Hello to about 1318 runners and walkers who have signed up early for the May 31st TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run and Festival of Miles.

Thank you so much for joining our Tucson running community for the 19th edition of the TMC Night Run.

You can see the new and improved race information and registration page here.

Below are details on these topics:

• How to volunteer
• How to upgrade, transfer, and pickup your packet
• Packet pickup and in-person registration details for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
• Saturday's race schedule
• Course maps
• Race night miscellaneous details on parking, bathrooms, beer garden, band, and more
• Sponsors

Please check the race page for additional updated details on parking, schedules, prizes, and more.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please track us down!

We'll see you in a few days!



Randy and Tia at Run Tucson

randy@runtucson.net | tia@runtucson.net

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP HERE

Looking for something to do on Saturday night? Wanna' hang out, but not ready to race? Need to get service hours for a school or other organization? We've got just the thing! 

You can help direct runners along the course or hand out shirts at registration. You could pitch in at the FitKidz tent, or help us set up and break down. You can even be a lead bike rider or sag bike rider and let us know when everyone has finished. Shifts are often in 2 hour increments, so you can decide!

Volunteers at the TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run receive the following:

• a race shirt
• a coupon for the Pueblo Vida Beer Garden (21+)
• participation hours in the Southern Arizona Roadrunners' volunteer reward program

At this writing, there are 59 slots available in the Triple Crown 3-race series, so if you want to upgrade your event registration you can go into your RunSignup account and upgrade your registration (follow this link for directions on how to modify your registration).

There is no fee to upgrade, but each event upgrade will have these prices:

Upgrade from 5k to Triple Crown: $100

Upgrade from Mile to Triple Crown: $130

There are no refunds or deferrals, but if you want to transfer your race entry to another person, you must complete the transfer by May 28th at midnight. You can follow the directions here: https://help.runsignup.com/support/solutions/articles/17000062921-transfer-to-another-runner

Make a group of 5 or more and everyone will receive a $5 discount! 

Here's how it works:

• Make a team name when you register
• Invite friends, family, co-workers, and others to sign up using that team name
• As soon as 5 people register, the first 4 will receive a $5 refund and everyone else will receive $5 off heir registration price
• Have fun: make shirts, bring costumes, dress up, dress down, goof off and be silly!
• Remember, the last day to add people to your team is May 30th at midnight Arizona time.

To find a list of teams, see the links here: https://runsignup.com/RaceGroups/43598

Registration and Packet Pickup: Here's How it Works

Everyone: Come to the tent outside and pick up your race number.

Everyone: Then go inside to get your mint green race shirt.

Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown Registrants: At the tent, get your Triple Crown shirt, souvenir medallion, and race number

Yes: T-shirt sizing first come, first served, with no guaranteed sizing

Yes: You can pick up items for friends -- please limit the number of packet pickups if it is crowded.

Yes: you can upgrade and change your race distance

Yes: It may be crowded, but please be kind to the staff at the Running Shop and the volunteers.

Yes: You should shop local and buy all sorts of running goodies for yourself and those you love!

Wednesday, May 28

Last day to transfer your entry to another person

Thursday, May 29

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, at The Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell Ave

• In person registration is available, online, cash or check.
• TMC 5k Night Run Registrants: Pick up your mint-colored souvenir shirt and race number
• Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown registrants: Pick up your purple shirt, souvenir medallion, and TMC 5k Night Run shirt and race number
• Open, High School, and FitKidz Milers: Pick up your race number

Friday, May 30

4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, at The Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell Ave

• In person registration is available, online, cash or check.
• TMC 5k Night Run Registrants: Pick up your mint-colored souvenir shirt and race number
• Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown registrants: Pick up your purple shirt, souvenir medallion, and TMC 5k Night Run shirt and race number
• Open, High School, and FitKidz Milers: Pick up your race number

Friday, May 30: Last Day to Add People to a Team

Friday, May 30th is the last day to add people to your team and get the $5 team discount.

Virtual Results, Missing Race Night, and Getting Your Swag: If you have to miss the actual race in-person, you can still snag your souvenirs and do the event virtually.

You can come Thursday or Friday, or send someone to pick up your race items at the packet pickup times listed above (first-come, first-served in terms of shirt sizing and souvenirs).

