Phoenix Marathon - Race Reviews

This was my 30th marathon and I ran a 3:33 PR at the age of 47 (female). EXPO: small, easy to navigate. You don't need to plan on spending much time here. START AREA: absolute perfection. Bus loading was very quick and efficient. It was a 30 minute ride to the start area where you were allowed to wait on the bus. There were so many portapotties, I never had to wait more than a couple of minutes to use one. There were many heat lamps, and standing around one, I got to meet other runners which was fun. In the start chute, because it's not a super big race (2500 in the full) I wasn't far from the start line even though I was lined up at the 3:35 sign. The announcer at the start line was hilarious, and the fireworks added to the element of excitement. THE COURSE: There was a lot of downhill but it was very gentle. The uphill portion was also very gentle and I had no trouble staying on my pace at all. There were not a lot of turns, but when there were, you'd see signs well in advance, to help you run the tangents. What everyone says is true, the first half is beautiful/scenic and the second half is boring (and not many spectators throughout) but for a fast road race, you can't really beat this one. The water stations were very easy to navigate and I did see volunteers handing out gels at several aid stations. Also tons of portapotties on the course. It was a very very warm day, but we were running away from the sun the whole time, which really helped. I wore a hat but not sunglasses and was fine. I finished shortly after 10 a.m. and it REALLY got warm at the finish area. FINISH LINE: as soon as I crossed the finish line I was handed a cold towel which felt AMAZING. There wasn't as much food as other races, but still, they had water, chocolate milk, bananas, fruit cups, frozen treats, cookies and pizza. My favourite part of the finish area was spending 10 minutes in the Rapid Reboot which felt incredible. This should truly be at the finish line of every marathon, for real. When I went to the result tent I was given a card with all my stats on it, as well as a BQ luggage tag for qualifying for Boston. A nice touch. My one and only complaint about this race, is the hotels. The race didn't give information about hotel deals until very very close to the actual race. The two hotels near the finish line (the Hyatt and the Sheraton) were almost as expensive as staying at the finish line of the Boston Marathon! I stayed at the Sheraton, so it was nice to be close to the buses and fairly close to the finish, but not a good area for restaurants or shopping. Overall I would 100% recommend this race, especially to anyone looking for a BQ or PR. I think the fact that I set a PR at the age of 47 on a hot day (and my 30th full) says a lot.

The organization of this race is top notch. One of the best I've ever seen. Aid stations were plentiful, pre-race communication was great, and every part of the organizing was top notch. The course was mind-numbingly boring. Endless miles of suburban sprawl. Given that it is Phoenix metro, that is pretty much unavoidable. The weather was brutal after the sun came up. No shade and just unrelenting heat. Flying in from a city with 6" of snow and 10° temps made the heat feel even worse. Factors that race directors control were great, uncontrollable variables drag the race down a bit. Still a good option for Arizona.

The marathon is officially named Mesa-PHX Marathon. It is a well organized median-sized race, about 2000~3000 full marathon runners in 2020. Half Marathon and 10K are also held on the same day. THE ORGANIZATION The expo was held in the parking lot of a shopping mall. Many vendors set up their tents there. Many free stuff. The bib pickup and T-shirt pick up was smooth. The event is a point to point race. You may park your car at the finish line. Shuttles took the runners to the start line. The boarding was quick and orderly. There were traffic police guide the traffic in the morning. Traffic was slow but moving orderly. There were fire lamps and fire pits along the start road. This was my 50th marathon. Each one was a different one. Mesa Marathon is the most human event. They kept the runners warm before the start. In case you'd like to sit in the bus, all buses were parked on the side. You may go back to sit in the bus if you prefer. The start did not have waves. All runners went to the starting 'waves' around the pacers where the time fits individuals. There were plenty of aid stations. All aid station had Gatorade in front and following with water tables. Quite a few aid station supply energy gel, banana, and orange. The finish area had plenty water and food. It would be better if signs are provided. You have to read the map or ask others to find things around, such as checked bag pickup etc. THE COURSE The course had been a mainly down hill. However, the 1.5 mile uphill from mile 4.4 to mile 5.9 was a long session of climbing. The road quality was reasonable. All were on wide asphalt roads. The event started at 6:30am when it was still dark. The day light broke near 7:00am. Not every section had light. You may consider to use headlamp or flashlight. There were mile marker along the road. However, there were no clock along the way. There were time recording points at mile 6.5, half way, mile 20. The signs at turning points are large and clear. Except at the finish area, the spectators along the road were sparse. The were some fun signs alone the road, especially in some well organized aid station areas. THE RUNNING CONDITIONS Phoenix area has desert climate. In February, it was cold before sunlight. It was sunny and no shade along the way when it is day time. It has a very low humidity. I had to water my head each time I pass a water station after I passed the halfway point. The locals may have their 'home advantage'. Overall, this is a well organized fun event.

The 2019 Mesa Phoenix half marathon was fast with great weather, scenery, support, medal and finish line area. I have run over 30 full and half marathon. Mesa Phoenix has the best support people, organization and finish line area. The 1st 20 miles of the marathon are great temperatures but it does reach the 60s by the finish. I would love if it started a half hour sooner. The earlier start date this year helped.

I went into this race hoping to BQ or at least PR as it has a net downhill. The race does have a very nice downhill in the beginning 8 km and then an uphill for about 3 km and then back down a slight hill until around halfway. The second half is very very flat. I found that the gentleness of the hills did not adversely affect my legs in any way but the flatness of the second half is relentless. The race is extremely well organized. The expo is a nice size and very efficient to get your bib and shirt. I really liked the ladies shirt- a simple black mesh tank with the Mesa Phoenix logo on the front corner. This is a shirt I will definitely wear. The expo offers marathon branded gear, different foods to try, socks, running belts, etc. Parking is adequate as you park at a shopping complex and then take a heated bus to the starting line. We were able to stay in the bus until 30 min prior to the start. Outside they had fire pits that threw off a lot of heat but I did not care for the smoke. The also had heat lamps but I found they did not throw of much heat. The temperature at the start was about 4 degrees Celsius with little wind. I wore a hoodie and a large bathrobe standing outside while waiting the last few minutes. I discarded the robe at the start ( discarded clothes go to the local shelters). I discarded the hoodie half way down the mountain. The mountain we ran down is very scenic but too bad we started out in the dark so that you could not really see the beauty of it. It was dark enough in the beginning (start was at 6:30am on Feb 9) that I was happy to run close to someone wearing a headlamp for the first few kilometres. The sun is behind you when running so sunglasses are not really necessary. I really lucked out this year as the temperatures were cool, little wind and it was cloudy that day. The signs along the route are very amusing but not many people out cheering until you get close to the finish line. The finish line experience is fantastic. Plenty of volunteers handing out waters, medals, etc in a nice long corridor where your u can cool down and stretch. There is a PR bell that you can ring and get a picture taken with (which I did -YAY!). Plenty of food handed out at the end too including a fabulous french toast from Kneaders. It looked like they had plenty on hand for the rest of the racers too. Although I did not get the BQ I was able to shave 11 min off and get a new PR. I would recommend this race for the scenery and the beginning downhill as well as the organization but warn that there is a significant uphill partway through and the second half is very flat.

First of all this is one of the best race courses that I have ever run. I've done it two years in a row. However the race organization is not conducive to having a great race. We got to the shuttle location 30 minutes early and proceeded to wait in a single file line for 30 minutes while they loaded one bus at a time. After that we got to the start and proceeded to wait in line for 30 minutes for the bathrooms. By the time we got out of the bathrooms apparently the race started without an announcement and we only noticed because they set off fireworks. By the time we got to the start everyone was gone and then we had to pass a lot of people on the side in the dark. Also water stops had Gatorade, gels then water and not very many volunteers handing out water. Things you need to set you up to have a great race are highly lacking and make for an overall disappointment. While I have recommended this course to friends in the past, based on this year I would not recommend this race which is too bad as the course lends itself for a great time.

Just ran the race this morning and have mixed feelings about this race. It is without a doubt a PR course, and I PR'd myself, however doubt I will run this race again unless changes are made. The marathon, half marathon, and 10k are all run on the same course and start at the same time. As you can imagine, slower participants in the half really clog up the course in the later stages. I found myself unable to run tangents, having to weave through other participants, and I couldn't get a drink at one aid station due to the crowds. This also makes for a very congested finish area. I would not recommend this race unless they alter start times.

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:18:47. The Sprouts Mesa-PHX Marathon was my forty-eighth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a perfect day for a marathon: weather at the start line was 36 degrees, 64 percent relative humidity, calm and clear. Owing to the earlier baseball spring training season, our earlier wilderness area start at 6 a.m. was in the dark without the benefit of street lamps the first 1.9 miles, where we entered into the eastern limits of Mesa. The first ten miles of the course took us down a total 632 feet in elevation in a mostly residential area. The descent was interrupted by a 100-foot, 1.7 mile climb beginning just past mile 4. The remainder of the course was a 249 foot drop, almost half of it between miles 11 and 14, on easy-to-navigate, straight streets as we headed in a generally west-southwest direction toward Mesa Marketplace. Finish line temperature was 51 degrees, 33 percent relative humidity, with wind from the west at 3 and partly cloudy. ORGANIZATION: Well executed event. The expo, held under the tents in the parking lot of the Mesa Marketplace, was efficient. The school bus transportation from the Mesa Marketplace to the Usery Mountain Recreation Area ran smoothly; the drivers allowed us to stay on the busses all the way up to the start time. Fire pits and heaters were present at the start to keep us warm. Traffic control was well done. SPECTATORS: Humorous signs were placed in the Red Mountain Ranch neighborhood between miles 9 and 10. Otherwise, mostly quiet. No bands to speak of. CONCLUSION: Great weather and an easy course made this an enjoyable marathon to participate in. Well done, Mesa.

Kudos to organizers for listening to runners and moving up the start time to 6am. This race just keeps getting better. Now they moved up the date by 2.5 weeks, increasing chances for perfect running weather-thanks! Fast, downhill for most of first half; flat second half. Timid crowd support. Excellent organization. Most runner friendly course I have ever run, good job MESA-PHX!

Race Expo meets everyone's needs. If you want to stay for a while and shop...you can. If you want to get in/out...you can. I really like the T-shirt....no ads....just a quality shirt with simply race logo with reflective print. My one complaint...what's with a 6:00 AM start for a mid-size point-to-point race? You have to wake up at 3:30 to get the bus in time to make it to the start! Only to find it's 34 degrees at the start! Thankfully they let us stay on the buses. Better not be on one of the last buses....because the porta potty lines are WAY long by that time. I was excited to run through the desert since I am not from the area....but alas, the sun didn't come up for about 45 minutes after the race started...so you couldn't see a thing. By the time the sun came up I was into neighborhoods. The sign posters were hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud several times. There a few sections where you run past 20+ signs (one after the other). One funnier then the next. I can't comment on the post race food as I needed to catch my return flight, so I went straight back to my hotel to shower. Crowds were not horrible. I'm not one who needs huge crowds. But I would agree with other posters that there is not huge turnout from the locals.

I ran the half and loved it. Start was cold and dark but that's the best to run in. Heaters at the start were perfect. Everyone was hyped and in a good mood. Stations were adequate. Zero spectators except maybe a few family members looking for people. The city of mesa definitely does NOT come out for this event so don't expect community support. Finish festivities were awesome. Lots of energy. Sprouts seemed like a good sponsor. 1 complaint...women got tank tops. They fit like a corset. I will be back for the full next year

This was a destination marathon for me as I traveled from Milwaukee with my son. I am early on in my quest of 50 states and this marks #9. The outdoor expo was laid out nicely and very easy to navigate. I grabbed my bib (with bag) and then proceeded to get my t-shirt. The lady grabbed my bib # out of the bag, grabbed a shirt, out it in the bag, and by the time I got back to the hotel - I realized she had given me the wrong size. Oh well, not a big deal. If you plan on doing this marathon - stay at the Hyatt....You'll spend more but it was EASY come race morning. Got on the bus at 4 am and off we went. We were able to stay on the bus for 1.5 hours as it was a little chilly out. They started the race at 6 and it was pitch black outside. A little worrisome as we were running a slight downhill and you could not see far ahead. Had a runner stopped to tie his/her shoe, there would have been a massive pileup. Nice little downhill course until around mile 4 and then you seem to go uphill for 2 miles which takes a lot out of you early on. After mile 6, you experience more downhill but it levels out soon and after that, it's pretty flat. The course itself was very devoid of spectators and the scenery was nothing special. Living in the Midwest, it is cool to see the desert but I would imagine that everyone else would have been bored. All in all - the advertisements of a truly fast course are a little misleading. The course itself is nothing special. The organization is spot on as we/I had no issues - other than the shirt. Would I recommend this race? Probably....but I am not raving about it like some of the others I have done. Lastly, no beer at the end?

You guys rock with this event. Probably is the excitement due to I've got a PR and I ran my marathon barely under 3:00, but this race has been for me one of the best organized, serious runner-oriented, and yet a friendly marathon. Now I love small to mid-size marathons and please keep it this size. Excellent Expo and flawless packet-pick up This year weather was perfect, dry, almost no wind at all, 45 to 60 degrees at 10 am. As an out-of-towner, I stayed at Hyatt Place, 200 yards from where I took the bus to the start line, which it was the best choice when I could see the lines of the locals trying to park and get the bus ( after the race, 400 yards from finish-line to hotel). Parking seems to be an issue. The start line is awesome with fireworks and heaters for cold weather, altough we could stay at the bus all the time before the race, no corrals needed, educated runners keep enough room for faster runners according to the pace-makers, gorgeous sunrise and landscape when it starts, first half with a good downhill and affordable uphill, second half completely flat with very smooth downhill at the end. Plenty of water stations with water, power gels and gatorade. Beautiful medal, very friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. Post-race party is excellent, lots of food, they have a french toast ready for you when you finish (forget the medal and give me two french toasts), there are optional food-trucks too, and they have a free official hat for all the Boston Qualifiers and free race pictures for all the runners. Congratulations !!

I traveled from Texas in pursuit of a BQ, and this course and the weather did not disappoint! I understand from previous comments that last year (2016) was too warm, but this year was perfect running weather. I had no issues with the shuttle bus because I got there very early, which also afforded me immediate access (twice!) to the porta-potties. I stayed on the warm bus until time to warm up. The course is a perfect opportunity to bank some time at the beginning due to a lot of down hill (not too steep) sections before the course flattens out. It had the best finish line experience I have experienced in all my marathons. Great food, festive atmosphere, massages, foam rollers, vendors. Getting out the parking lot was a challenge, but that was literally the only bummer of the entire weekend. The expo was easy in-easy out. I loved the experience. It lived up to all that I hoped it would be for me.

I ran the full marathon this year (2016), and two years ago, our family ran the 10k (two runners, including me) and full (1 runner.) I never reviewed it then but feel the need to this year. Positive points: 1. Downhill, fast course. Many BQ here. I got a PR. 2. No corrals! 3000 runners in the full so you all start at the same time. Runners are all speeds so no one is really left alone on the course. 3. The expo is getting bigger each year. 4. The food post-race is great. There was free French toast, BBQ sliders, Muscle Milk, bananas. Food trucks (you must pay) were around. It finishes in a big shopping center with tons of restaurants, a McDonald's, etc. You can walk to eat. 4. You can walk back to your hotel as there are two hotels near the finish line. Sheraton is the host hotel but is farther away than the Hyatt. The Sheraton feels like it's 5mi away after you run 26.2 and your legs are tired. Stay at the Hyatt if you can since it's right next to the finish line. 5. There was a contest for best aid station and some of them were really fun. 6. Weather is nice and cool for the first two hours of the race. 7. Relatively cheaper than other full marathons if you register early. Bad points: 1. Course had no shade. It is run on the right hand side of the roads. If they move it to the left side, you'd get shade. Temps reached 80F this year so plan accordingly if you run it next year. They did have two sprinkler stations but that was it. No ice, and the water at aid stations was not cold. Be prepared. 2. I got there early and had no issue with parking. But I heard a lot of other runners got stuck in traffic and were worried since buses to the starting line were supposed to stop at 5:15. To their credit, I heard the race organizers extended the bus cutoff and waited for runners stuck in traffic. But that clearly needs improvement for next year. 3. Course is flat and the crowds are great but the course is pretty monotonousit's sadly not as scenic as advertised. 4. This is minor, but there is no shade at all in the parking lot where the finish line/after party is, and it is HOT. And they make you walk way across the parking lot to get your dropped bags. It's minor but annoying and would be nice if they at least had tents for eating/reuniting with family and/or put the bags closer. 5. This should not matter, but it does. I am really big on medals and race shirts. The medals rocked this year, but the shirts they just cannot get right. In 2014, they were too small. In 2015, they were too small. This year, the men's were too small and the womens's were too big even though they were both made by the same company(??). I wouldn't care except NO SHIRT EXCHANGES. They told me at the expo that they only ordered the *exact* number of race shirts for each participantno more, no less. So, no exchanges pre-race. We all had to drop off our unworn shirts at bag drop, pick them up, and then hope there were extras after. Which there weren't in most sizes. Lots of frustrated and disappointed runners. Worst of all, they lose out on the free advertising because who can wear a shirt that doesn't fit? And I received no apologies for this and was literally told that, 'These are Nike shirts and many runners are telling me they like the looser fit.' Except if I wanted a looser fit, I would have ordered a different size. Plus, I wear a small in Nike, and this ain't no Nike small shirt, and I'm not a Khardasian so I'm really big on 'side boob'! Next year's runners: Order a size down if you are a woman, and a size up if you are a man. Although, they never keep the supplier/manufacturer consistent so it's a gamble. I wish they would just charge everyone $5 more and order extra shirts.

I disagree that this is a mediocre marathon - I thoroughly enjoyed it overall! Some pluses and minuses to address: The expo was smaller than expected, and a little crowded, but nice - a lot of free samples and swag, including Muscle Milk, acai bowls, gels, etc. Packet pickup was easy, and they were handing out course maps and maps for where to find the buses on marathon morning. The main downfall at the 2016 BMO Harris Bank Phoenix Marathon was the horrific, disorganized traffic jam on marathon morning - from runners trying to park to catch the buses to the starting line. Buses ran from 4am to 5:15am. Thankfully, I was being dropped off by my husband so I jumped out of the car while still in the traffic jam, and ran to the buses (We hit the traffic at 4:30am, and I jumped out of my car at 4:50am to find the buses) - I do not think I would have caught a bus if I had to wait in the traffic jam to park. As my bus left around 5 am, I could not believe the number of cars still backed up on the highway. I heard of many runners who ran to catch the last bus and got to the marathon start line AFTER the marathon had begun. Enough about the infamous traffic jam - I'm sure race organizers will address that problem next year. There are no corrals at the start - just pace groups to line up with. Fireworks at the beginning was an awesome touch! The start line and first 4 miles out in the cacti-laden desert watching the sunrise among the mountains is absolutely BEAUTIFUL, then the scenery becomes pretty boring from then on...mainly residential areas. I felt a LOT of downhill in the first half of the race, but the second half is pretty flat. There is not much spectator support. I thought the aid stations were extremely well-manned and had a ton of volunteers handing out plenty of gatorade/water/gels/fruit. There were tables full of sunscreen and other essentials for the heat. The finishing chute was GREAT! So fun to end on! And I will rave all day about the FOOD at the finish...Famous Daves BBQ, amazing French toast with caramel syrup, popsicles, fruit, acai, etc. The only downside was that everything at the finish was not well-marked, so I had a hard time finding where to pick up my drop bag, etc. The medal is awesome. I think this is a great BQ course, as long as you are focused on your pace you won't mind the somewhat boring 2nd half of the course. I do recommend this race - it was a lot of fun and I had a good experience! But I don't think I will run it again unless the course changes a bit. I prefer a bit more scenery!

Solid mid-size event. Full, half, and 10K. Easy packet pick-up, priced well, good shirt, simple expo. Efficient buses to start, easy bag drop, on-time start. First 5 downhill, long hill to 6, then more downhill to mile 9. Flat to 25 then downhill to end. Starts in nice 'hood then winds through older, weathered suburbia. Few spectators but aid stops plentiful and enthusiastic. Finish line tons of food. A PR is possible but it depends on weather, this is a dry, desert, sunny city, you must heed the conditions and adjust accordingly. Well-marked, wide streets, excellent volunteers - well done!

Unbelievable that organizers had no contingency plan for the high temps expected in the 2016. No ice chips, no cold sponges in the last 4-5 miles of a course run in Phoenix heat is inexcusable. People started falling like flies after mile 19. Spectator support was near non existent. Running alongside the car fumes/vehicle noise in downtown Mesa was awful. By far most boring course in Arizona (I have run the AZ rock and roll and Tucson Marathons); sure, the scenery for miles 1-4, and 8-10 is superb, but after that, you're stuck with run-down buildings (the last 3 miles of the course are depressing). It's not as fast as advertised, only downhill portions are miles 1-4, 6-8 and 9-10, after that it's down to your standard city 'flatness' with some slight inclines the rest of the way. The finish line is one of the worst I've ever encountered-in a shopping center's parking lot, cramped spaces, very limited shade (crossed finished line around 10 am, and trying to find shade in this area while your body is taking a beating from the Phoenix sun was a challenge). Very small expo and bland marathon merchandise. Only positive thing to say is that the finish area had abundant food and the first 10 miles had decent scenery. This is not AZ's premier marathon. You want to a scenic race with much cooler temperatures, good organization and with some downhill portions, I recommend the Tucson Marathon.

There is a lot to like about this relatively small (2,000 runners) marathon, especially its excellent logistics and runner-friendly attitude. What I liked: 1. Bib pickup quick and easy with a nice, but small, exhibit area. 2. Post race area had nice variety of snacks, beverages and fantastic massage tents with almost no wait. 3. Water stations very well done with lots of water, gatorade and multiple gu stations. 4. Fast course, although feels less downhill then their website elevation chart indicates. Definitely feel the downhill on the first half, but the second half feels flat, not down. Also, the hill at mile 5 is a bit higher and longer than the website indicates. Still, this is a fast course that drops 1,000 feet from start to finish - can't argue with that. It's fast. 5. Pacers. For a small marathon, they had a good number of pace groups and the ones I saw seemed to be doing a good job. 6. Medal and shirt. Both very nice. 7. Start area logistics. Bus trip was easy with lots of parking at the pickup area. Start area itself had heaters and campfires. A hint - it is colder than you think up in the foothills. Bring disposable Goodwill sweats to stay warm. People who showed up in singlets and shorts looked miserable, even with the heaters. What I didn't like: 1. Lack of crowds. Except at the fluid stations and a few corners and the finish, crowds were light. That's kind of the nature of the sprawling nature of the Phoenix area. It's not First Avenue in Manhattan. 2. First half of course was a pretty run through the desert, second half was a little boring, mostly through condos developments. Might be nice to swing through downtown Mesa in a future race. Overall, a great experience. I highly recommend it for those looking for a fast race - I was able to BQ with plenty of time to spare and took 6 minutes of my marathon PR. I think this marathon could/should get bigger - there was plenty of room on the roads and plenty of room at starting area as well. A few more runners might add some more excitement, crowds and buzz. Well done, organizers. Keep up the good work. And thanks.

The Good The organization from the expo,busing to the start line and finish line were all well done. The fireworks at the anthem and again at the start were awesome! The first few miles of the course were nice even the early uphill was ok. The shirt and medal were top notch. The volunteers at the water stops were outstanding! The Bad These is not the downhill course they sell it as. I was expecting more of the course to be in the canyon which was beautiful.Even the early uphill is fine. But the becomes mostly flat and boring. Taking you through housing tract after housing tract.Boring! The wind is not there fault but it was brutal. The lack of spectators was disappointing. The Ugly The expo in the parking lot is alright but having the race finish in one is horrible. They need to find a school or a park nearby to finish the race in. It's not a downhill course. Try St George, California International, Utah Valley or Mountains 2 Beach Marathons if you want a downhill course. The course is not bad other than a little boring.It's just not a downhill run.

Race was well organized. Expo was smaller but good. Loved getting a deal on last year's shirts for $5 many of which didn't include the year! Race morning was early, but the buses took you out to starting point. Heaters and bonfires were nice, but almost not enough of them to keep everyone warm. First part of marathon course was great-scenic and downhill. Lack of spectators up there was made up for by the scenery. Missed a beautiful Phoenix sunrise due to the clouds. Course became less scenic as you went on and spectators were fewer and far between. Water stops had lots of enthusiasm though. Best part was the post-race foodso many healthy(!) snacks I coudln't believe it.

Great event for runners in several distances. Very impressed. Expo was nicely done. Packet Pick Up was quick and easy. I love the race shirt. It doesn't have all kinds of sponsors all over it. It is a running shirt that will be worn many times over. It is an early race due to busing to the start. However there were no issues with the buses to the race start. Nice warming heaters and fires at the start to keep us warm. Yes, some of the race route was boring. Not many spectators on the course. But everything else about the race makes up for that. BMO Phoenix Marathon - I highly recommend this race. The medal is high class. The Finish Line also was very well done. Great food and lots of vendors. Loved IT!!

The best part of this race was the wonderful people running it. The race founder, Brad, was so kind and helpful when he found me a hotel room after my reservation was not honored by the Dobson Ranch Inn and Suites (DO NOT STAY THERE). He even gave me a ride to the hotel. He is my hero. Then some volunteers gave me a ride back to the hotel after the race. I love the women's singlet (better than the standard race shirt). The water stations were staffed by very enthusiastic volunteers. The only negative is that the course is not as downhill as I was led to believe from the website. The weather was perfect as it was cloudy but there was definitely a very strong headwind.

Friendly, intimate, and fun. Easy packet pick-up, organized buses to the start. Excellent shirt and medal. An army of helpful, smiley volunteers throughout. Starts on time. Tons of water and Gu stops. Nice downhill stretches and only one long uphill at 4.5. Lucky with the cloud cover this year but the unusual headwinds tested your nerve for the three southbound legs. Early 6:30 start helped. Huge finish line festival; results posted immediately. Can't beat the low price either. Updated emails/FB posts daily. About 2000 runners so you're never alone nor crowded out. Will be back for #4 next yeargreat job!

Organization was first class. Expo was small but adequate. Buses pickup can be improved by better markings and maps handout maybe? Tons of runners were looking for buses from all different locations. The post race food and support were the best I ever seen, you can eat until you drop. Staff were so pleasant and supportive. Surprised this was only their third year doing this. Course on the other hand is not as fast as it looks on the elevation map. I have done few downhill 'fast' courses, Ojai, CIM, Tucson, Big Cottonwood and Utah Valley. From the elevation map, I thought only from mile 4-6 were gradual uphill, but the second was not downhill as it appears. The second was actually more gradual uphill in 2 different places and they were long Stretches. Mile 4-6 were long uphill which I prepared for. I lost 45 seconds per mile from my race pace During those 2 miles. But you can catch it up from the downhill right after mile 6. Bad head wind showed up on the second half as you were running uphill. That stretch reminds me of that uphill section in Santa Barbara, but not as steep as San Diego's. Second half was the ugliest half I ever run. Only run around Mesa's neighborhood. CIM is a much better course than Phoenix as the rolling hills there were short and does help break up the downhill, where as in Phoenix (in Mesa actually) were miles of long ups. I would actually prefer Utah Valley more as their second half was all gradual downhill with no surprises. If you are running this race, make sure you train 2-3 miles of uphill as well. The host hotel stay is a must as it is right at the center of the race with 3:30 am breakfast included and race buses pickup couple blocks away. The fireworks at the start line by the gun ranch was very cool, good amount of camp fires and lamps to keep us warm. Music and announcers were fun but not too entertaining. Maybe next year just play music and announce things that are important. The announcer telling her runner husband to keep running so he can stay hot for her doesn't sound too attractive to the rest of us at 5:30 in the morning. I look at this race as a good training race for Boston's second half Section. If you train for this course correctly, it is a good course to get PRs and BQed.

This is a nice winter marathon. I can not believe that it is only the 3rd year of this race. The organization was top notch. The bus pick up to start was flawless. Heat lamps and camp fires were a nice touch. I thought the course to be a bit boring and drab but the swag at the after race was second to none. A great race. I would recommend for any looking to knock Arizona off of the 50 state quest.

This was a wonderful marathon. Excellent organization in both shuttling runners to the start and having a well-oiled expo. The fan support was enthusiastic and the course was scenic and fast.

One of the best organization I have seen, buses to the start worked perfectly, the course is fast, hydration tables are well loaded, they gave gels at 4 points on the race (never seen that before), lots of food , water, recovery drinks and massage tables at the end with a very nice family fair just at the finish line. I did a PR and BQ even after facing the rain and some headwind, finished 10 seconds faster that in the Chicago marathon. This marathon is going to grow very fast. The only thing I would change is related to the chips, saw a lot of people with bleeding nipples because of the weight of the number/chipset that hanged from their shirts.

Before the race started they announced that 14% of the 2013 field qualified for Boston. This course is so fast I would have expected more BQers. Coming from Portland Oregon, the Phoenix Marathon weather was perfect. the rain soaked us 5 minutes before the race began and sprinkled again about a half hour into the run. I finished the race dry. The previous two days was mostly sunny and 81 degrees. Thank you weather Gods for giving us cooler/perfect temps. The course was scenic and fast. Passing through downtown Mesa was great, the desert overall beautiful, and the Orange Groves smelled fantastic. I'm glad there was a slight uphill portion of the course from miles 4.5-6 for some variation. Organization was good, expo was small but sufficient, aid station volunteers had big smiles and enthusiasm. Bus shuttles were easy and early in the morning. Bring a snack for the ride. The pace group leaders I saw were spot on. The host hotel is highly recommended. They set up early breakfast for marathoners which offered grilled food, oatmeal, etc. While it is located at mile 26 (awesome) it's also very close to the Chicago Cubs training camp baseball stadium. I wish I would have known this earlier and caught a game or two. Only negatives for me were mentioned below: Terrible timing chip, that sucker is huge and the traffic situation at the end of the race. I've run marathons in many states and this marathon ranks up there with anything else. I'm going back to Boston for the 4th time. Cold weather residents, come to Phoenix for this fabulous winter marathon.

I think this is still a fairly new marathon for the area. Mostly, it's pretty well organized with just tiny fixable glitches. My friend in Phoenix talked me into flying down from the frigidness of Minneapolis. I was a little worried it'd be hot after reading reviews here and on blogs. Not that 60s and sunny is terrible, but coming from training in the Polar Vortex, that is a tough quick adjustment for the body to make. But we were in luck! It was a crappy rain at the start for a few miles and drizzle through maybe mile 6, then it stopped. The sun stayed away the entire race and I'm a mid-packer (just under 3:55) so it was nice because there is NO SHADE on this course. Just beware if sun is predicted and you overheat easily. Perhaps two hours after the race, sun peeked through making for a very enjoyable recovery afternoon and nice respite from the cold of the Midwest. Backing up, the shuttles to the start of the race were well organized. Many buses available. We were told to show up at the shuttle pickup, which is on the other side of the strip mall where the expo is held, at 4a. We didn't really need to do that but we catnapped in the car and got on a bus to get to the start area by 5:30sh. The start area was full of heat lamps, thankfully, and had lots of port o pots. The DJ was a little over the top, but I'm not a morning person. The start area could've used more signage to show bag drop off and to show where you actually go line up, especially because it was still dark. Enjoyed the fireworks send off. The first part is downhill, except for the gradual hill b/t 4-6. I fell off pace here but found a gradual hill easier to handle than a long steep hill, plus it slows down your pace if you've been going too fast. Immediately after you pass the 6 marker, it goes straight down so you can catch up a little. Weather was good but this was not my day in the end. I chugged through the second half like I was on a dreadmill. It's a mostly flat 2nd half. Unlike what you see on the elevation chart, it's not as downhill as that conveys. The downhill is so gradual that it feel flat and until the very end, where there is an actual downhill, it can feel tough on the legs to have no terrain change. I guess I wasn't mentally prepared and kept waiting for some 'downhill help' to get back on pace again. The people in my group who ran BQs or PRs on the course also said they found the second part flatter than expected. Not a bad thing but just something to better prep for. Fans were about average in terms of how many turned out, though I felt really zoned out, during this race. And the rain is to AZ like a blizzard is to MN so understandably not many fans came out in the beginning. Lots of kids out cheering. I usually love the energy of the fans but I think I got caught up in my Garmin to notice/enjoy this race. We did pass many Megachurches which had good turnout. Definitely could use some booming music during some spots on the course where it was more industrial. Fellow runners were friendly, unlike the RnR San Diego race last spring. I didn't meet anyone to run with for a stretch but most were friendly giving each other smiles or good jobs along the way. Cheer and water stops were good. I enjoyed the oranges starting at 11 I think. I don't know if it's the dryness but I did feel the need for an extra bump outside my planned shot block intakes so the oranges helped. GUs were given out too starting in the 2nd half. Some water stations were shorter than others so you had to move around the runners who just stopped at stations even if you ran to the last water person. Volunteers here were good at yelling out where the Gatorade was and where the water was. I liked the race was small enough so my friends and I easily met and saw each other at the finish line. Being from out of town, I was a little worried about meet up since there's no family meet up area like larger marathons. However, the finish area could use more signage to direct runners to bag pick up and post race food. The finish area is compact but kind of feel likes a blob w/o good direction or signs of where to go. Not much post race food, just plain sarah lee bagels, fruit cups and some choc covered pretzels. Did appreciate receiving water right at the finish line. Would also love to see some of that yummy Shamrock Chocolate Milk Phoenix has to offer at the finish! Once we found bag pick up, it was organized and efficient. The timing chips were the size of the bib and way too big! I was glad the chips were recyclable but I'd advise the D- or B-tag system. Overall, this is a well organized race that will only get better with cosmetic fixes. Hope they keep the size as is. Good small to midsize race and never felt lonely. I was very thankful to be quick enough to make it across some of the intersections not closed down. The race day weather may have been a downer for local folks, but for us coming from the Midwest or Northeast, it was a treat for racing and the only 'bad' weather day of the weekend. The expo was fun for us since it was held outside, and it was low 70s. No major vendor for GUs, blocks or things like that so you had to hope Sports Authority had what you needed if you forgot your fuel. Great shirts too. If I can be superficial, the ladies would've liked their arm warmers to be orange too. But seriously, the swag was nice and not over the top so you know your money must be going mostly to the race and foundation.

Back in November, I felt inspired to train for a spring marathon. After looking on marathonguide.com, I found this race, and boy, I am glad I found it! I traveled from the Chicagoland area during the worst winter of my life, and Arizona was so welcoming. The race is everything it was advertised to be - organized, scenic, and downhill. I stayed at the host hotel in Riverview Mesa, which I would highly recommend to anyone coming in from out of town. The hotel was located at the 26 mile marker with only .2 miles to the finish line - so convenient. The busses left from Riverview Mesa between 4:00-5:00am, and got us to the start line with plenty of time to spare. The starting line was full of heating lamps, bag check at the start line (they transported bags to the end), and fireworks during both the national anthem and the start of the race. The beginning of the race was drizzly, and it drizzled again a few miles into the race, but it was refreshing. On a sunny day, I could imagine that it could get very warm as there is NO shade on the course. That being said, the first half of the race was incredibly downhill (with a gradual uphill from miles 4-6) and scenic. Coming from the frigid midwest, there were plenty of palm trees, cacti, and citrus trees to look at and enjoy during the run. The second half wasn't as scenic, but overall there were very few turns with some nice, long, straight stretches. There weren't too many spectators, but I'm guessing this is mostly in part to the impending rain. Aide stations were placed every 2 miles for the first 20 miles, and then every 1 mile thereon. Perfect timing of aide stations. I even got an 11 minute PR after 4 years of trying! Thanks for the great experience, Phoenix!

Ran the Phoenix Marathon for the first time this morning. The course is what you would expect by looking at the elevation chart on their website, a good decline in the first half and almost flat in the second half. The spectators were all really great, just not too many of them. I do however give them a mulligan on this one though because is was rainy here and there throughout the morning. Speaking of rain, it was raining before the race began and it was really nice that the race start was at a shooting range where there were plenty of overhangs to get under to stay dry right up until race start. My only real complaint about the race is the BIG timing chip on the back of the bib number. The chip is almost the size of the bib and after jostling and bumping up and down for 26.2 miles it had ripped two small holes in my shirt, same as in other races that use the big timing chip. Please race organizers, switch to the smaller ones that go on your shoes next year!!

Almost everything about this course is great. The first half is very scenic, it takes a nice jog through downtown Mesa, the starting and recovery areas are phenomenal, and you have plenty of company. At the beginning of March, the weather is probably going to be perfect, and you have the whole winter to train. Furthermore, the finisher medals and technical shirts are fantastic. The only problem with this race is all the traffic near the end of the course. They don't block off the roads completely, so what you get is hundreds of idling, ticked off drivers with their cars spewing exhaust where you are running. Other than that, it is excellent.

The Phoenix Marathon is a beautiful and fast course with excellent event organization. I ran a PR and BQ (3:07) on this course and I highly recommend this marathon for anyone trying to qualify for Boston or seeking an enjoyable marathon experience. I loved the t-shirt design, the pre-race party, the course, and the spectators. This is a gradual downhill course that finishes 883 ft below the start. I opted not to where sunglasses as the course runs east to west and never directly into the sun. The temperature was around 65 degrees when the race started.

Ran the half marathon and had a 4 minute pr. Great shirt, fast course, really nice medal and tons of food and entertainment at the finish area. The route was not pretty but it was speedy. The race started very early but the temps were perfect as was running with the sun behind us the entire way. The buses worked very smoothly but there could have been more signage when driving into the parking area where we met the buses. There were not nearly enough portapotties at the half start area. This is a race I would happily return to. Cannot same the same for the mega marathon in Arizona where I have done the half and the full. Never again.

This marathon was put together very nicely. I was leary having to ride the bus, but it went smoothly. Loved the fireworks and bagpipes at the start. Great course. Only complaint is I think there could have been a few more water stations. Also at one intersection the police officer was actually stopping runners to let traffic thru. Loved the cool washclothes at the end. Definately a life saver! Post race festivities were great.

PROS 1. Shuttles to the start were efficient, plenty of porta potties, bag drop-off well organized 2. Fun pre-race patter and plenty of room to warm up at the top of the mountain (although being asthmatic I could have done without all the fires-it wasn't that chilly of a morning) 3. Fireworks after the anthem and a bagpiper--classy touches 4. The 3:45 pace leader was encouraging and committed to helping the pace group achieve their finish time (wish I could have stayed with him longer!) 5. First half is nice. Be careful on the downhills, and the subsequent miles 4-6 which are almost all uphill. I tried to be careful but still ran the first 4 miles too fast and felt it later in the race. 6. Outstanding volunteers CONS 1. Hotels near the marathon are overpiced, even if you book way ahead of time. 2. Traffic. I didn't enjoy the 2nd half of the course. Runners were coned off on the right side of the road, running with the traffic. I was almost hit by a car at an intersection just after mile 17. Made me paranoid during the rest of the race. 3. Bag pick-up should be inside the recovery zone, not on the other side of the parking lot. I was having breathing problems and cramping up the last 6 miles of the race, it was a warm day, and I really didn't enjoy having to track down my bag.