TMC Saguaro National Park Labor Day 8-Miler/5k

🏃‍♂️ Race Registration

Registration for the 2025 TMC Saguaro National Park Labor Day Race is open!

Early registration pricing: Extended through April 7th!

2025 Pricing Note: Your race entry includes an entrance pass to the Saguaro National Park. The National Park Service has changed their event pricing model, so the Southern Arizona Roadrunners is required to pay $15 per participant. SAR is committed to paying some of that cost, but you can save $15 on your registration by submitting your National Park Service number at the appropriate spot in the registration process. You can purchase an NPS pass online here.

🌵 About the Race

The Original Saguaro! This is the only Saguaro race that takes place within the actual-factual cactus forest of Saguaro National Park. Stunning views, iconic imagery, and a course that will blow you away! If you're ready for an adventure that combines nature and fitness, then get ready for the 53rd Annual Saguaro National Park Labor Day 8-Miler and 5 Run/Walk, one of 3 races in America actually held within the grounds of a National Park.

Join the Southern Arizona Roadrunners on an exhilarating run through the Cactus Forest, a surreal landscape of towering saguaros at the base of the rugged Rincon Mountains. The rolling course promises a challenge, but the breathtaking views of saguaro, prickly pears, ocotillos, and possibly even a rattlesnake or two make it worth it! Who knows, you might even spot a herd of wild javalinas cheering you on. This is one run you won't want to miss!

Capped at: 800 total participants.

Included: Prize money for course records, age group and overall awards, a souvenir shirt and post-race fun for all. Your race entry provides a day pass into Saguaro National Park. Produced by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners, whose original founders created the race back in 1971.

Click here for a nifty video put together by Saguaro National Park Ranger Cam Juarez.

📅 2025 Planned Schedule

Saturday, August 30th: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm Packet Pickup and In-Person Registration at The Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

Packet Pickup Procedure:

• Dynamic Bib System: When you go inside The Running Shop, find the registration tables at the back of the store. Simply tell the volunteer your name to receive your bib number and shirt.
• Multiple Names: Please tell volunteers the name you registered under if you have hyphenated or multiple last names.
• Shirt Size: Shirt sizing is first-come, first-served.
• Registration: Folks can register on Saturday via RunSignup, cash, or check.

Race Day Monday, September 1st: Saguaro National Park East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail Rd, Visitor Center Parking Lot.

🕔 Race Day Schedule

5:00 am - 5:45 am: Packet pickup. All shirt sizing is first-come, first-served.

• 5:30 am: 8-Mile Walk Early Start. Designed for walkers on the course for more than 2.5 hours.
• 6:00 am: 8-Mile Run Start. Gun-timed start for runners and run/walkers of all ages.
• 6:05 am: 5k Run/Walk Start. The 5k event begins after the 8-mile start.

8:00 am: Visitor Center opens. All 8-mile participants must be beyond the 5-mile mark by this time.

8:30 am: Approximate time of awards ceremony beginning at SAR tent.

9:00 am: Route closes with the possibility of pick-up for late-finish athletes.

11:00 am: The Running Shop will offer a special Labor Day Sale from 10am - 2pm (3055 North Campbell Avenue).

🗺️ Route Information

8-Mile Course: The loop 8 miler goes clockwise from the Visitor Center through the beautiful cactus forest at Saguaro National Park East in the foothills of the scenic Rincon Mountains. The paved course is hilly, with stunning views of the iconic Sonoran Desert.

5k Course: Out-and-back on paved rolling hills, staying to the right on Cactus Forest Drive.

5k Water Stops: There will be a water stop with volunteers from the Tucson TriGirls at the Cactus Forest Trailhead, approximately at the 1 and 2-mile marks in the 5k.

🚧 Additional Details

Volunteers: If you're interested in helping out, check out the volunteer link here for packet pickup and race-day activities.

Weather: Most likely in the high 70's at the start, rising to triple digits later in the day.

Headphones: They are discouraged: please be mindful of other athletes.

Parking: Please consider car-pooling to reduce the vehicle footprint. There's no parking in the National Park, but available parking exists nearby. Parking rules must be followed for public safety.

Bathrooms: There will be 12 portojohns near the starting line, and restroom use before the race is encouraged.

💖 Saguaro Beneficiaries

• The National Park Service: Entrance fees support park maintenance during the event.
• Friends of Saguaro: Mission is to help the public discover, protect, and support Saguaro.
• Southern Arizona Roadrunners: Event raises funds for operating costs and youth fitness initiatives.

For more information, visit the official race page: TMC Saguaro National Park Labor Day Race.