Respect the first 10 miles
Most of the downhill and the only climb come early. Run goal effort down Usery Pass, ease up Eagle Crest, and arrive at mile 10 feeling controlled. That’s where the race is won.
Mesa, AZ · Saturday, February 13, 2027
Mesa Marathon race guide
Mesa, formerly the Mesa-Phoenix Marathon, is one of the most popular Boston-qualifying courses in the West. It starts below the white Phoenix sign on Usery Mountain at about 2,050 feet and finishes at Riverview Park about 850 feet lower. Most of the drop comes in the first ten miles, broken up by one real climb on Eagle Crest Drive around mile 5. After that it’s a long, gentle descent and a flat run through downtown Mesa.
Pace plan
Plan your race on this course
Set your goal and start time. Your checkpoints, the time of day you’ll reach each one, and the course guide below all update to match.
Build your plan01
Pacing
A little slower on the climbs, a little faster on the downhills and flats, for the same finish time. Based on where this course climbs. Treat it as an effort guide.
The marathon starts at 6:30 a.m. Race buses are the only way to reach the start, so plan your morning around them.
Splits
Your Mesa Marathon02
Average pace
8:01/mi
- First half
- 1:44:35
- Second half
- 1:45:25
- Finish line
- 10:00 a.m.
Hover or tap a bar to see that mile.
| Checkpoint | Elapsed | Clock |
|---|---|---|
| Usery Pass RoadMile 2 · Fast and easy. Don’t bank time | 15:40 | 6:46 a.m. |
| McDowell RoadMile 4 · The climb is coming | 31:22 | 7:01 a.m. |
| Top of Eagle CrestMile 5.8 · The only real hill is done | 46:28 | 7:16 a.m. |
| Halfway, McDowell RoadMile 13.1 · At the half marathon start. Even pace from here | 1:44:35 | 8:15 a.m. |
| Downtown MesaMile 21 · Flat now. Hold your form | 2:47:59 | 9:18 a.m. |
| FinishMile 26.2 · Riverview Park | 3:30:00 | 10:00 a.m. |
Save it to your phone, or send the link to the people cheering for you.
- Date
- Saturday, February 13, 2027
- Start time
- 6:30 a.m. MST
- Start
- N. Ellsworth Road, below the Phoenix sign on Usery Mountain
- Finish
- Riverview Park, Mesa
- Time limit
- 6.5 hours to earn a finisher medal
- Elevation gain
- About 230 ft
- Official site
- mesamarathon.com
- Profile
- Downhill for 4 miles, a 180-foot climb, downhill to mile 10, then gently down and flat
- Best for
- A Boston qualifier or a PR, if your quads are trained for downhill
- Biggest mistake
- Flying down Usery Pass Road, then fighting the Eagle Crest climb and the flat final 10K
- Start
- Race buses only; there’s no parking or drop-off at the start
The course
Mile by mile, at your pace
- Miles0–4
Usery Pass Road Downhill
You start in the desert below the Phoenix sign and run down Usery Pass Road with views across the valley, dropping about 420 feet in four miles. It’s cold, dark and fast. Run goal effort and keep your stride short and quick.
7:50 /miMile 4 at 31:227:01 a.m.
- Miles4–5.8
The Eagle Crest climb Climb
After McDowell Road, Ridgecrest and Eagle Crest Drive climb about 180 feet, the only real hill of the race. Ease off and run it by effort. It’s short, and the descent that follows gives the time back.
8:23 /miMile 5.8 at 46:287:16 a.m.
- Miles5.8–9.6
Power, Redmont & Recker Downhill
Down Power Road and through the neighborhoods on Redmont Drive and Recker Road, losing about 350 feet. Smooth and controlled. Your quads still have a long way to go.
7:55 /miMile 9.6 at 1:16:327:47 a.m.
- Miles9.6–21
McDowell, Lindsay & Brown Downhill
Back on McDowell Road, then Lindsay and Brown Roads, past the half marathon start and through citrus groves. It’s a gentle descent, about 200 feet over 11 miles, so it feels nearly flat. This is the time to settle into goal pace and fuel on schedule.
8:01 /miMile 21 at 2:47:599:18 a.m.
- Miles21–25
Downtown Mesa Flat
Mesa Drive, 1st Street, Robson, University and Center Street take you through downtown Mesa. It’s flat now, with no more help from gravity, which is why this stretch feels harder than it looks. Stay with a group if you can.
8:04 /miMile 25 at 3:20:159:50 a.m.
- Miles25–26.2
Rio Salado to Riverview Park Downhill
Brown Road becomes Date Street, then Rio Salado Parkway, with a final gentle drop of about 40 feet to the finish at Riverview Park. Empty the tank.
