Tucson Marathon - Race Reviews

The parts of the first and all of the last half are along a 4 lane highway, which is straignt so you have the same view for a long long time. The course is net downhill but it is gentle so you don't notice it, there are a few uphills to suprise you. I stayed at the host hotel, the special rate made it a good deal and worth it, especailly as a desitination race. The orgainization was good, there was a new race director in 2022. The buses drop you off a 10 minute walk from the start. You can stay on the bus until you are ready for port-o-potties which are at the start, so bring warm clothes. There is a drop bag. Pros + net downhill, but gradual + good organization + we had good weather 32-60 Negatives - mostly on 4 lane highway - view does not change - sometimes on the shoulder which was uneven Glad I did it, not sure I would repeat,, a long trip from the east coast, but a fun special event

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:22:52. The Tucson Marathon was my fifty-eighth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: 44 degrees, wind from the west at 5 mph with gusts up to 11 mph, and 50% relative humidity. The race, which began in Coronado National Forest just east of Oracle, was punctuated by a 300 foot drop in elevation the first mile. Shortly afterward, our five mile westward trek returning to and going through Oracle was met with undulating hills. At mile 6, we entered onto SR77, sometimes occupying one lane and other times being restricted to the shoulder, always going downhill, with vistas of the Catalina Mountains on our left, until passing mile 23 with the sole exception of a three mile out-and-back on Biosphere Road beginning at mile 10, represented by rolling hill terrain. The remainder of the course was mostly represented by running in almost a complete two-mile square represented by some slight inclines and declines to our finish line at the Catalina fire station, approximately 2000 feet lower in elevation from our starting point. Weather at the finish was 71 degrees, wind from the west northwest at 1 mph with gusts up to 5 mph, and 44% relative humidity. ORGANIZATION: Well organized. Expo was small but efficient. Motor coach transport from the host hotel went smoothly; also, we were given the opportunity to stay on the bus until minutes before the race start. Course support went without difficulty. Return bus service to both general parking lot and host hotel went without difficulty as well. SPECTATORS: Given most of the marathon route was on a state highway, there was little opportunity for spectators to be present. Some Oracle locals came out of their houses to cheer us on. CONCLUSION: A nice, quiet, mostly downhill run without many distractions. Well done.

I enjoyed this marathon although some of the organization is a little strange. Buses depart a parking lot by the medical center between 4:45 and 5:10 am for a marathon that starts at 7:00 am. We arrived at the start more than 1.5 hrs early. Most stayed on the buses a while. Why so early? We had warm conditions around 45 at the start and around 72 by noon by the finish but plenty of course support with gels, orange sections, and clif bars I think. At the finish a volunteer read my bib number, found my drop bag and brought it to me so I didn't even have to look for it. Awesome. No steak and eggs at the finish but PB & J on flatbread hit the spot and water, bananas, etc. there.

Now I know why this marathon has steadily seen a decline in finishers for the past few years. Brutal course, brutal weather past 9 am. Run about half the course on the shoulder of a highway. But, well organized, and aid stations are well stocked and great volunteers. Will not run again. Tucson could have a more city-street marathon in January with a 6 am start

The first 10K of this course is my favorite, starting on a dirt road and winding up and down (mostly down) rolling hills. Then we got to the highway, and while the race organizers had blocked off the shoulder and often one lane of traffic, we were still running on a sometimes busy road. The mostly downhill course makes for a faster time, even with some uphill toward the end. The mountains in the distance are inspiring, but I found this a boring course after the first 10K. The organization is top notch and the water stop volunteers excellent. Having to take a bus to the start and back from the finish adds in extra time so plan ahead.

Don't let the first 10 miles lure you in. Seriously. Don't. Once you hit Biosphere road you will be in for a rude wake up call. I tried to 'bank time'. The classic rookie mistake. I gave back 9 minutes in the 2nd half. This course ROLLS. Make no mistake. Could just be the toughest course I've ever done. Our bus driver got lost in the morning. Why does this keep happening? Bottom line would I have done it knowing what I know now? No. Don't come here chasing a BQ. Do the training and find a flat/moderate course. This course had ZERO shade. That desert sun beating you in the face for 3 hours doesn't help. Wow and those last 2 miles were absolute torture. Did we really need more hills here. Holy smokes.

Have run the AZ Rock and Roll and Phoenix Marathon. Tucson Marathon is above these Phoenix Area Marathons due to its much cooler weather, much better scenery and smaller size. This is not a race for the 6 hour Run Disney crowd-has challenging hills in the beginning, middle and end. Volunteers are fantastic. All stations are well stocked and organized. The scenery is gorgeous-much better than the Phoenix Marathon. Buses up to start line are great. Weather is near perfect most of the time. But, crowd support is near non existent and you run a significant portion on highway shoulder. Train for hills. Will run it again this year-this is a race for those who love a challenge in small race.

