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Marathon Details - Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > AZ > Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe > Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon

Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon

Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe, AZ USA

January 15, 2023

http://www.runrocknroll.com/arizona

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Race Details

The Rock n Roll Arizona 5k has a beautiful and flat looped course that starts on the iconic Mill Ave. Bridge, runs along Tempe Town Lake and finishes at Tempe Beach park with a Finish Line festival.

0K participants start with the half marathon participants, but split off at mile 2.5 to run along beautiful Tempe Town lake, down Curry Ave., and across the iconic Mill Ave. Bridge to finish at Tempe Beach Park. The 10K course is not only beautiful, it is fast! Come for the fun, and be prepared to leave with a PR!

The half marathon course is flat and fast with epic views of the valley of the sun, including Papago Park and Tempe town lake. Participants will enjoy live bands, cheer teams, spirited water stations and other entertainment along the course.

Contact Information

Name:	P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona
Address:	Competitor Group Inc. 9477 Waples St. STE. 150 San Diego, CA 92121
Phone Number:	800-311-1255
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (401)

Course 3.8

Organization 4.0

Spectators 3.9

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Number of comments: 401 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 40 > ]

J. G. from Williamsburg, VA (2/11/2020) "Well run event, course good be better." (about: 2020) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is my 1st RnR race in several years. The race was very well organized, started on time, plenty of port-a-pots, well marked course, two Gu shot areas and all music areas were live, no DJ's. The marathon and half marathon were in two different start locations. Timing and award distribution were prompt. The expo was a good size and had plenty of vendors giving out samples. The shirt and medal were nice. With plenty of motels in downtown Phoenix, getting to the expo and start line were all walkable. The light rail was also located close by the expo, start and finish, no need to drive. There are two areas that need improvement. One is the start time, 7:50am. It just gets too warm and an early start would help get most of the race in before the heat kicks up. The second issue is the course. Very little of it is in downtown Phoenix. It would have been nice to run through the city and capital area. At the end of the race, there was plenty of food. In fact, when I went to get my slice of pizza, they gave me the entire pie! Also got a free massage. Finally, my freind placed in her age grade and received a very nice award!
M. G. from AZ (1/24/2018) "All the basics covered..." (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Have run all 15 AZ RnRs-the race shrunk again this year-only 1800 (used to be over 10,000). Emphasis clearly has shifted to the half. On-time start, easy bag drop, corral mgt, mile banners, clocks, friendly volunteers. Still mostly flat with a rise at 23. Course is urban with some nice spots in Scottsdale then it's back to industrial after mile 21. Finish food was fine but missed the signs for the 'marathon zone'. Expo smaller than ever but packet pick-up was easy. Could have used a sponge stop in later miles-well into the 70s. No doubt, out-of-towners loved the full, dry sun. Medal also much smaller this time. Can tell RnR is cookie-cutter their races-it all looks formulatic. The basics are there, the course accurately measured but there's no local flavor. With dropping numbers, it wouldn't surprise me to see this race eventually go away.
R. S. from SF, CA (1/21/2018) "I had a good time" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was one of the better Rock 'n' Roll marathons that I had done so far. The field was small enough (less than 2,000 marathoners) for an efficient start line experience (I actually overslept, and woke up at 7am, one mile away from the start, but could drop off my gear bag, use a porta potty, and squeeze into my corral seconds before the start at 7:50am). Entertainment, spectators and especially the volunteers were great, though the out and back between miles 13 and 20 was a bit boring (except for Scottsdale, of course). Stretches of the course where runners and cars were only separated by traffic cones and a tape felt a little bit unsafe, as some drivers did not adequately slow down. Other than that, the course was wide and well secured. I loved the new marathon finisher zone, and enjoyed two slices of pizza and a free ten-minute massage after the headliner concert! Suggestions: 1. For out-of-towners, the course is not the most exciting, so I would have loved if the marathon course had also gone through that desert park near the finish. It looked gorgeous from the overpass. 2. Electrolyte at every aid station would be perfect. Bananas were a nice addition. 3. Signs to the light rail line back to downtown Phoenix would be nice. I was quite lost! 4. Personally (if I hadn't overslept!) I would have preferred an earlier start, maybe 7am? It got quite warm after the half marathon mark. Overall, a nice local race, but not really a destination race (except if you spend more time in the rest of Arizona, of course).
