Arizona fun runs
38 seasonal, themed and one-of-a-kind fun runs in Arizona.
Novelty course: 11 · Holiday and seasonal: 8 · Food and drink: 7 · Iconic tradition: 4 · Color, glow and night: 3 · Mud and obstacle: 2 · Quirky format: 1 · Costume and theme: 1 · Animals: 1
- Iconic tradition Whiskey Row Marathon A 48-year-old mountain race that starts in front of the Palace saloon on Prescott's Whiskey Row and climbs to 7,000 feet.
- Novelty course Bisbee 1000 The Great Stair Climb A 4.5-mile course up nine of Old Bisbee's hillside public staircases, more than 1,000 steps, billed as the country's only outdoor stair-climb race.
- Food and drink Prison to Prison Beer Run A 1.9 km 'escape' from Prison Hill Brewing to the 1876 Yuma Territorial Prison and back, starting when you finish your first beer, with prison-themed costumes encouraged.
- Food and drink Trenches & Tacos 5K A timed 5K in Papago Park where every entry includes three tacos from Carniceria Sonora at the finish.
- Food and drink Arizona Brewery Running Series A winter-season brewery 5K circuit across the Phoenix metro, running through the mild desert months at breweries from Tempe to Cave Creek.
- Novelty course Grand Canyon Trail Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5K The closest organized race to the Grand Canyon's South Rim, starting and finishing at the Grand Canyon IMAX in Tusayan about a mile from the park entrance.
- Iconic tradition Javelina Jundred Billed as the original costumed 100-mile trail party, held Halloween weekend with a one-loop Jackass Night 31K that starts at sunset on Halloween.
- Quirky format Ragnar Trail Arizona An overnight trail relay looping through saguaro desert in McDowell Mountain Regional Park, with teams camping in a pop-up Ragnar Village.
- Food and drink Arizona Brewery Running Series Untimed 5K-ish fun runs that start and end at Arizona breweries, with a free beer and collector pint glass for every finisher.
- Novelty course Route 66 UltraRun A 140-mile run down the longest unbroken stretch of Historic Route 66, from Angel's barbershop gift shop in Seligman to the Colorado River at Topock, with relay-team options.
- Mud and obstacle Phoenix Spartan Trifecta Weekend Spartan racers charge across the banked NASCAR oval at Phoenix Raceway before heading into desert trails.
- Holiday and seasonal Phoenix Turkey Trot Downtown Phoenix's Thanksgiving race at the State Capitol's Wesley Bolin Plaza, with costume categories including best-dressed turkey and best-dressed team of 10+.
- Holiday and seasonal Thanksgiving XC Classic Tucson's original turkey trot is a European-style cross-country race over hay bales in Reid Park, with pies for second-place age-group winners.
- Holiday and seasonal Lainy's Light 5K Santa Run/Walk A Santa run on the University of Arizona Mall where early registrants get a Santa hat and beard to wear.
- Food and drink SKECHERS Hot Chocolate Run Phoenix A December chocolate-themed race starting at the Arizona State Capitol’s memorial plaza, with a fondue-and-cocoa finish.
- Holiday and seasonal Jingle Bell Run – Arizona Phoenix’s stop on the Arthritis Foundation’s national holiday run, where teams turn out in festive costumes and jingle bells to raise money for arthritis research.
- Holiday and seasonal Santa Hustle Glendale A Santa-costume half marathon, 10K and 5K from the Westgate Entertainment District in Glendale.
- Holiday and seasonal Egg Nog Jog A New Year's Eve morning run that ends with an eggnog toast, paired with Oro Valley's New Year's Day Hot Cocoa 5K for a combo medal.
- Holiday and seasonal Midnight Madness Run Runners can race the last 5K of the year at 10:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve and the first of the new year at 12:10 a.m., with a cider toast in between.
- Novelty course RunSedona A road half marathon, 10K and 5K along Sedona's Dry Creek Road beneath its red rock formations.
- Mud and obstacle Arizona Spartan Event Weekend A desert obstacle course that winds among saguaros on Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation land, climbs a mesa, and includes the only Cliff Climb obstacle built on a concrete wall.
- Novelty course TMC Sunrise at Old Tucson Trail Run Starts and finishes on the Old Tucson film-studio sets and runs down its dusty Western Main Street, with a western-wear costume contest.
- Novelty course Havasu Half Marathon & 5K Runners cross over and pass under the relocated 1830s London Bridge, with a Friday-night Doggie Dash and a bonus 'Lighthouse' medal for doing both races.
- Novelty course Antelope Canyon Ultras The 50-miler runs through Upper Antelope Canyon and other slot canyons and past the Horseshoe Bend overlook, places normally seen on guided tours.
- Color, glow and night Blacklight Run – Phoenix A nighttime 5K through blacklight zones and glow powder at Camelback Ranch, ending in a glow party.
- Color, glow and night Bubble Run – Phoenix A non-competitive 5K through stations of colored bubble foam at Camelback Ranch, ending in a bubble dance party.
- Novelty course D-backs Race Against Cancer 5K A 5K that starts and ends at Chase Field, with a survivor victory lap inside the Diamondbacks' ballpark.
- Holiday and seasonal Desert Leprechaun 5K Southern Arizona Roadrunners' St. Patrick's race, normally run with Tucson's St. Patrick's parade, with a costume contest and themed prizes.
- Food and drink Donut Judge Me 5K Local BakeFace donuts are served at mile 1, mile 2 and the finish of a canal loop from Gilbert's town square.
- Novelty course Flagstaff Sky Peaks Mountain Runs Arizona's highest footrace, including a 1.4-mile hill climb to the top of the Snowbowl gondola that runners ride back down.
- Costume and theme George B. Wallace Memorial Mountain Man Run A Labor Day run through Route 66 gateway town Williams where the Williams Mountain Men show up and top finishers win coonskin hats.
- Novelty course GORE-TEX Kahtoola Uphill An evening race up the snow-covered ski slopes of Arizona Snowbowl on spikes, snowshoes or skis, topping out near 11,500 feet.
- Iconic tradition Meet Me at Maynards A free Monday-night downtown run/walk held every week since 2009, with restaurant and bar discounts and shirts for 100, 200, even 600 check-ins.
- Iconic tradition Pat's Run A 4.2-mile run honoring Pat Tillman's No. 42 that finishes on the 42-yard line inside ASU's stadium, drawing close to 30,000 people.
- Food and drink Taco 5K Billed as 'the world's slowest 5K,' an untimed walk between four downtown Tucson taco shops with a taco at every stop.
- Color, glow and night TMC Meet Me Downtown 5K Night Run A Saturday-night downtown Tucson 5K that doubles as a street festival, with a free Pueblo Vida pour for adult finishers.
- Animals Tombstone Desert Donkey Dash Runners race alongside pack donkeys out of 'the Town Too Tough to Die,' with long-course burros required to carry a pick, gold pan and shovel.
- Novelty course Zoo Move & Groove 5K An evening 5K from Papago Park into the Phoenix Zoo's ZooLights holiday display, with cocoa and ZooLights entry included.