For many locals like Bradley, it carries special meaning.

He pointed out that the Manti Temple draws visitors from around the world. The marathon is designed to honor the heritage of the community and the sacrifices of the pioneers who built it.

“The people who were in this community have sacrificed a lot for this area to make it what it is,” Bradley said. “And I think the marathon and half marathon simulates that so we can honor those sacrifices.”

Bradley also noted that the community hasn’t had a large gathering centered around the Manti Temple since the Mormon Miracle Pageant ended. He sees the marathon as a chance to bring people back together around a shared landmark, though he’s intentional about welcoming everyone regardless of faith or background.

“I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and faithful to it,” he said. “But I want [this marathon] to be very inclusive. Everybody should be able to be part of the heritage of the community.”

On Valentine’s Day, Bradley ran the full 26.2-mile course himself, with his wife, Charly, joining him for the final 13 miles.

The Valentine’s practice run clocked the exact distance and provided the data needed for a USA Track and Field (USATF) certifier in Richfield to officially approve the course as a Boston Marathon qualifier route.

The Temple-to-Temple event is already sanctioned by USA Track and Field (USATF), and Bradley has secured insurance through that sanctioning. Permits have been initiated with six government entities, including UDOT, Ephraim City, Ephraim Police, the Sheriff’s Department, Manti City, and Sanpete County.

Bradley is looking for sponsors to help cover costs for T-shirts, running packets, medals and aid stations along the course. Sponsors would receive recognition on the back of T-shirts, on the marathon website, on signage at the race and potentially, in an event swag bag.

And the part that matters most to Bradley: Every dollar left over after covering operational costs goes back into the community. Proceeds will support youth leadership organizations like the Ephraim and Manti Youth City Councils, fund scholarships for the Leading Trails program, and provide equine-assisted therapy opportunities for kids who couldn’t otherwise afford them.

“Anything left over is not going into my pocket,” Bradley said. “It is going into how can we better facilitate youth leadership in our community.”

Anyone interested in participating or sponsoring can visit https://www.templetotemple.life/ to fill out the interest form. Registration details will be sent via email once the event officially opens.