I mistakenly followed the organizer's claims that this is a PR course, flat, fast, even a BQ qualifier. There are a few downhill sections. But the uphills add significant elevation gain. The out-and-back was a combination of long uphills and downhills, right smack in the middle of the race. By the time you hit some flats and the last few downhills, the sun was high and beating in my face. Not as advertised, I would say.

I was a little nervous about running this race, but it turned out to be one of my favorites. Running through the desert as the sun comes up over the ridge is a very zen experience. It was very peaceful and relaxed - definitely not your standard marathon experience. There was a water and restroom stop every mile. The sponsors had their water stops later in the course, and were very enthusiastic and supportive at a time when I needed it. Yes, there is a hill toward the end, but it's not a big one and to be honest, I was ready for some different terrain. Buses were fast and efficient, lots end of the race goodies were available (pb&j!), and I am writing this review as I get ready to register for this year's event. Do it!

I love Tucson, and the Santa Catalina Mountains are inspiring and drop dead beautiful. This course wraps around the north/west portion of them, so that was the highlight. Unfortunately it's the only highlight. The course itself is horrible. Much of it is run along the shoulder of a major highway which is canted. IT problems anyone? If you have issues running on uneven roads stay away from this one. Hills were not an issue - just suck it up. One would think in this beautiful city there would be better course options. Very disappointing.

The Marathon's website describes the course as, 'This is primarily a downhill marathon, with some hills around mile 2-4, and mile 11-12 and 22-23.(Again, there are some rolling hills and inclines between miles 2-4 and miles 10-12, as well as between miles 22-23).' That is a technically accurate description. Pay attention to the website's hill warnings. I think a more fitting description is: 'A net downhill course, but some downhill portions are punishing and the uphills (especially at mile 22) are sadistic.' The first two miles are a steep downhill where you can easily go out too fast with unfortunate consequences later in the race. The next four or so miles are annoying rolling hills, and then the road becomes flat to a slight decline until mile 10. At mile 10, you turn on to the road leading to the Biosphere for two miles of basically uphill and then turn around and go downhill those same two miles. At this point, I started to feel a calf cramp and knew the remaining 12 miles were going to be painful. (At one point in the race, I had both calfs and quads cramped simultaneously.) From mile 14 to about 22, the course is a manageable downhill, but unfortunately for me the first 14 miles so affected my legs that by about mile 20 the 3:15 pace group passed me. (I had passed them at mile 6.) At mile 22, to add insult to injury (literally), comes another mile or so basically uphill portion. Who does that at this point of a marathon? The remaining three miles are generally flat to a slight incline at times and, again who does this, the last tenth of a mile is a slight incline. I missed my BQ time by one minute thirty-one seconds, so admittedly I'm bitter. And, four days later, I can still feel the lactic acid in my quads and calfs. So, that's a more realistic description of the course and, if you don't like or train for hills, the downsides. On the positive side, it's a well organized course, logistics are excellent, volunteers are great and the first eight or so miles are of beautiful desert scenery.

Pre race: there was a nice sunrise, & a full moon on the opposite horizon to gaze at. The morning was chilly, bring layers of clothing you can shed. Be ready for the hills at the end. Post race: the host hotel/resort was a fantastic place to unwind, & socialize with other runners by the pool in the warm afternoon sun.

Overall, I thought this was a well-organized, small race. The expo was simple- quick and easy to pick up your stuff. I stayed at a host hotel, which gave us an early breakfast, a late checkout, and had a bus to the race start. The bus was nice- and equipped with a bathroom (handy). I believe the 1/2 marathoners got 'school' buses. The start of the race was scenic. Buses brought you right to the start, and you could stay on them and keep warm for as long as you wished. Big floodlights lit up the pre-dawn road; rock music playing; quick and organized drop bag check- exceptionally easy and stress free. Race started before sunrise, but plenty light enough, and begins with a confidence inspiring downhill. Plenty of aid stations with lots of volunteers. Few spectators. The course, while it drops 1600 vert, also has about 450ft of climbing in it to take away from much of that benefit. It also starts at nearly 4900ft elevation. I'd call it a reasonably fast course- but not as fast as it might seem. Others are faster. Just the basics at the finish line. A nice medal, photo board, some basic food and drink. Nothing fancy. My only complaint was that (backdoor brag) the line to pick up age-group awards was really long. Unlike some comments below- the bus took us back to the hotels. For your family: There are only a few places that are accessible for spectating along the course. 19mi, 22mi and finish. Plus- it's a half mile walk from the nearest parking area to the finish; although the buses WILL take you back there. I'd do it again. Advice: Train on hills!

