TMC A-Mountain Half Marathon, 5K & 1-Mile

Sunday, October 20, 2024 • Tucson, AZ • Course Map

Featuring a run along downtown Tucson’s city streets, the Santa Cruz Riverpath trails and one challenging ascent up the peak known as “A” Mountain, the TMC Get Moving Tucson Half Marathon & Tucson Lifestyle 5K Walk/Run takes runners on an out-and-back route through the city as summer is giving way to autumn in late October.

Part of a three-race series known as the Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown — which also includes a 5K race in June and an 8-mile and 5K race on Labor Day weekend — the TMC Get Moving Half Marathon replaced the 10-mile race run in previous years, and the race saw just over 900 runners cross the finish line in the 13.1-mile and 5K events combined in 2016, including 540 finishers in the half marathon alone.

Runners start the race downtown at the intersection of Church Street and Alameda Street, just north of Congress. From there, the half marathoners and the 5K runners and walkers head in opposite directions, with those in the 5K heading south and east along Congress, while those running the half marathon head north along Church Street and then turn onto West 6th Street, and head across the Santa Cruz River.

The course crosses over the bridge over the river and then turns south on Bonita Avenue, bringing runners along the banks of the Santa Cruz for about a half-mile before turning again, this time right onto West Congress Street. Runners continue west down Congress until they meet up with South Cuesta Avenue between the mile 2 and mile 3 markers, which starts the ascent into Sentinel Peak Park and the run up to the top of “A” Mountain.

Once a lookout point for the Spanish settlers in this area, this prominent peak along a ridge in the Tucson Mountains got its current name starting around 1915, when a group of University of Arizona students painted the first large “A” on the side of the mountain, to celebrate their football team’s victory over Pomona College.

Ever since then, the “A” has been maintained by students at the university and is painted red, white and blue to honor both the university and the nation after the events of September 11, 2001.

Runners follow the park road all the way to the top of the mountain, following the loop around the peak — passing right by the “A” — before then heading back down, losing the more than 400 feet they gained as they climbed up the mountain.

Once they make it back to West Congress, they re-join the elevation they’ll maintain for most of the rest of the race, as the course heads along the Santa Cruz Riverpath for roughly two miles before heading back across the river and into downtown Tucson for the last few miles.

The course brings runners back over into downtown and past the Pima County Courthouse to Congress again, where runners will turn left and head east to start an two-mile out-and-back stretch along 4th Avenue.

Once they make their way around Catalina Park and then head back south on 4th, they follow they route they’ve just run back to the finish line.

Race Weather & Climate

Located in southern Arizona, about 120 miles southeast of Phoenix and roughly 60 miles north of the border with Mexico, Tucson typically sees mild to moderately warm (and occasionally quite hot) weather in October, which has brought record temperatures here as low as 26°F (in 1971) and as high as 102°F (in 1993).

On race day (Oct. 20), the average low is 56ºF and the average high is 82ºF.

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the TMC Get Moving Tucson Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

6:15 AM – half marathon
7:45 AM – 5K

Fees

$70 and up for the half marathon
$35 and up for the 5K

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2024 running of the TMC Get Moving Tucson Half Marathon, 5K & 1-Mile, register online at RunSignUp.com here.

Official Race Website

www.azroadrunners.org

Comments

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See more races in: October, Arizona

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