If you have to miss race night, you can fill in your VIRTUAL RACE INFO here.

Saturday, May 31, Race Night Schedule:

5:00 - 6:30 TMC 5k Registration and Packet Pickup, 200 South Sixth Avenue

In person registration is available, online, cash or check.

Ongoing: Vendor and sponsor expo, concert from dance maven Gigi and The GLOW, announcing and Photo Booth by Starlight Deejays, food trucks, kids activities, and more

6:00 pm Start Open Raising Cane's Mile Race and Raising Cane's High School/Junior High Mile by HOKA

• These races have been combined. High School and Junior High School runners are eligible for Running Shop and HOKA awards and overall prize money.

6:30 pm Start SAR FitKidz Mile Check in at the FitKidz tent near the Children's Museum will begin at 5:00 pm. Please be at starting line by 6:15.

• Raising Cane's gift card for all and SAR FitKidz goodies for all

7:00 pm Start TMC 5k Run/Walk -- for all ages, all abilities, all bodies, with prize money and age group awards.

8:30 or so Awards at Running Shop/Run Tucson tents

Post-Race at Pueblo Vida

Thanks to Pueblo Vida for providing the beer for the Beer Garden -- after the race be sure to stop by their Brewing Company at 115 East Broadway.

Post-race through June. Shirts and medals of registrants who cannot make race weekend will be available at The Running Shop, 3055 North Campbell through the end of June. T-shirt sizing first come, first served. We will donate all remaining souvenirs on July 1st, so please be sure to pick up your items or send someone to pick them up before July 1st.

We're super grateful to Lucas Tyler and the whole crew at The Running Shop for all the help with this event.

Race Staging Site: The race staging address is 200 South Sixth Avenue, on Sixth Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets in Downtown Tucson.

Above is a draft map of our event night staging. As you can see, registration and packet pickup will be against the Children's Museum fencing, on the south side of the Museum, while the Beer Garden has been moved to the lawn immediately west of the Start/Finish Line.

Please visit all of our vendors, partners, and sponsors in the grassy area east of the Start/Finish line in Armory Park

Parking: There is plenty of free Downtown street parking and City lot parking. See Park Tucson's website here for details on Downtown parking. 

Do not block driveways, do not park in red zones, do not park in permitted spots, and be mindful of all traffic and parking laws -- we don't want you to get in the way of the neighbors and we don't want you to get a ticket!

Downtown Partnership: For more information on parking or other things to do Downtown, please visit the Downtown Partnership website here.

PortoJohns: This year, Stamback has provided portojohns along the north wall of the Children's Museum facing towards 15th Street.

Weather: It will be hot - please be prepared for high heat, with plenty of water and perhaps a hat and sunscreen for the afternoon activities

Strollers: Yes, you can absolutely run or walk with a stroller. Be mindful of potholes and the dark streets.

Chair Friendly: Yes, this course is suitable for chair athletes. Be mindful of potholes and the dark streets.

Pets: Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in the race itself. Following all City of Tucson regulations, pets are allowed at Armory Park and on the nearby city streets, but participants are not allowed to run or walk with their pets on the race course.

Headphones: We know that people like having music, but for personal and communal safety we recommend not wearing headphones. If you're interested in the prize money events, please read the headphone policies posted.

Finish Area Food and Drink:

• Volunteers from Greater Tucson Leadership will manage the water station at the start/finish line
• Skratch Labs will provide hydration and other Skratch samples
• Natural Grocers will be on hand with samples, drinks and other goodies!
• The Pueblo Vida Beer Garden will be on the west side of the staging area, near the Children's Museum. Free taste pour for all 21+ with additional $5 pours. All proceeds to SDMB.
• Food Trucks: Bring some cash (or a card) so you can purchase additional items from the Food Truck Round-Up.

Water on the Route: For public health reasons, it is best if every runner brings their own water for their run.

World Gym Water Stop: We will have a water stop at approximately the 1.5 mile mark, along 6th Avenue. Volunteers from World Gym will hand out water for runners.

Social Media: Please tag @runtucson and @runsar and @rrca with any instagram posts -- you can use hashtags #meetmedown5k or #tmcmeetmedowntown or #gabezimmermantriplecrown or anything else you want . . .

