Desert Classic Half Marathon
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Event
The Desert Classic takes place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Thunderbird Paseo Park in Glendale, Arizona. The event offers two main distances:
- Half Marathon
- 5K
Both courses are professionally marked and chip timed. All finishers in the Half Marathon and the 5K will receive a custom finisher medal instead of a race shirt. Awards are given in 5-year age groups and are based on chip time.
Entry, logistics and services
Base entry fees listed are $45 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K. ARR member discounts and reduced early pricing apply through January 11, 2026; prices increase after that date. Youth and young adult categories are listed separately, including a Half Marathon Youth category specifying minimum age 14 and 5K Youth for ages 17 and under. The Half Marathon course has a posted closure pace of 18 minutes per mile.
Aid stations: the half marathon will have six stations offering water and Gatorade; the 5K will have two stations offering water only. Bibs will be available for pickup on race morning. Race-day registration is handled only through the online registration system; no paper registrations will be accepted. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
