Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Spectator Tips

More than just a day for runners, P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon is a rock ‘n’ roll sensation that features a 26.2-mile marathon race and 13.1-mile half marathon race.  Cheer on your loved ones and watch runners, walkers and elite athletes race through the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe.

More than 70 live bands, 40 cheer squads, music at every mile and a free headliner concert are all part of the fun.  Bring a picnic basket and savor all the festivities.

The following are a few recommended spots along the course where you can catch the action:

Start Line
Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza; 1700 W. Washington Street

Be where over 30,000 runners and walkers embark on their quest.

Light Rail Stop 13
Washington/Central Ave. (westbound) or Jefferson/1st Ave. (eastbound) Station After getting off the stop, follow Washington Street west for a mile.

Stage 9 – Mile 8.6
24th Street, north of Camelback (8:10 – 10:15 am)

Cheer your heart out at the glamorous Ritz Carlton and the fashionable Biltmore Fashion Square.

Stage 13 – Mile 13.2
SW Corner of 44th Street & Thomas (8:35 – 11:30 am)

Meet your marathoner just past the halfway point. Give em’ a high five as they continue the second half of their 26.2-mile journey.

Stage 18 – Mile 18.9
1st Street & Marshall Way (9:00 am – 1:30 pm)

Encounter the heart of downtown Scottsdale, where marvelous restaurants, unique shops, alluring art galleries and nightclubs await you –a perfect spot for all of your post-race partying!

Stage 15 – Mile 12.3
Mill Avenue & Rio Salado Parkway (9:30 am – 12:55 pm)

Watch the half marathoners enter the home stretch in Downtown Tempe home to eclectic restaurants, shops and bars just up the road from ASU.

Finish Line Festival (8:00 am – 3:00 pm)
Reunite with your loved ones and enjoy live music, and refreshments at Arizona State University’s (ASU) Sun Angel Stadium. The finish lines for the Marathon & ½ Marathon are in the parking lots between ASU’s Sun Devil and Sun Angel stadiums in Tempe.

P.F. Chang’s Rock n Roll Marathon
Sunday, January 17, 2010
7:40 AM

Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza
1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix

Photos courtesy of flickr - Rocknroll