Downtown Route Safety: The course map is below. This is an urban course, so be mindful of potential hazards that are common to urban running, such as vehicles, potholes, speedbumps, and the like.

Armory Park, Barrio Viejo, and Barrio Santa Rosa: You'll be running through three Downtown neighborhoods. Many folks will be out cheering for you, so enjoy your sightseeing trip through these unique Tucson neighborhoods!

While we want you to have fun, we recommend that you refrain from taking offered drinks from spectators or other well-meaning bystanders. (Some day we'll tell you the story of our friend running a half marathon who took a gulp of water only to find it was actually tequila . . .)

As the first leg of the 2025 Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown honoring the slain civil servant, Gabe Zimmerman, the event expects to raise over $12,000 for local organizations.

Supported by funding from Tucson Medical Center and participants, the events provide funding for the following organizations:

BEYOND Tucson Foundation: Following the tragic shooting on the morning of January 8, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords’ “Congress On Your Corner,” the Southern Arizona community spontaneously came together to honor, remember, and show solidarity for those that were killed, injured, or traumatized by the event. Along with its partners, BEYOND provides year-round opportunities for the public to participate in a series of healthy activities and to learn more about the scientific research that shows methods for optimal physical and mental health.

Children’s Museum, Tucson: Children’s Museum Tucson offers adventure learning, interactive exhibits and daily programming.

Greater Tucson Leadership is a non-profit, non-partisan leadership organization dedicated to providing leadership education, community development and civic engagement for the overall care of and commitment to our Tucson community.

Southern Arizona Roadrunners is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting health and fitness in Tucson and Southern Arizona through running and walking. Thanks to SAR for being our long-time partners on this event.

All prize money awards will be based on rules described here.

Festival of Miles Open Mile, Male and Female Prize Money

1st $200

2nd $100

3rd $50

$408.90 Race Director Challenge Bonus

408 dollars and 90 cents bonus to the fastest man who breaks the race director’s personal best of 4:08.9. Yup, Randy ran that back in the 1900’s.

408 dollars and 90 cents bonus to the fastest woman who breaks the equivalent time of 4:48.9 (see the Mercier Score Calculator for comparison details)

Master's Prize Money (40-and-over) Male and Female 

1st $50

NOTE: Prize Money double-dipping is allowed.

Prize money winners are taken out of age group gift certificate awards.

USATF Course Sanction #: AZ16012JOE

Awards for Running Shop High School Mile by HOKA: top runner and biggest team awards courtesy of The Running Shop and HOKA--

TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Awards and Prize Money (see here on the website)

Age Group Awards: All first, second, and third place in 5-year divisions from U-15 through 80+ will receive age group awards from the Running Shop: $25 for 1st, $20 for 2nd, and $10 for third. All prize money winners are taken out of age group gift certificate awards.

Thanks to the Running Shop. All Age Group awards based on Chip Timing.

The TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k is part of the Running Shop SAR Grand Prix

Male and Female Open Prize Money 

1st $200

2nd $100

3rd $50

Master's Prize Money (40-and-over) Male and Female 

1st $50 

$200 Course Record Bonus for male and female course record

Course Records TMC 5k Night Run

• 14:30: Male, Ian Burrell, Tucson, 27 (2012)
• 17:06: Female, Maggie Callahan, Boulder, 26 (2015)

Top Three Overall Men's Mile Times

1. 4:11 Weston Strum, 24 (2016)
2. 4:13.8 Sam Atkin 25, Lewiston (2018)
3. 4:15.6. Harry Mulenga, Tucson (2018)

Top Three Overall Women's Mile Times: 

1. 4:53 Courtney Barnes 24, Flagstaff (2019)
2. 5:00 Leah Rosenfeld 29, Flagstaff (2018)
3. 5:04 Rachel Johnson (2021)

TEAM AWARDS

Team prize money: $300 for each winning team of 5, men's and women's division, following cross country scoring. Teams can be as many people as desired, but all members must be registered in completion by May 28th at midnight, Arizona time. The top five in each team will score and first place will be awarded following the standard cross country scoring format. 

NOTE: Prize Money double-dipping is allowed (for example, a runner may receive both overall and masters money and team money)

NOTE: all teams must be formally registered as a team by midnight May 28. There is NO race day team registration and no in-person team registration.