Transportation to start line and from finish line well organized. Small expo. Stations with plenty of water and gatorade. Great volunteers. Not as fast or flat ad advertised: roliling hills for half the course, killer hill at mile 22. Not many participants in the marathon, which is nice, you don't get that mega marsthon feel and have lots of space to run/work on your pace right from the start. Would run this race again. Crowd support is almost non-existent.

I have nothing negative to say about the logistics of this race. Maybe a few extra porta potties- but are there ever enough? Drop off at buses went smoothly. Drive out, had a nice nap and chatted with a polite gentleman beside me. Pottie line-up 6-10 deep but when you average 3-5 minutes per use- some people waited a while. They kept the busses going to keep us warm which was nice. Good music on a clear PA system while waiting for the start. Kept grooving to keep wam. Aid stattions well spaced and well stocked handing out gels early on- which I'm sure was a bonus for some people. Here's a tip for every race organizer on the planet: hand out salt pills to the needy at mile 20-ish. We had a hot day and lots of people cramped up- it's not lack of hydration- it's lack of salt. Now the negative: elevation profile on the website is VERY MISLEADING. The first 10 K has some pretty steep rollers and many with steep camber to the road. Murder on the knees and calves. I expected a smooth downhill as shown on the website but what I got was the toughest initial set of hills I've done besides Maui. If you do this race then plan for early hills followed by a serene, quiet run. No fan support to draw adrenaline from on this course albeit the law enforcement officers watching the corners were friendly and engaging. Finish line had ample water and food-I am not picky so bananas and water are enough for me. Once I download the elevation profile from my Garmin I will post it somewhere on the net so others are not caught unsuspecting as I was. My advice to the race director is to post a more accurate elecation profile on the website so racers have good information for their race plan.

I emailed the race director a few days after the marathon but she has not responded and it has been over a month. The shuttle from my 'race hotel' to the bus transfer point was one way only. I did not find this out until after I finished the marathon. I went over to the volunteer directing the buses and asked which one was going to Hotel La Posada and he said there was none and that it was a one way shuttle only. I had no idea which way to start walking or how far the hotel was. I did not have money for a cab either. I was tired, freezing and hungry as my 'race hotel' did not offer any breakfast. The volunteer did find me a ride after about 15 minutes for which I was grateful. I was really surprised that 2013 was the 20th anniversary for the Tucson Marathon. I have run 91 marathons and have completed all 50 states. Such shabby treatment is inexcusable. On the positive side the course was beautiful and the volunteers wonderful. There were plenty of H2O stops with gels.

I was disappointed in this race because of all the bus and car fumes they both run side by side with you for most of the course.the race takes place on the shoulder of a major road.

I am wondering if the course included in the web site -mostly downhill with few, small rolling hills- is the same that we ran on Sunday, with ups and downs all along the way and right from the start. This should be a prime winter destination marathon, that compares most favorably vs. Miami, a zoo with so many people and high humidity. Tucson is a friendly race and the sights are second to none. I really loved running it.

shuttle arrangements were not reliable. Did not find out until morning of race no shuttle return only get there but 4AM shuttle for 7AM start ridiculous.Busses stayed until start so could stay in until cold start that was good.Well stocked with Gu good volunteer base next to zero spectaters and dull but fast course.Would have been nice to at least view biosphere at turnaround.

Expo: I don't care much about the expo, so this area doesn't matter to me. However, if it does for you, then this is a pretty small expo (the smallest I've been to in my 12 marathons). Bus Shuttle to start: I didn't like the fact that we had to depart at 5:00 (2 hours from the start) because we arrived to the start an hour and 20 minutes before the 7:00 start. It was 28 degrees at the start, and you could stay on the bus, but you were just sitting there getting all tight. Not an ideal situation to me. I would have liked to see them get the buses up there more like 30-45 minutes before the start of the race (not 80+ minutes) Course: The course was down hill, obviously from the elevation map. However, it did have more uphill than I thought (especially from mile 10-13) which on the elevation map, looks like it is flat. That is deceiving, because you actually go down like 50-75 feet, then up 50-75 feet, and repeat this about 7 times over the 3 mile stretch. I wasn't ready for that, but if you know that going in, I think the course was good. Volunteer support: It was unpredictable to know how much water/Gatorade you would get in a cup at the stations. One stop you would have about 6 ounces in a cup and then the next 2 stops the cups were like Dixie cups with maybe 1-2 ounces. At one point, I grabbed 3 water cups, and felt like I received a total of 4 ounces (not enough for my 190lb body). Overall value: I would rank this marathon in the $70 range (not the $100+ that they want to charge). I feel for the poor quality of the race shirt, the inadequate volunteer support, and poor post-race food (PBJ rollups, animal crackers, chex-mix, and bananas) that the entry fee should be decreased. I felt I got much more for my money with less expensive marathons (although they do have to shuttle you up to the start, which has its expense I'm sure).

