Mesa Marathon Returns for 15th Annual Event Taking Place on Arizona’s Birthday

January 14, 2026

The largest marathon in the state of Arizona is expected to welcome nearly 10,000 participants

MESA, Ariz. (January 14, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The Mesa Marathon will return on Feb. 14, where an expected 10,000 participants will take part in the largest marathon in the state of Arizona. A special twist on this year’s event includes the opportunity for every participant to celebrate their accomplishment of crossing the finish line as well as Arizona’s 114th birthday on the same day. Registration for the historic event is currently open.

“To have our race day land on such a special occasion for the whole state is such an honor for not only the Mesa Marathon, but also for Brooksee,” said Phil Dumontet, CEO of Brooksee, producer of the Mesa Marathon. “Arizona has already been such an amazing host to us through the years that we’ve produced the Mesa Marathon. Now, we’ve added the Phoenix Marathon to the mix, which just had its inaugural event at the end of 2025 and ended up being the largest inaugural event in Brooksee history.”

Dumontet continued, “The community throughout Arizona, no matter where we go, shows up and proves that this state is truly one of a kind.”

Runners who participated in the inaugural Phoenix Marathon and will also take part in the 2026 Mesa Marathon will be eligible to be awarded the first-ever Desert Double Medal. There are already over 1,300 Desert Double runners registered, and the number is only expected to grow.

The Mesa Marathon offers four distances: the marathon, half marathon, 10K and the free Kids 1K run. The marathon course was recently recognized as the best marathon in Arizona by Race Rave’s “Best Marathons in the U.S.” poll for 2025, which highlights the top marathon in every U.S. state chosen by runners. The highly-rated marathon course begins below the large white Phoenix sign painted on Usery Mountain. Marathon runners will experience nearly 1,000 feet of net elevation loss while enjoying the diverse scenery from cactus desert to spectacular views of the Phoenix Valley from N. Usery Pass Rd. Half marathoners will experience nearly 200 feet of net elevation loss along the gentle downhill route towards Riverview Park, while 10K participants experience a scenic course that begins at Fitch Park and winds through historic downtown Mesa. The Kids 1K run is a free, non-timed race for children 12 and under. Participation is limited to the first 500 registrants on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Mesa Marathon awards cash prizes to top men and women finishers in both the marathon and half marathon. The top three men and women in both distances will be awarded the following cash prizes:

• 1st Place: $1,000
• 2nd Place: $500
• 3rd Place: $150

For more information about the Mesa Marathon, visit www.mesamarathon.com and follow the event on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT MESA MARATHON AND BROOKSEE

The Mesa Marathon is the premier race in Arizona offering a marathon (26.2 miles), half marathon (13.1 miles), 10K and Kids 1K. Runners receive the race experience and perks of a major marathon as well as the personalized service and local flavor of their favorite hometown race. Race day is all about the runner, from industry-leading shirts and medals to unmatched course support and the best finish experience to be found. The Mesa Marathon is owned and produced by Brooksee, an endurance event production and services company committed to elevating the event experience for endurance athletes. Brooksee was founded in 2012 and was created in the vision of an all-in-one event production powerhouse where technological innovation and endurance events collide. Brooksee produces a portfolio of premier road races, including the Las Vegas Marathon, Portland Marathon, Phoenix Marathon, Mesa Marathon and the REVEL Race Series. Brooksee’s world-class portfolio of events recently earned 4 out of the top 10 spots on FindMyMarathon.com‘s independent ranking of the 50 Best Boston Marathon Qualifying Races for 2025, including #1, #2, #5 and #6. For more information, visit www.brooksee.com.