Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona
Tempe, AZ
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Start your new year on the right foot with a tri-city tour filled with musical miles on smooth and scenic courses that take you through Tempe, Scottsdale, and Phoenix. Rock out to live bands, DJs, and entertainment as you take in the stunning views surrounding you. This tour wouldn’t be … MORE
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Rock On
This was one of the best organized races I have ran. Communication was awesome, course and on course entertainment were beautiful and plentiful. Swag was good, medals were very nice. … MORE
This was one of the best organized races I have ran. Communication was awesome, course and on course entertainment were beautiful and plentiful. Swag was good, medals were very nice. After party was one of the best I have been to. Highly recommend.
Fun course with lots of entertainment
Mostly flat course with two hills, one going out around mile 3 and the same coming back around mile 9. Not super steep, but go on for a bit. Pretty … MORE
Mostly flat course with two hills, one going out around mile 3 and the same coming back around mile 9. Not super steep, but go on for a bit. Pretty views at this point so it wasn’t bad. Starts and ends in downtown Tempe so there are plenty of places to go after the festivities. Great musicians on the course and after the race. T-Shirts and medals were nice, plenty of porta potties and great volunteers. Finishing times not posted anywhere at the event and not many vendors after the race. The expo was okay, more pushy vendors than I am used to. Perfect weather and everyone was very friendly.
A very well done race, never an issue.
Very well done, parking is no problem, there is a garage, 300 ft. from the start. No issues what so ever. 4-5,000 runners, all ages. Good roads, good aid stations, … MORE
Very well done, parking is no problem, there is a garage, 300 ft. from the start. No issues what so ever. 4-5,000 runners, all ages. Good roads, good aid stations, nice folks. 100% a redo. Going to Las Vegas next, I love that one.
Too much uphill
Miles 9-10ish are a steady uphill so keep that in mind for early pacing, even in January the sun is strong and the air is dry so need more hydration, … MORE
Miles 9-10ish are a steady uphill so keep that in mind for early pacing, even in January the sun is strong and the air is dry so need more hydration, great course support, last few miles are through a park – think hiking
AZ sunshine
Arizona had a cold spell, the race morning was in the upper 30’s but warmed up nice for a brisk morning run. Temps got into the mid to upper 50’s, … MORE
Arizona had a cold spell, the race morning was in the upper 30’s but warmed up nice for a brisk morning run. Temps got into the mid to upper 50’s, coming from Montana (-20 degrees) Arizona was nice.
The course was an out and back but was enjoyable. A few hills but nothing too strenuous.
The Expo had lots of selection for souvenirs and was a nice venue in downtown Phoenix near Chase Field. The finish line was a great location and had plenty of space and excitement to celebrate the accomplishment.
Good experience overall
20 years in Az; first without marathon
The 20th edition of the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona featured a new course for the half marathon and the 10k replaced the full marathon. There are supposedly 53 legacy runners … MORE
The 20th edition of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona featured a new course for the half marathon and the 10k replaced the full marathon.
There are supposedly 53 legacy runners left, now that the marathon and half marathon legacy runners are combined.
The new course starts on Mill avenue, conveniently near a light rail stop, making travel to and from the race very easy. There are also nearby parking structures if you chose to drive in.
The course runs over the bridge, past the zoo, through Papago park and out into Scottsdale, before turning around on a parallel path back to Tempe town park.
Packet pickup is at the Phoenix convention center, which is also easily accessed via light rail.
Smooth
The correspondence was good. Parking wasn’t bad. The expo was big. The race was on time and the aide stations were good. There were enough port-a-potties. Everything ran smoothly. I … MORE
The correspondence was good. Parking wasn’t bad. The expo was big. The race was on time and the aide stations were good. There were enough port-a-potties. Everything ran smoothly. I enjoyed the race. My favorite thing was the app that gave you your pace and estimated finish time.
Great race & town
This a good race for Arizona. The course is pretty flat. A couple of hills, one around mile 3 & another around 9. They are long but not real steep. … MORE
This a good race for Arizona. The course is pretty flat. A couple of hills, one around mile 3 & another around 9. They are long but not real steep. The weather was low 40s, never got more than 50s. Race starts in Tempe, which has a great street of restaurants & bars, plus ASU is right there. Packet pick up is in Phoenix, very basic. I recommend staying in Tempe. There is a light rail train that goes between the 2. Lots of energy in the race & the scenery is great. Shirt is basic, medal is pretty cool.