Organization tough to beat . . . registration was a breeze, transportation convenient, aid stations were high standard, T-shirt and medal high quality and the host hotel is very nice . . . with a fair race rate (considering the hotel quality). The first part of the course is interesting . . . high enough elevation so you get completely different plant zone. Part of the course is on 4-lane highway but they coned-off a lane so there was lots of separation and the car noise wasn't bad (not much traffic). This year's run was on the cold side + headwind most of the way . . . temps were unusually cold . . . usually the heat is an issue on the last part. It's mostly downhill but there are some rollers and ills that may get your attention.

The first half of the course is beautiful, but as soon as you hit the highway, it's awful. I'm not very speedy, so by the time I reached the highway it was clogged with cars that were backed up in traffic. The noise and exhaust was a little too much to take, especially for the last 90 minutes of a really long run. Organization and shuttles and finish line were all great. I enjoyed everything else about the event.

This was my replacement run due to the cancellation of the NYCM and it was a perfect one to run. The course is not 'easy' with some hills midway through, and a couple kicker hills at the end, but it is a good course. I was very happy with the early start and the responsiveness of the organization to move the start to an earlier time due to hot weather predictions. The start area and bus drop off was a little chaotic (and though there were lots of warnings that cars would not be permitted at the start and runners HAD to take the buses - that was clearly not enforced as the starting area (a narrow dirt road) - was clogged with cars, so the buses couldn't get runners all the way to the start area. My biggest complaint is that they do not order t-shirts according to registration forms - so since I was coming in later on Sat the only t-shirts left were large. I wish I could wear my T-shirt :(

Good race and the course was fast at the first couple miles. Somewhere from mile 8-12 got few uphills. So save some juice for that part. Then from mile 13-20 was gentle downhill. Then flat from 20-25. Last mile and 0.2 mile was slight uphill. So again, save some juice for that last session. Great after race food and I think the bus rides were well organized. If you want a super fast and all downhill course, go to Ojai. That one is twice as fast as Tucson!

I ran this marathon and found the extremely early start to be bussed out to a cold and dark place in the hills a bit trying. Also the lack of any spectators along vast stretches of the highway - although Arizona seemed to be full of vast expanses and not much else - except cactus plants everywhere. The finish and the shuttles meant a walk down a big flight of stairs - who put those there? All in all I have to agree that if I should have done the Phoenix run earlier in the year rather than this one.

Despite being an avid marathoner and living in Tucson, I had never run the marathon until this year. From the bus ride to the finish line it was a great experience. There are a few hills throughout the course so be prepared for all inclines with this race. Being able to stay on the bus in the morning was a delight and the finish line was plenty stocked with food and drinks. There were quite a few aide stations and they were equally stocked with water and Powerade as well as gels. The only thing about this race I did not like was the run along Oracle Rd with the traffic next to me. The cars were fine and nice spectators in their cars but the exhaust did bother me a few times. I love small town marathons, Ogden, Missoula, and Tucson has that special charm I am attracted to in a race. Quiet, beautiful, and very well organized. I will happily run this marathon for years to come.

I have run 67 different marathons in 47 different states. I love the southwest and visit when I can (otherwise I may have given the course a '2'). This was an average race with 1 (or 2?) huge negatives. First the huge negative(s). Right up to race day the web site talked about shuttles to and from certain 'host' hotels with the last shuttle leaving the hotel for the start at 5:30 AM. I stayed at one of these hotels and arrived out front at 5:15 AM only to find the last shuttle was already gone. And I was not the only runner left stranded - there were several of us! Seriously! The last bus left at least 15 minutes early! This was bad enough, but what really bothers me is the race has changed their web site to cover up this mess! Before it clearly stated 'last shuttle to leave at 5:30', now it reads 'shuttles will leave when full'. Honestly, they have changed the web site - I have hard copies of the web site to prove it! So the shuttles left a bunch of runners stranded and the RD covers up their mess. What about the race? Yes - I did run thanks to a hotel employee who drove stranded runners to the start (20 miles away) in her own car. Pro's: > a beautiful sunrise over hills / mountains with the moon still in sky - awesome! > nice short sleeve tech shirt > nice medal (just a bit small) with great ribbon > great scenery for the first few miles > great volunteers at aid stations > plenty of energy gel on course > PB & J wraps, cookies, fruit, & variety of drinks at finish Con's: > shuttle busses - left me stranded - see above > race director - left me stranded - see above > race expo / finish / hotels are ~15 miles from Tucson (start is 35 miles from Tucson) - makes it hard to see the city. > course included a very long (miles!) straight section next to a highway with lot's of traffic / exhaust and never changing (dull) scenery > portto potties too close to start line - it became a real mess right before the start when the portto potty lines and people heading for start were all smashed together > no fans on course > not enough aid stations (except in last few miles) > dull post race finish area > no pizza / no free beer If you're traveling to AZ for a race I would not recommend this one. Run the Phoenix R&R (which I ran 6 years ago), Sedona (which I'll run next Feb), or one of the many other good AZ races.

