Info

Course Descriptions

Marathon

The Phoenix Marathon has a beautiful race course that winds through the city of Phoenix giving runners a tour of the valley. Marathon runners will experience a relatively flat course in this fast Boston Qualifier. The race has thousands of parking spots available around the finish at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.

Please Note: Registration for the Phoenix Marathon is limited.

TURNS MADE FROM START TO FINISH:

• Begin south on 31st Avenue
• Right at Yorkshire Drive
• Left at 35th Avenue
• Right at Paradise Lane
• Left at 43rd Avenue
• At Peoria Avenue, join the Arizona Canal Trail
• Right at 24th Avenue
• Left at Camelback Road
• Rejoin the Arizona Canal Trail at 40th Street
• Right at Arcadia Drive that becomes 48th Street
• Left at McDowell Road
• Right at Karsten Way
• Left at Eliot Ramada Loop
• Left at Papago Park
• Right at Galvin Parkway
• Right at Van Buren Street
• Turnaround at 55th Street
• Right at Priest Drive to Finish

Additional Marathon Information

All participants receive a tech shirt - choose from a long sleeve, short sleeve, tank or tri blend t-shirt.

Run The Valley - finisher medals will be given to those who complete the course in less than 6.5 hours.

Awards go to the top 3 in each age division in the marathon.

Top 3 men and women receive prize money.

The Phoenix Marathon is USATF sanctioned and certified.

Half Marathon

Brief Description

The Half Marathon has a beautiful race course that begins on the corner of Glendale & Central. The course descends down to Papago Park. Half marathon runners will experience nearly 200 feet of net elevation loss in this gentle downhill route that is great for a first time half marathon. Half Marathon runners will enjoy the diverse scenery from the desert vistas down to the beautiful finish near Papago Park.

Please Note: Registration for the Phoenix Half Marathon is limited.

TURNS MADE FROM START TO FINISH:

• Begin east on Glendale Avenue
• Right at Arizona Canal Trail at 16th Street
• Right at 24th Avenue
• Left at Camelback Road
• Rejoin the Arizona Canal Trail at 40th Street
• Right at Arcadia Drive that becomes 48th Street
• Left at McDowell Road
• Right at Karsten Way
• Left at Eliot Ramada Loop
• Left at Papago Park
• Right at Galvin Parkway
• Right at Van Buren Street
• Turnaround at 55th Street
• Right at Priest Drive to Finish

Additional Information

All participants receive a tech shirt - choose from long sleeve, short sleeve, tank or a tri blend t-shirt.

Run The Valley - finisher medals will be given to those who complete the course in less than 6.5 hours.

Awards go to the top 3 in each age division in the half marathon.

Top 3 men and women receive prize money.

This Arizona Half Marathon is USATF sanctioned and certified.

10K

Brief Description

The Phoenix 10K has a beautiful race course that begins at 40th Street on the Arizona Canal Trail. The route quickly enters the marathon and half marathon route, and boasts the same exciting finish line at Papago Park. This Arizona 10K offers an easy course for beginners. 10K runners will receive the highest level of treatment on our well-staffed route.

Please Note: Registration for the Phoenix Marathon 10K is limited.

TURNS MADE FROM START TO FINISH:

• Begin at Arizona Canal Trail at 40th Street
• Right at Arcadia Drive that becomes 48th Street
• Left at McDowell Road
• Right at Karsten Way
• Left at Eliot Ramada Loop
• Left at Papago Park
• Right at Galvin Parkway
• Right at Priest Drive to Finish

Additional Information

All participants receive a tech shirt - choose from long sleeve, short sleeve, tank or a tri blend t-shirt.

Finisher medals will be given to those who complete the course in less than 3 hours.

Awards go to the top 3 in each age division in the 10K.

All additional information regarding parking & busing, start lines, on-course amenities, finish festival, etc, can be found on the Race Day Info page.

Pacers will be running both the full marathon and half marathon to lead everyone to a fast time. Pacers will be implementing Smart Pacing strategy, which is an effort-based strategy that varies the pace of each mile according to course elevation changes. Pace guide wristbands will be available at the expo.

