Weather makes marathon 1 of U.S.’ hottest

Those who don’t run often characterize those who do as being a little crazy. And runners who participate in half- and full marathons are looked upon as the lunatic fringe of the “crazy” population.

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Maybe running 13.1 and 26.2 miles is a bit out of the ordinary, but know what’s seriously crazy? More and more people continue to join the ranks of marathon finishers each year.

For proof of that fact, look no further than Sunday’s P.F. Chang’s Rock ’n’ Roll Arizona Marathon & 1/2 Marathon.

For the sixth consecutive year, the event will increase in size as more than 37,000 are expected to participate in Sunday’s half (25,000) and full marathons (9,000) and today’s one-mile kids’ fun run (3,000).

The participants and nearly 4,000 volunteers seemingly feed off one another, leading to more runners, which means more volunteers are needed, which means the event continues to grow and grow.

“It’s the energy,” said Mark Godfrey, a Chandler resident who will be running his fourth P.F. Chang’s marathon. “There are so many participants. There are so many bands, so many volunteers, so many cheerleaders. It’s a real rush to be a part of it.”

Nearly 600 people will participate in their sixth consecutive event, with 104 running their sixth straight marathon and another 219 in the half.

The races begin in downtown Phoenix. The full marathon winds through Scottsdale and both courses finish on the Arizona State campus east of Wells Fargo Arena.

The event is the largest combined marathon and half-marathon in the United States. It set the combined record in its first year and has continued to break that mark with each installment.

“You can’t beat the weather,” said Karla Sokolovich, an Ahwatukee Foothills resident who will be among the elite women’s field. “There are so many active people just in Phoenix, and for us to have an event like this in our hometown is a big deal. You don’t have to travel and you have your whole support team right there.”

Michael Aish, the defending men’s marathon champ, agrees that the weather is a big draw.

“Who wouldn’t want to run in this weather?” said Aish, a native of New Zealand who now lives in Colorado. “I hope it doesn’t get too warm.”

The weather is probably the event’s most glaring asset — more than 52 percent of all participants are from outside of Arizona — but it’s not the only one.

Another positive is the course itself, which is very runner-friendly. There aren’t any major inclines on the route, the course is full of spectators, and there are the bands and cheerleaders.

More than 70 bands are scheduled to perform on the two courses and more than 40 cheerleading squads will encourage runners throughout the day. There are also 24 themed hydration stations.

“A friend proposed the idea to do something that we’ve never done before,” said Randi Chan, a 25-year-old marketing associate who lives in Scottsdale, but prepared for the event with a running club at Fitness Forum in Chandler. “This has been a great way to train my body and stay more active. It has also pushed me to stay on a workout schedule.”

Many first-time half-marathoners use the training as an opportunity to share time with their spouses.

“It is much easier to train together,” said Scott Willma, who, along with his wife, Shelby, joined a running club and will be first-time half-marathon runners on Sunday. “I hope our kids will follow our lead one day.”

The event has also raised $25.7 million for people in need. The charitable aspect of the event is not lost on the participants.

“I thought the entry fee was a bit high, but knowing that the money raised will go to a good cause, makes up for it,” Chan said. “I think the overall experience training was great and would probably do it again next year.”

If you go
When: Sunday 
Start: Marathon at 7:40 a.m., half-marathon at 8:30 a.m., Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza, 1700 W. Washington St. 
Finish: Arizona State University campus, east of Wells Fargo Arena. 
Post-race concert: 6 p.m., Tempe Beach Park, featuring Smash Mouth. 
Kids Rock: 9 a.m. Saturday, Tempe Beach Park.
Health & Fitness Expo: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Phoenix Convention Center, 33 S. Third St.