J. L. from Niagara Falls, Ontario (1/18/2018) "First Winter Marathon" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the first time I have been anywhere warm in the winter, so this was a big deal for me. To have warm sun on my skin in January almost made me forget I was there to run a marathon. Down side is, we've had such severe weather that I didn't get enough time to train prior to the race, which really slowed my time down. However, keeping with how great it felt to be outside running in January, looking at the mountains, the cactus, the spectators and just new surroundings, I didn't care about my time. I was there to explore and get away from winter for a few days. The expo was very easy to get through, and the start was easy for me to walk to. The light rail travels from the finish line back to downtown in 20 minutes and was easy to locate after the race. I'm coming back next year!
Winnie Clark from AZ (2/1/2017) "A solid event" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I hadn't run this since the inaugural race. The price on National Running Day was more reasonable than past years. Got a decent technical tee, cool medal, and finishers jacket in the bargain. Much smaller field than in 2004, but on the bright side the organization and spectator/course support were on-par with bigger events I've done. There was no way you would get hungry or thirsty on this course! Half and full have separate starts and I really enjoyed being able to warm up outside my corral a little longer than usual. You can't beat parking in the AZ Center lot and walking the short distance to the start. Downsides: you can't have anyone else pick up your bib for you at the expo, and that was pretty poor, with few worthwhile freebies. Also, like most marathons, you need to pace this intelligently. The 3:40 and 3:45 pacers both blew up, leaving most of their groups to fend for themselves. The course is definitely tougher in the last few miles, with the rollers around Papago Park. It would be nice if they would start the race 30 minutes earlier; luckily the weather this year was ideal but on a warm day you feel the heat from mile 13 on. Still, a fun event, largely due to the enthusiastic spectators. Not the cluster that a lot of RnR races have become.
D. M. from Florida (2/1/2017) "Very nice race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a good race for anyone looking for a PR, BQ, or just a nice run. The course is set up with only a few turns and one out and back road. The marathon (2,500 runners) start is at different location than the half marathon (22,000 runners). This gives you an opportunity to hit your pace right away. The overall organization was very good. The expo was a nice size and it was easy to get downtown. The starting line was set up for easy access and the race started right on time. The fan support was good at the start and finish, however, in between it was just so-so. The volunteers were great at all the water stops. The post race food and drink were very good with all you wanted. Over all, this is a great event from start to finish. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a winter marathon.
M. G. from AZ (1/18/2017) "All the basics covered..." (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Have run all 14 smaller field every year but the basics are handled well. Flat course, ample water stops, starts on time, nice medal and finisher's jacket, great volunteers. Emphasis more on the halfers they're on a separate course. Expo is smaller (no shoe companies except Brooks). Biggest bonus this year: cloud cover and mild temps start to finish. Results and photos posted quickly. Of all the RnRs this one does it best. Will be back for #15 next year...
D. G. from Michigan (1/17/2017) "Flat, Fast & Fun" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My 29th marathon and 24th different course. This was almost totally flat. I paced my wife to a BQ by more than 10 minutes. Now I just need to run 20 minutes faster somewhere else! A few decent pockets of crowd support at certain intersections. Plenty of fluid and several good bands along the course. We had a perfect day! My only nit-pick is that the 'Headliner Act' is finished playing before the average full marathoner has crossed the finish line and made their way to the venue. Is this about the marathon or the half? Shouldn't they be playing last?
Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (2/29/2016) "Easy Run in the Valley of the Sun" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:20. The Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon was my thirty-seventh 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: weather conditions at start time were 44 degrees, 76 percent relative humidity, and wind from the ESE at 5 mph. Seven corrals containing approximately 350 participants each were released approximately one minute apart from each other, thus preventing any meaningful congestion. The absence of any half marathon or relay participants during the entire race meant all of us had the same objective in mind, that was, to complete the 26.2 mile course. One could break down this race into seven easily manageable segments ranging from three to five miles each. Beginning with the start, heading west on East Van Buren Street at North 2nd Street in downtown Phoenix, we turned northbound on North 7th Avenue approximately seven-tenths of a mile into the race, and stayed on this very straight road (only one bend at mile 4) until just past mile 5. And despite some elevation gain, it likely went unnoticed by the lot of us. The second segment, from miles 5 to 8, was initiated by a right turn on West Missouri Avenue, now heading east, enabling us to view, for the first time, Camelback Mountain, the most scenic part of the course. Without exception, there were no curves to negotiate, but this time we were able to observe a slight incline during this three mile segment. Rounding to the right onto North 24th Street at the Arizona Biltmore entrance, heading south, did we begin the four-mile