Parking, bathrooms, pets, weather, and more details
Parking:
PARKING
There is plenty of nearby free street parking, but please do not block driveways, do not park in red zones, do not park in permitted spots, and be mindful of all traffic and parking laws -- we don't want you to get in the way of the neighbors and we don't want you to get a ticket!
In terms of on-site parking, on October 11th we were made aware that the Mercado District will charge $5 per vehicle to park in the dirt lots adjacent to the Mercado. If you choose to park in the Mercado lots, please allow enough time to navigate parking and follow the instructions of Black Knight Security as they direct vehicles to the appropriate parking lanes. For additional Downtown parking resources, please see the interactive parking map here: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/2faefeade9e545f9af2e32e374006673?data_id=dataSource_1-AllLotsGaragesEntrances_6829%3A1%2CdataSource_1-Meters_9094%3A
Sun Link will begin service at 8:00 am if that proves helpful.
Portojohns: Near the start/finish, there will be ACE portojohns adjacent to the event staging area. For half-marathoners, there will be a portojohn at the entrance to the river path Loop on Grande, near the Mile 4 and thus near the Mile 12 mark. There is also a public restroom just south of Silverlake Road, near the 6 and 10 mile marks.
Weather: We can't yet predict race day temperatures, but often the mid-November temps range from 50-75. It's an early start, but you can prepare ,with plenty of water and perhaps a hat and sunscreen for the morning activities. Our best guess is that it will be in the low 60's at race start time, climbing to mid-80's by 11:00 am, when the race finish line will close down.
Strollers: Yes, you can absolutely run or walk with a stroller. Be mindful of potholes, speed bumps, and steep hills. There is a steep uphill and steep downhill on the A-Mountain portion of the route and there are speed bumps on the A-Mountain portion of the route. The routes are closed to traffic, but please be mindful and safe as there is no guarantee that vehicles will not enter the course.
Chair Friendly: Yes, this course is suitable for chair athletes. Be mindful of potholes, speed bumps, and steep hills.
Pets: Unfortunately, while we love pets, dogs and other pets are not allowed in the race itself. Leashed pets and service animals are allowed on City of Tucson property following City of Tucson guidelines, but for safety reasons no dogs or other pets are allowed on the race course.
Headphones: We know that people like having music, but for personal and communal safety we recommend not wearing headphones. If you're interested in the prize money events, please read the headphone policies posted.
Bicycles: We cannot close The Loop, so there may be bike riders on the route, so keep an eye out for our two-wheeled friends.
Terrain: The route is pavement throughout the A-Mountain neighborhood. Be mindful of potholes, speed bumps, and steep hills. The route is closed to vehicle traffic, but please be mindful of errant vehicles, other participants, bike riders, and the like. Along the Loop river path section of the course, you can run on the hard-packed dirt immediately adjacent to the river path -- but you cannot cut the course by running on the dirt.
Difficulty: Aside from the demanding uphill and downhill of A-Mountain, this is an easy course, on a flat and fast paved asphalt surface.
