Tucson Marathon
The Lowdown
The Tucson Marathon is a net-downhill, point-to-point Boston Qualifier that starts at the Biosphere 2 research facility near Oracle, Arizona and finishes at Pima Community College Northwest Campus in Oro Valley. First run in 1969 and now operated by Aravaipa Running under race director Jamil Coury, who took over the event in 2022, the course descends through Sonoran desert scenery with views of the Santa Catalina Mountains, making it one of the fastest Boston-qualifying marathons in the country. For the 2025 edition the net downhill was trimmed from 1,549 feet to 1,493 feet specifically to stay under the Boston Athletic Association's new downhill-indexing penalty threshold, which takes effect with the 2027 Boston Marathon qualifying window. A half marathon, 50K ultra, and 4-person marathon relay run alongside the full marathon, and the race weekend includes packet pickup events in both Phoenix and Tucson. Held every December, the race takes advantage of Arizona's mild winter racing conditions; the 2024 edition produced course records of 2:12:47 (men) and 2:38:30 (women).
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
Biosphere 2
Santa Catalina Mountains
Oro Valley
Pima Community College Northwest Campus
Other distances available during the event weekend:
Oracle, AZ, USA to Oro Valley, AZ, USA
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Marathon runners must meet the event's minimum age requirement (18)
Required Documents
- Photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via RaceRoster
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Review the official RaceRoster registration page for the current transfer, deferral, and refund policy before registering.
Founded in 1969, one of the longest-running marathons in Arizona; acquired and revitalized by Aravaipa Running in 2022 under race director Jamil Coury.
For 2025 the net downhill was trimmed from 1,549 feet to 1,493 feet to stay under the Boston Athletic Association's new downhill-indexing penalty threshold (1,500+ feet triggers a time penalty), beginning with the 2027 Boston Marathon qualifying window.
The course start moved to Biosphere 2, a University of Arizona-owned research facility near Oracle, in 2024.
2024 course records: 2:12:47 (men, Riley Nedrow) and 2:38:30 (women, Obsie Birru).
A 4-person marathon relay (limited to 60 teams) and a half marathon wheelchair division also run alongside the full marathon, 50K, and half marathon.
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Community
Stories, tips, and race-day snapshots from runners who have tackled this course.
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