The perfect race
R & R did a great job, execution at every level. Start was good, well done, finish was also good. A very good course, out and back. Lots of bathrooms, … MORE
R & R did a great job, execution at every level. Start was good, well done, finish was also good. A very good course, out and back. Lots of bathrooms, so not problem there. Exit was a little tight because of all the people. 8500 1/2 marathoners. 5000 10K ers. Really a great crowd. Parking at my garage was free 201-South Ash Ave. for runners, they started charging later on. Exit out of town was easy and fast. Police presence was right on the money.
Standard Rock 'n' Roll
The course was fine, expo was fairly typical Rock 'n' Roll, some small hills but nothing too brutal, some cool views of the desert, the only annoyance was it was … MORE
The course was fine, expo was fairly typical Rock ‘n’ Roll, some small hills but nothing too brutal, some cool views of the desert, the only annoyance was it was a hassle to get off of the ASU campus after the race to get back to my hotel (it wasn’t clear how to leave the campus), as well as the heavy rain during the race.
Nice Marathon (w/ Rolling Hills)
This was a nice marathon. Glad I chose this one for Arizona. The scenery was very nice. It was raining for the first 30 minutes of the marathon and then … MORE
This was a nice marathon. Glad I chose this one for Arizona. The scenery was very nice. It was raining for the first 30 minutes of the marathon and then stopped. Beware of the rolling hills. They might not look like they are difficult but oof they are! There are hotels in the area in walking distance so it was a very easy area to navigate to and from the marathon.
Desert Marathon
Pretty good course had a mix of concrete, pavement, crushed rock, and dirt/mud. Mostly flat. A lot of turns and some 180s. I’d run it again. MORE
Pretty good course had a mix of concrete, pavement, crushed rock, and dirt/mud. Mostly flat. A lot of turns and some 180s. I’d run it again.
Some organizational issues
I live in Tempe, so I thought getting to the race would be a breeze. I even inquired at information at the expo about where to park. However, when trying … MORE
I live in Tempe, so I thought getting to the race would be a breeze. I even inquired at information at the expo about where to park. However, when trying to get there, all the roads to the parking were closed with no one from race staff available to help direct people, so I parked pretty far away.
The race went well, but as it was one of my first real races, I was a little shocked by the hills. That’s really on me though, as I don’t think I properly prepared by studying the race course as well as I should have.
The finish line was a bit of a disappointment though. My wife tried to go there to cheer me on, but told me later that it was blocked off and she couldn’t figure out where to go to actually spectate. It was blocked off to people cheering basically.
Then I had to walk back to my car nearish the start line. That was horrible as it was a 20 min walk…
I’m registered for the 2024 half marathon as I’ve decided to give it ONE more chance. Hopefully, they fix these issues.
Not what RnR used to be
I’ve ran a few Rock n Roll half marathons and I was pretty excited for the Arizona being my first full marathon. Usually the crowd turnout is fantastic for RnR … MORE
I’ve ran a few Rock n Roll half marathons and I was pretty excited for the Arizona being my first full marathon. Usually the crowd turnout is fantastic for RnR which keeps runners going!
I’m pretty disappointed with how the race went though! The tracking system wasn’t accurate and only available through the RnR Running Series app. The expo was pretty sad and barely gave any swag. The gear check had the wrong address in the final race day info and there weren’t any signs how to get to the starting line with road closures. The crowd turnout was ultimately the hardest part though!! There were absolutely no fans for the last mile. It was blocked off. There were only 1400 marathon runners so it was a pretty quiet “big” race.
Mile 16-18 were uphill which really made runners lose momentum and mile 25 was also uphill. There was a long stretch for runners to walk to get to the final celebration area. Volunteers weren’t helpful or celebratory. It was really bizarre.
Three pros: the bands were great and the course was relatively easy until mile 16. There were plenty of water/endurance/aid stations too.
OK race mostly on city streets
My first "Rock n Roll". The organization had the business side of the marathon down. The expo was full and everything was organized to move you through smoothly. However, the … MORE
My first “Rock n Roll”. The organization had the business side of the marathon down. The expo was full and everything was organized to move you through smoothly. However, the race itself was just “ok”. I liked the live entertainment (which varied widely in quality), but the nature of running by them meant I only ever got snippets of a song.
There were some beautiful miles of the course on parks or river side, but the bulk of it was on city streets. Most of the time the streets were only partially closed so we were running with traffic on one or both sides of our reserved lane. That was a big negative for me.