segment number three, enjoying a brief respite from our upward climb, only for it to be resumed (again, only marginally so) a half mile later as we headed east again on Camelback Road, another straight boulevard, marked by only one bend in the road as we were passing by Camelback Mountain on our left. Turning right on North Arcadia Drive just past mile 12, we began our four-mile fourth segment on the only stretch of the course that was in a residential neighborhood and was limited to one uncongested lane. The presence of trees alongside the roadway gave us our last opportunity for some shade as the temperature started to increase from the day-time low. Before we reached the thirteenth mile, we began our out-and-back part of the course, heading east toward Scottsdale on East Indian School Road. Due to road being parallel to the Arizona Canal, this was the only street on the course that was not straight, and therefore, the only time where it was not obvious for us to determine what the shortest course was. Beginning the four-mile segment five at mile 16, we entered downtown Scottsdale, populated by boutique shops, restaurants, and galleries, and where we managed to find ourselves on a new street heading in a new direction every city block for the next mile. Despite this, it was relatively easy to determine the course tangents. We returned to East Indian School Road, retracing our steps for the next three miles back to Phoenix, where we turned south on North 48th Street at mile 20. Segment six, lasting three miles, was on the straight (but for the chicanes) North 48th Street between East Indian School Road and East Van Buren Street. The first two miles ran parallel to a Greenbelt City Park, which provided for a small amount of scenic diversion. If we were going down in elevation, it went unnoticed. The final segment, covering the last 3.2 miles, began with a turn heading east on East Van Buren Street at mile 23. It was marked by a slight incline as we passed under SR-202, continuing alongside the Papago Golf Course. Beyond mile 24, we turned right at North Priest Road with the Phoenix Municipal Stadium, home of Arizona State University baseball, on our left before entering the city of Tempe. Turning left on West Center Drive we approached our most difficult of inclines, an overpass over the southbound side of North Mill Avenue, reaching the crest at mile 25, merging onto the northbound side of the same road. At this point, our course ran parallel to the half marathon course, but more importantly, never merged until after we reach the finish line, which occurred after crossing over Tempe Town Lake and turning right on West Rio Salado Parkway with less than two-tenths of a mile to go, with the Tempe Beach Park on our right. Weather conditions at finish time were 63 degrees, 35 percent relative humidity, and calm. ORGANIZATION: Very well organized expo with a good selection of race merchandise to choose from. Race execution from start to finish was well done. Due to a recent change in the finish line location from Arizona State University to Tempe Beach Park, thus slightly lengthening our time and distance in downtown Scottsdale, it was suspected that some of the mile markers were placed on the legacy course instead of the one we ran on, thus resulting in some inconsistent mile time splits. The speedier amongst us had to opportunity to see Better than Ezra perform at the post-race concert while simultaneously quaffing Michelob Ultra at Tempe Beach Park. SPECTATORS: Above average attendance for a race of this size, and, of course, a band playing every mile or so. The most memorable was the steel drum ensemble just before reaching mile 20. CONCLUSION: Well organized race that went off without a hitch. It was not the most scenic of race courses, but given the minimum of turns, absence of significant elevation changes, and participation limited to just marathoners, it may be one of the easiest of marathons one would encounter. Honestly, it was a pleasant surprise; well done, RnR.
D. Z. from Chicago (1/25/2016) "A fantastic, fun, well-organized race!" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the PERFECT marathon to begin the year. Everything was very organized and I really like that the half marathon and marathon were given different courses. This made it much easier for me to line up in my assigned corral at the starting line (not very crowded at all) and my family, friends and boyfriend to find me on the course. The course itself is ideal for getting a PR; pancake flat with the exception of a large hill at the end of mile 24. The course was scenic with plenty to look at. The spectators and entertainment were also great. I also appreciated that this race offered a free running tracking device for spectators to track the runners' progress. Sadly, it didn't appear to work very well and it only tracked my time at mile 20. The weather in Arizona is also perfect at this time of year for running and I enjoyed the post-race party. The only major complaints that I have is that there was an extremely limited choice of post race snacks and drinks at the finish line. The only food I saw were bananas and power bars...really disappointing. I also heard many runners complain that when they finished the race there was no chocolate milk left for them. One suggestion that I'd like to make is for there to be a medical tent with massage therapists that offer massages to the participants. This was available when I ran the Rock n' Roll St. Louis marathon and it was really helpful. I was in a lot of pain after this race and would have appreciated it. But overall, the Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon was awesome and I'd definitely run it again!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 40 > ]