8:00 /miFinish at 3:30:0010:00 a.m.
Every mile split for 3:30:00
| Mile | Terrain | Pace /mi | Elapsed | Clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Downhill | 7:46 | 7:46 | 6:38 a.m. |
| 2 | Downhill | 7:53 | 15:40 | 6:46 a.m. |
| 3 | Downhill | 7:50 | 23:29 | 6:53 a.m. |
| 4 | Downhill | 7:52 | 31:22 | 7:01 a.m. |
| 5 | Climb | 8:28 | 39:50 | 7:10 a.m. |
| 6 | Climb | 8:17 | 48:07 | 7:18 a.m. |
| 7 | Downhill | 7:43 | 55:51 | 7:26 a.m. |
| 8 | Flat | 7:59 | 1:03:49 | 7:34 a.m. |
| 9 | Downhill | 7:55 | 1:11:45 | 7:42 a.m. |
| 10 | Downhill | 7:59 | 1:19:43 | 7:50 a.m. |
| 11 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:27:44 | 7:58 a.m. |
| 12 | Flat | 7:58 | 1:35:42 | 8:06 a.m. |
| 13 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:43:43 | 8:14 a.m. |
| 14 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:51:44 | 8:22 a.m. |
| 15 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:59:45 | 8:30 a.m. |
| 16 | Flat | 8:01 | 2:07:47 | 8:38 a.m. |
| 17 | Flat | 8:02 | 2:15:48 | 8:46 a.m. |
| 18 | Flat | 8:02 | 2:23:51 | 8:54 a.m. |
| 19 | Flat | 8:02 | 2:31:53 | 9:02 a.m. |
| 20 | Flat | 8:03 | 2:39:56 | 9:10 a.m. |
| 21 | Flat | 8:03 | 2:47:59 | 9:18 a.m. |
| 22 | Flat | 8:05 | 2:56:04 | 9:26 a.m. |
| 23 | Flat | 8:06 | 3:04:10 | 9:34 a.m. |
| 24 | Flat | 8:03 | 3:12:13 | 9:42 a.m. |
| 25 | Flat | 8:02 | 3:20:15 | 9:50 a.m. |
| 26 | Flat | 7:59 | 3:28:14 | 9:58 a.m. |
| Finish | Flat | 8:03 | 3:30:00 | 10:00 a.m. |
Lap your watch at each marker; GPS distance drifts over 26.2 miles. Even-pace card for 3:30:00
Race strategy
How to pace the Mesa Marathon
Use pacers who pace by effort
The race’s pacers vary their splits with the terrain, faster downhill and slower on the climb. If you’re running with one, trust the uneven early miles.
Plan for the flat finish
The last five miles through downtown Mesa are flat after 20 miles of descent, and they feel harder than they look. Save something for them.
The last few weeks
Train for this course
- Prepare your quads with downhill long runs and some downhill repeats at goal pace in the last 6 weeks.
- Put a short, solid climb about 4 or 5 miles into a long run, right after a descent.
- Finish long runs with 4 to 5 flat miles at goal pace on tired legs.
Race-day weather
Mid-February in Mesa is usually cool and dry: the race lists an average low of 46°F and high of 63°F. The start, higher up in the desert before dawn, is often colder. It can warm up quickly in the sun.
Race morning
Getting to the start
- Marathon runners must ride the race buses to the start; there’s no parking or drop-off near it because of road closures. Carpool to the bus parking if you can.
- It’s usually cold at the start. Gear bags include disposable gloves; bring a throwaway layer too.
- The expo and packet pickup are on Friday at Sloan Park.
- Spectators should meet runners in the festival area north of the finish at Riverview Park.
Questions runners ask.
Is the Mesa Marathon a Boston qualifier?
The race is USATF-sanctioned and certified and calls itself a fast Boston qualifier. It drops about 850 feet overall. Check the B.A.A.’s current rules on downhill courses for your qualifying year.
How downhill is the Mesa Marathon?
It starts around 2,050 feet and finishes around 1,200 feet, with about 230 feet of climbing, mostly the Eagle Crest hill around mile 5. Most of the drop is in the first 10 miles.
Is this the Mesa-Phoenix Marathon?
Yes. The race is now called the Mesa Marathon, formerly the Mesa-Phoenix Marathon.
How do I get to the start?
On the race buses. There’s no parking at the start, and road closures make drop-offs impossible. Check the official site for bus times and parking near the finish.
Last checked October 21, 2026. This is an independent guide from Miles. We’re not affiliated with the race organizer. Start times, cutoffs, and logistics can change, so confirm everything on the official race site before race day.
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