The Marathon will offer pacers at the following paces:

• 2:55 (Men's 18-34 BQ mark, 6:40/mile pace)
• 3:00 (Men's 35-39 BQ mark, 6:52/mile pace)
• 3:05 (Men's 40-44 BQ mark, 7:04/mile pace)
• 3:15 (Men's 45-49 BQ mark, 7:26/mile pace)
• 3:20 (Men's 50-54 BQ mark, 7:37/mile pace)
• 3:25 (Women's 18-34 BQ mark, 7:49/mile pace)
• 3:30 (Women's 35-39 & Men's 55-59 BQ mark, 8:00/mile pace)
• 3:35 (Women's 40-44 BQ mark, 8:12/mile pace)
• 3:45 (Women's 45-49 BQ mark, 8:35/mile pace)
• 3:50 (Women's 50-54 & Men's 60-64 BQ mark, 8:46/mile pace)
• 4:00 (Women's 55-59 BQ mark, 9:09/mile pace)
• 4:05 (Men's 65-69 BQ mark, 9:21/mile pace)
• 4:20 (Women's 60-64 & Men's 70-74 BQ mark, 9:55/mile pace)
• 4:35 (Women's 65-69 & Men's 75-79 BQ mark, 10:29/mile pace)
• 5:00 (11:27/mile pace)
• 6:33 (15:00/mile pace)

The Half Marathon will offer pacers at the following paces:

• 1:30 (6:52/mile pace)
• 1:40 (7:38/mile pace)
• 1:50 (8:24/mile pace)
• 2:00 (9:10/mile pace)
• 2:10 (9:55/mile pace)
• 2:20 (10:41/mile pace)

Time Limits

Because the roads used for the race must be re-opened for normal traffic patterns, we are required to set course time limits that must be strictly adhered to. The course time limit for the full marathon is based on a 15:00 minute per mile pace, which is a light jog. This equates to a 6:33 marathon. The time limit for the half marathon is based on a 30:00 minute per mile pace, which is a leisurely walking pace. This equates to a 6:33 half marathon. The marathon will begin at 7:00am, and participants will need to finish by 1:03pm.

Those who are unable to maintain the required pace at each mile marker must consent to be picked up by an escort vehicle and escorted to the finish venue, where they will still be allowed to cross the finish line and receive a medal. Alternatively they may elect to move to the side of the road or sidewalk and obey standard traffic laws such as stopping at stop lights and intersections. Aid station support and course directional signage will be removed immediately following the rolling closure time at each mile marker.

Based on the USATF certification standards the course is measured on tangents or SPR-Shortest Possible Route. Therefore if you run on the inside or outside line the entire length of the race your GPS may reflect a distance slightly greater than 13.1 or 26.2.

Aid Stations

There are 13 aid stations along the marathon course, 7 aid stations along the half marathon course and 4 aid stations along the 10k course. All aid stations will be supplied with electrolyte drink, water, portable restrooms, and first aid. When passing an aid station, runners will always be offered electrolyte first and water second. Certain aid stations will also be supplied with energy gels and other amenities. Additionally, several aid stations will be supplied with muscle relief, energy gels, fruit, and medical personnel. See Aid Station Map below for details on exact locations and amenities at each aid station.

In an effort to contain waste and facilitate cleanup operations, runners are asked to discard trash and shed clothing as close as possible to an aid station rather than elsewhere along the course. Any clothing that is shed along the course or at an aid station will be collected and donated to charity.

Safety & Medical

Course Safety

Various road closures and vehicle traffic patterns will be implemented throughout the entriety of the course. Law enforcement officers, traffic flaggers, course marshals, and volunteers will be positioned along the course to ensure a safe race experience for runners as well as local commuters and residents. Participants should follow instructions from law enforcement officers and race personnel throughout all components of the event.

Medical Assistance

Each aid station will be supplied with a first-aid kit that will include items such as bandages, petroleum jelly, and basic anti-inflammatory medicine.

In addition to the first-aid kits, designated aid stations throughout the course will be staffed by medical personnel and will be equipped with advanced medical supplies. These aid stations will also have access to EMT services for urgent needs requiring medical transport.

SAG vehicles and ambulances will be roaming the course to assist participants who are unable to maintain the minimum pace requirement or complete the course. Participants will be transported to the finish line and offered the race recovery amenities as well as medical services, as needed.

Weather

Although we cannot predict the weather, we can provide some historical weather averages for the area on the date of the race:

• Average Low: 42F (right before sunrise at race start time)
• Average High: 65F (late afternoon)

Please remember that these are average temperatures for central Phoenix and that temperatures may be considerably cooler in the early morning hours priort to the start of the race. While we will provide gloves, we highly recommend that you come prepared for cold temperatures at the start line by layering and then shedding your layers to put in your drop bag just before the race begins.

On Course

Interactive course maps can be viewed on the courses page.

Road Closures

Motorists in the city of Phoenix and surrounding area may experience several marathon course-related street closures on Saturday, December 13, 2025. Expect traffic to be slow in and around areas impacted by the race course.

Street closures will begin at 4:00 a.m. on December 13th. Streets will re-open in stages with all streets re-opened by 2:00 p.m. Traffic will not be permitted to cross the race route during the event.

Motorists should plan ahead for possible delays. To avoid the race route completely, travelers are advised to skirt the perimeter by using the 101 Price Freeway (north and east borders); I-17 (central course area); and I-10 (south border).