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J. G. from Williamsburg, VA (2/11/2020) "Well run event, course good be better." (about: 2020) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is my 1st RnR race in several years. The race was very well organized, started on time, plenty of port-a-pots, well marked course, two Gu shot areas and all music areas were live, no DJ's. The marathon and half marathon were in two different start locations. Timing and award distribution were prompt. The expo was a good size and had plenty of vendors giving out samples. The shirt and medal were nice. With plenty of motels in downtown Phoenix, getting to the expo and start line were all walkable. The light rail was also located close by the expo, start and finish, no need to drive. There are two areas that need improvement. One is the start time, 7:50am. It just gets too warm and an early start would help get most of the race in before the heat kicks up. The second issue is the course. Very little of it is in downtown Phoenix. It would have been nice to run through the city and capital area. At the end of the race, there was plenty of food. In fact, when I went to get my slice of pizza, they gave me the entire pie! Also got a free massage. Finally, my freind placed in her age grade and received a very nice award!
M. G. from AZ (1/24/2018) "All the basics covered..." (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Have run all 15 AZ RnRs-the race shrunk again this year-only 1800 (used to be over 10,000). Emphasis clearly has shifted to the half. On-time start, easy bag drop, corral mgt, mile banners, clocks, friendly volunteers. Still mostly flat with a rise at 23. Course is urban with some nice spots in Scottsdale then it's back to industrial after mile 21. Finish food was fine but missed the signs for the 'marathon zone'. Expo smaller than ever but packet pick-up was easy. Could have used a sponge stop in later miles-well into the 70s. No doubt, out-of-towners loved the full, dry sun. Medal also much smaller this time. Can tell RnR is cookie-cutter their races-it all looks formulatic. The basics are there, the course accurately measured but there's no local flavor. With dropping numbers, it wouldn't surprise me to see this race eventually go away.
R. S. from SF, CA (1/21/2018) "I had a good time" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was one of the better Rock 'n' Roll marathons that I had done so far. The field was small enough (less than 2,000 marathoners) for an efficient start line experience (I actually overslept, and woke up at 7am, one mile away from the start, but could drop off my gear bag, use a porta potty, and squeeze into my corral seconds before the start at 7:50am). Entertainment, spectators and especially the volunteers were great, though the out and back between miles 13 and 20 was a bit boring (except for Scottsdale, of course). Stretches of the course where runners and cars were only separated by traffic cones and a tape felt a little bit unsafe, as some drivers did not adequately slow down. Other than that, the course was wide and well secured. I loved the new marathon finisher zone, and enjoyed two slices of pizza and a free ten-minute massage after the headliner concert! Suggestions: 1. For out-of-towners, the course is not the most exciting, so I would have loved if the marathon course had also gone through that desert park near the finish. It looked gorgeous from the overpass. 2. Electrolyte at every aid station would be perfect. Bananas were a nice addition. 3. Signs to the light rail line back to downtown Phoenix would be nice. I was quite lost! 4. Personally (if I hadn't overslept!) I would have preferred an earlier start, maybe 7am? It got quite warm after the half marathon mark. Overall, a nice local race, but not really a destination race (except if you spend more time in the rest of Arizona, of course).
J. L. from Niagara Falls, Ontario (1/18/2018) "First Winter Marathon" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the first time I have been anywhere warm in the winter, so this was a big deal for me. To have warm sun on my skin in January almost made me forget I was there to run a marathon. Down side is, we've had such severe weather that I didn't get enough time to train prior to the race, which really slowed my time down. However, keeping with how great it felt to be outside running in January, looking at the mountains, the cactus, the spectators and just new surroundings, I didn't care about my time. I was there to explore and get away from winter for a few days. The expo was very easy to get through, and the start was easy for me to walk to. The light rail travels from the finish line back to downtown in 20 minutes and was easy to locate after the race. I'm coming back next year!