Aid stations were plentiful, but it felt like the vast majority of the support on the run was from the paid entertainment and aid stations. Nearly no signs or cheering to break the monotony of running through buildings next to traffic.
I will not be seeking out other “Rock n Roll” marathons and instead looking for ones more connected to community or place.
Your basic 5k
This 5k exists because of the half and full marathons the next day. I think the RnR race events try to get as many runners as possible to register. This … MORE
This 5k exists because of the half and full marathons the next day. I think the RnR race events try to get as many runners as possible to register. This is a well-planned event, the race morning set up is easy to get to, organized well with lots of space for runners and the after-race tents. The course is pretty plain, through Tempe, on closed paved roads. Not much elevation gain or loss although there is one longish incline in the first mile and a couple declines that you can use to your advantage. There are no AG medals. I was 1st AG, but I do not need another medal. I ran the 5k last year pretty slowly with a friend/client who is new to running, and then ran the half marathon the next day. Def much more going on during the half…anyway, I’d recommend this to locals, but I would not travel far for this 5k.
Few Hiccups but good Race Weekend
Friday - Expo - Smaller than expected but smooth as silk. Saturday - 5K - 8am start time is not my favorite I prefer an earlier start time. However they … MORE
Friday – Expo – Smaller than expected but smooth as silk.
Saturday – 5K – 8am start time is not my favorite I prefer an earlier start time. However they closed off roads pretty early making uber & public transit much harder than expected. Thankfully they updated WAZE so as long as someone is using it you will be fine. Renting a scooter to get to and from is my suggestion for a smooth exit especially if you have sore legs.
The Start line is about .75-1.5 miles from the finish line so be prepared to limp back to the car. Renting a scooter to get to and from is my suggestion for a smooth exit especially if you have sore legs.
I hope they move the 10K to Saturday as well
Few Hiccups but good Race Weekend
Friday - Expo - Smaller than expected but smooth as silk. Saturday - 5K - 8am start time is not my favorite I prefer an earlier start time. However they … MORE
Friday – Expo – Smaller than expected but smooth as silk.
Saturday – 5K – 8am start time is not my favorite I prefer an earlier start time. However they closed off roads pretty early making uber & public transit much harder than expected. Thankfully they updated WAZE so as long as someone is using it you will be fine. Renting a scooter to get to and from is my suggestion for a smooth exit especially if you have sore legs.
Sunday – Half – 7:55 is when the first wave starts but lots of the roads start shutting down at 630… so you’re stuck waiting in your car for well over an hour which is annoying. It started raining at 630 and didn’t let up until about 830 when coupled with the wind and the 45 degree weather… it was one of the worst starting lines I’ve been through.
Once the rain stopped the rest of the race was great. Mile 8-9.5 are all uphill so brace yourself for that. The Start line is about .75-1.5 miles from the finish line so be prepared to limp back to the car. Renting a scooter to get to and from is my suggestion for a smooth exit especially if you have sore legs.
No sun but a good race.
Definitely a race worth doing and I assume most years the weather is a bit nicer than it was this year. Course was okay but nothing special. MORE
Definitely a race worth doing and I assume most years the weather is a bit nicer than it was this year. Course was okay but nothing special.
Boring&flat until the end, but home base
I would argue this is the most popular race in the Phoenix area; it's also the kick off every year for the Rock 'n Roll series. This was my first … MORE
I would argue this is the most popular race in the Phoenix area; it’s also the kick off every year for the Rock ‘n Roll series. This was my first (2020) and second (2022) half marathon experience. I personally find it to be a boring course but sometimes you just can’t beat the convenience of home!
Rock ‘n Roll always puts on a well organized event; from packet pickup to course support and entertainment (they aim for a band at every mile), it’s always well attended. I’ve ran six halfs at the time of this review and this expo has had the most vendors and is seamless as far as picking up your gear. Line up morning of was problem-free both years I attended and the post-race celebration is in a large park, and also walkable to nearby restaurants and bars (very close to the ASU campus). In 2020 I thought the band support on the course was better than ’22 and The Gin Blossoms headlined ’20 which was super cool.
The half marathon course is virtually flat until a modest hill at mile 9, and then the surroundings get more picturesque/ what you are expecting if you’re not from here and think of ‘Arizona.’
Out of towners should be mindful of the weather as it’s usually sunny and can push 70 degrees by late morning. It was rainy in ’23 so obviously there are exceptions but I’ve watched people get sick because they aren’t from here and trained all winter in very different circumstances! It’s perfect for locals though because you can start a typical 12-13 week training schedule just as the heat starts to really subside.