Race Report: thanks for being part of the 54th Annual Saguaro Labor Day Run

Thanks to all of you for being part of the 2025 Saguaro National Park Labor Day Run, produced by the Southern Arizona Roadrunners.

Before getting to the race report, here are a few quick items:

1) Results, Awards, and Goodies: Click here for all 8 Mile race results. Click here for all 5K race results.

If you won an award but didn't pick it up at the race, please visit The Running Shop to get your gift card. See further below for details on the overall and age-group winners and awards.

Speaking of The Running Shop, any remaining shirts and purchased medals are at The Running Shop through September (3055 North Campbell Avenue).

If you have any questions about your results, please contact our race timer, Greg Wenneborg at greg@roadrunnerracetiming.com.

2) Race images: The photos in this email are our own hasty snapshots, but we'll send another email with links to the really good photos collected by our two on-course photographers, Damion Alexander and John Harris.

For social media, please tag @runsar on Instagram and Facebook.

Thanks to KOLD13, KGUN9 and KVOA4 for highlighting the race on local television this weekend.

3) Next Up from SAR: We hope to see you at upcoming SAR-calendered events:

4) Saguaro By the Numbers:

863: Total registrants
507: 8-Mile registrants
356: 5K registrants
82: Oldest 5K Finisher, Shirley Hester
81: Oldest 8-Miler Finisher, Lewis Parkhill
3: Number of entities for which this event raised funds: National Park Service, Friends of Saguaro, and Southern Arizona Roadrunners
$877 in participant donations to the Friends of Saguaro National Park
$456 in donations to the Southern Arizona Roadrunners

Thanks to all of you for helping make our community so special. This is something like the 22nd year that I've been the race director and I'm grateful to be part of this wonderful event.

Randy Accetta, Saguaro race director

WINNERS, RESULTS & AWARDS

8-Mile Top Finishers:

First overall saw Jose Delgado cross the line in 45:42. Running for the Workout Group, Jose ran a strong race from the front, finishing almost two minutes ahead of 2nd place finisher Neil Lenneman, with Wouter Zwart crossing the line third in 47:52.

Former UA distance running standout Sailor Hutton cruised to victory in the women's division, finishing in 50:25, more than five minutes ahead of Meggie Karp, another former UA runner who took second in 55:42. Workout Group's MariKate Murphy clocked 56:33 to finish third overall.

Jennifer Peters was the first female master's runner, while that honor went to Mark Truxillo in the men's division.

5K Winners:

In the 5K, Justin Roosna, a UA Medical School student took first place, while Kara Bull from Tucson won the women's race.

Top runners all received gift cards to The Running Shop.

Links to Results: You can see the links to the various results pages at the race registration page here: https://runsignup.com/Saguaro.

You can also follow the results links at https://results.runsar.org.

All winners receive gift cards to long-time race sponsor The Running Shop. If you're one of the top finishers, you can pick up your award before the end of September.

If you have any questions about your results, please contact our race timer, Greg Wenneborg at greg@roadrunnerracetiming.com.

How to Get your Award:

If you were not on hand for the awards ceremony and you received an age group award, please visit The Running Shop before the end of September to pick up your award.

Here is a reminder of the award categories and gift card values:

8 Mile:

8M Run: Top three overall male and female: 1st: $40, 2nd: $35, 3rd: $30. Masters 1st: $35.
8M Age Groups: Top three male and female: U19 through 80+, in 5-year increments, AG1: $25, AG2: $20, AG3: $10.

5K:

5K Walk/Run: Top three overall male and female: 1st: $30, 2nd: $25, 3rd: $20. Masters 1st: $20.
5K Age Groups: First Place in U10 through 80+ in ten-year increments: $15.

Thanks again to Greg Wenneborg of www.roadrunnerracetiming.com who managed all the timing.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped put this together:

Carole Torpey

Joshua Cabe

Stephanie Meron

Agata Orlinski

Ashley Levy

Connie Lopez

Joseph Moreno

Mary Black

Joseph Moreno

Craig McCarthy

Dave Dixon

Wayne Lubis

Caroline Gardiner

Amelia Lapierre

Leila Fischer

Debbie Jensen

Ryley Busch

Lissi Herron

Doreen Thomas Thomas

Ryley Busch

Caroline Gardiner

Lissi Herron

Amelia Lapierre

Anabelle Accetta

Ren Durant

Susana Vega

Lorraine Chiverton

Zaida Vega

Justin Alvarez

Joan D'Alonzo

Doreen Davis

Thanks to the Park Service and all the volunteers who jumped in to help!

Much appreciation as well to the high school students from Mica Mountain XC for handing out water at the 3 and 5 mile mark . . . thanks Coach Josh and crew!

Thanks to Clint and Angela from Starlight Deejays for handling the music and announcing!

Special thanks to the crew at The Running Shop for all their help with packet pickup.

SAR leadership on hand this weekend included Dave Dixon, Craig McCarthy, Agata Orlinski, Ashley Levy, Wayne Lubis, Greg Wenneborg, Caroline Gardiner, Robert Rezetko, and Lucas Tyler.

I'm sure I am missing some of the volunteers, but thanks to all of you!

Special thanks to Tia Accetta for her tireless efforts to produce this race, in the weeks and months beforehand and on race weekend.

THANKS TO SPONSORS

The Running Shop provided race packet pickup support, with Lucas Tyler and the whole staff available to help all runners and walkers snag their race giveaway items.
The Running Shop also provided all the age group awards -- thanks to Lucas for being so supportive of this event.
Tucson Medical Center provided funding and post-race snacks.
Skratch Labs provided sports recovery drinks and more at the finish line.
AMR provided the ambulance crew on hand to ensure safety -- thanks to them for the early morning race help!
Stamback Services provided the portojohns.
Damion Alexander took a boatload of photos. For more info on Damion's work, see Damion Alexander Team at Long Realty.
Renewal by Andersen was the vendor sponsor.

EVENT BENEFICIARIES

The National Park Service: It is an honor to be able to produce a race on National Park land. Special thanks to Steve Bolyard and the event day crew for helping ensure all of our safety -- and special thanks to Superintendent Leah McGinnis for all the support. And thanks to all the runners and walkers, we were able to provide Saguaro with over $11,000 in operating funds.

Friends of Saguaro: This year's event will donate funds to the Friends of Saguaro National Park, whose mission is to help the public discover Saguaro, protect Saguaro, and support Saguaro.

Southern Arizona Roadrunners: This event raises operating funds for SAR and income for the Children's Fitness Fund, an award-based program supporting youth fitness in and around Tucson.