Winnie Clark from AZ (2/1/2017) "A solid event" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I hadn't run this since the inaugural race. The price on National Running Day was more reasonable than past years. Got a decent technical tee, cool medal, and finishers jacket in the bargain. Much smaller field than in 2004, but on the bright side the organization and spectator/course support were on-par with bigger events I've done. There was no way you would get hungry or thirsty on this course! Half and full have separate starts and I really enjoyed being able to warm up outside my corral a little longer than usual. You can't beat parking in the AZ Center lot and walking the short distance to the start. Downsides: you can't have anyone else pick up your bib for you at the expo, and that was pretty poor, with few worthwhile freebies. Also, like most marathons, you need to pace this intelligently. The 3:40 and 3:45 pacers both blew up, leaving most of their groups to fend for themselves. The course is definitely tougher in the last few miles, with the rollers around Papago Park. It would be nice if they would start the race 30 minutes earlier; luckily the weather this year was ideal but on a warm day you feel the heat from mile 13 on. Still, a fun event, largely due to the enthusiastic spectators. Not the cluster that a lot of RnR races have become.
D. M. from Florida (2/1/2017) "Very nice race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a good race for anyone looking for a PR, BQ, or just a nice run. The course is set up with only a few turns and one out and back road. The marathon (2,500 runners) start is at different location than the half marathon (22,000 runners). This gives you an opportunity to hit your pace right away. The overall organization was very good. The expo was a nice size and it was easy to get downtown. The starting line was set up for easy access and the race started right on time. The fan support was good at the start and finish, however, in between it was just so-so. The volunteers were great at all the water stops. The post race food and drink were very good with all you wanted. Over all, this is a great event from start to finish. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a winter marathon.
M. G. from AZ (1/18/2017) "All the basics covered..." (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Have run all 14 smaller field every year but the basics are handled well. Flat course, ample water stops, starts on time, nice medal and finisher's jacket, great volunteers. Emphasis more on the halfers they're on a separate course. Expo is smaller (no shoe companies except Brooks). Biggest bonus this year: cloud cover and mild temps start to finish. Results and photos posted quickly. Of all the RnRs this one does it best. Will be back for #15 next year...
D. G. from Michigan (1/17/2017) "Flat, Fast & Fun" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My 29th marathon and 24th different course. This was almost totally flat. I paced my wife to a BQ by more than 10 minutes. Now I just need to run 20 minutes faster somewhere else! A few decent pockets of crowd support at certain intersections. Plenty of fluid and several good bands along the course. We had a perfect day! My only nit-pick is that the 'Headliner Act' is finished playing before the average full marathoner has crossed the finish line and made their way to the venue. Is this about the marathon or the half? Shouldn't they be playing last?
Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (2/29/2016) "Easy Run in the Valley of the Sun" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:20. The Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon was my thirty-seventh 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: weather conditions at start time were 44 degrees, 76 percent relative humidity, and wind from the ESE at 5 mph. Seven corrals containing approximately 350 participants each were released approximately one minute apart from each other, thus preventing any meaningful congestion. The absence of any half marathon or relay participants during the entire race meant all of us had the same objective in mind, that was, to complete the 26.2 mile course. One could break down this race into seven easily manageable segments ranging from three to five miles each. Beginning with the start, heading west on East Van Buren Street at North 2nd Street in downtown Phoenix, we turned northbound on North 7th Avenue approximately seven-tenths of a mile into the race, and stayed on this very straight road (only one bend at mile 4) until just past mile 5. And despite some elevation gain, it likely went unnoticed by the lot of us. The second segment, from miles 5 to 8, was initiated by a right turn on West Missouri Avenue, now heading east, enabling us to view, for the first time, Camelback Mountain, the most scenic part of the course. Without exception, there were no curves to negotiate, but this time we were able to observe a slight incline during this three mile segment. Rounding to the right onto North 24th Street at the Arizona Biltmore entrance, heading south, did we begin the four-mile segment number three, enjoying a brief respite from our upward climb, only for it to be resumed (again, only marginally so) a half mile later as we headed east again on Camelback Road, another straight boulevard, marked by only one bend in the road as we were passing by Camelback Mountain on our left. Turning right on North Arcadia Drive just past mile 12, we began our four-mile fourth segment on the only stretch of the course that was in a residential neighborhood and was limited to one uncongested lane. The presence of trees alongside the roadway gave us our