A completely different experience from an urban marathon. Nice course....the start time was advanced by 30 min due to forecasted heat...which made the start time logistics a bit trickier. Overall a nice race. The downhill doesn't help as much as you might think due to the altitude. Fun race.

This year it was cool, not cold. Bus was great, both ways. Expo a little small. My only complaint is that I didn't know where the awards were presented and I had to check out of hotel. I didn't get mine. Great time.

This race was mostly what I expected. It's fast because of the downhills, but not easy by any stretch. The first half is steeper than the second half. Much of the course is run along the side of a major road with mountains in the distance. I've seen better and worse. The running surface is asphalt, generally in good shape. The course is well marked and the few turns were well staffed. The aid stations varied - there are fewer than I'd like in the first half of the race (though it was very cool then) and some of them had too few volunteers bunched too close together to ensure that everyone got what they needed. Also, what's with styrofoam cups at aid stations?!? There were no clocks on the course and the food spread at the end was pretty lame. If you want spectators, you'd better bring your own. But the locale is great and the race well designed and smooth running. Having the option to wait on the coach buses at the start, rather than in the cold, is a nice touch. So, all in all, few complaints. I enjoyed the race and PR'ed it too. If you want to run fast and you don't care about walking stairs for a while, go for it!

This is the best organized race I have ever run and has been consistenly for 7 years. There aren't many spectators if fans are important to you, but the course isn't over crowded. There is an appropriate distance from half marathoners and the finish line is great! I wish the course would return to it's 2005 route and eliminate the biosphere rd 4 mile stretch. I heard complaints about the the last two miles as well (which I personally don't find as unpleasant as Biosphere Rd).

I was disappointed by this race. No one seemed to know what was going on. For example, after the race I took a bus that got lost on the way to the parking lot. The first part of the race was cold, but lovely but towards the end it was less than scenic. The people at the aide stations were friendly, but there were no spectators (fine by me). A fine race, but it could have been better.

This was my second time running this marathon. The weather was perfect- no higher than 55 when I finished. The course although a net downhill, has some variety and not for those who don't save any gas for the end- i.e. it's uphill for a bunch of the last 6 miles.... overall much improved!

OK, I am a local and biased, but great weather is why I live in Tucson  the course along the Mountains is spectacular. The only thing better would be a 10AM start and running over the mountains, but I am weird. A beautiful day with temps in the 70s is hard to beat

I loved this course. It was my first full marathon and I was very pleased with the course. Amazing weather, tons of water and powerade stations and bathrooms, and beautiful view :) I would love to run this again!

Thank you so much for a very beautiful marathon course. I really loved being able to see the northern part of Tucson by running through it. I was in the early start group with the 50 States Marathon Club and we loved running under the full moon, seeing the sun rise, the mountains and incredible cloud formations. This was the fastest marathon for me this year and my quads are feeling it. Medal was awesome! The start line logistics was very confusing with the buses, drop off bags and even though I finished before the cutoff, there was nothing left to eat at the finish, but still its a 5 star race for me. Thanks for a great race!

The start for the half was a disaster. We were supposed to arrive 5 to 5:30, and got there at 5:15. It was like rush hour, no one was directing traffic in the parking lot, just a lone cop waving you in there. The buses were gone at 5:15 and there were hundreds, nearly a thousand waiting. At 6:00 two, then a third bus came back and it was anarchy, people sprinting, shoving, standing in the aisle, yelling on the bus, etc. Several hundred were left behind, and I can't imagine they started. This is not okay. The other comments are pretty accurate, although I don't come to win, so I can handle stopping for three waters if I need that many. The course I absolutely love. Almost no fans, but all of the ones present are awesome.