last opportunity for some shade as the temperature started to increase from the day-time low. Before we reached the thirteenth mile, we began our out-and-back part of the course, heading east toward Scottsdale on East Indian School Road. Due to road being parallel to the Arizona Canal, this was the only street on the course that was not straight, and therefore, the only time where it was not obvious for us to determine what the shortest course was. Beginning the four-mile segment five at mile 16, we entered downtown Scottsdale, populated by boutique shops, restaurants, and galleries, and where we managed to find ourselves on a new street heading in a new direction every city block for the next mile. Despite this, it was relatively easy to determine the course tangents. We returned to East Indian School Road, retracing our steps for the next three miles back to Phoenix, where we turned south on North 48th Street at mile 20. Segment six, lasting three miles, was on the straight (but for the chicanes) North 48th Street between East Indian School Road and East Van Buren Street. The first two miles ran parallel to a Greenbelt City Park, which provided for a small amount of scenic diversion. If we were going down in elevation, it went unnoticed. The final segment, covering the last 3.2 miles, began with a turn heading east on East Van Buren Street at mile 23. It was marked by a slight incline as we passed under SR-202, continuing alongside the Papago Golf Course. Beyond mile 24, we turned right at North Priest Road with the Phoenix Municipal Stadium, home of Arizona State University baseball, on our left before entering the city of Tempe. Turning left on West Center Drive we approached our most difficult of inclines, an overpass over the southbound side of North Mill Avenue, reaching the crest at mile 25, merging onto the northbound side of the same road. At this point, our course ran parallel to the half marathon course, but more importantly, never merged until after we reach the finish line, which occurred after crossing over Tempe Town Lake and turning right on West Rio Salado Parkway with less than two-tenths of a mile to go, with the Tempe Beach Park on our right. Weather conditions at finish time were 63 degrees, 35 percent relative humidity, and calm. ORGANIZATION: Very well organized expo with a good selection of race merchandise to choose from. Race execution from start to finish was well done. Due to a recent change in the finish line location from Arizona State University to Tempe Beach Park, thus slightly lengthening our time and distance in downtown Scottsdale, it was suspected that some of the mile markers were placed on the legacy course instead of the one we ran on, thus resulting in some inconsistent mile time splits. The speedier amongst us had to opportunity to see Better than Ezra perform at the post-race concert while simultaneously quaffing Michelob Ultra at Tempe Beach Park. SPECTATORS: Above average attendance for a race of this size, and, of course, a band playing every mile or so. The most memorable was the steel drum ensemble just before reaching mile 20. CONCLUSION: Well organized race that went off without a hitch. It was not the most scenic of race courses, but given the minimum of turns, absence of significant elevation changes, and participation limited to just marathoners, it may be one of the easiest of marathons one would encounter. Honestly, it was a pleasant surprise; well done, RnR.
D. Z. from Chicago (1/25/2016) "A fantastic, fun, well-organized race!" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the PERFECT marathon to begin the year. Everything was very organized and I really like that the half marathon and marathon were given different courses. This made it much easier for me to line up in my assigned corral at the starting line (not very crowded at all) and my family, friends and boyfriend to find me on the course. The course itself is ideal for getting a PR; pancake flat with the exception of a large hill at the end of mile 24. The course was scenic with plenty to look at. The spectators and entertainment were also great. I also appreciated that this race offered a free running tracking device for spectators to track the runners' progress. Sadly, it didn't appear to work very well and it only tracked my time at mile 20. The weather in Arizona is also perfect at this time of year for running and I enjoyed the post-race party. The only major complaints that I have is that there was an extremely limited choice of post race snacks and drinks at the finish line. The only food I saw were bananas and power bars...really disappointing. I also heard many runners complain that when they finished the race there was no chocolate milk left for them. One suggestion that I'd like to make is for there to be a medical tent with massage therapists that offer massages to the participants. This was available when I ran the Rock n' Roll St. Louis marathon and it was really helpful. I was in a lot of pain after this race and would have appreciated it. But overall, the Rock n Roll Arizona Marathon was awesome and I'd definitely run it again!

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Marathon Details - Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon