The Phoenix Marathon began with a vision. Dr. Art Mollen founded the race in 1976 on the canal banks — and from the start, he thought big. Jesse Owens, 1936 Olympic legend, appeared at the very first press conference. For 50 years, Dr. Mollen served as race organizer and president, his relentless drive building something that outlasted every reroute, every era, every version of the city around it.

The Phoenix Marathon has always moved with Phoenix — rerouted by construction, growth, and the ever-changing landscape of the city it calls home.

It started at 40th Street and Camelback, then shifted to 24th and Camelback, running straight along Camelback to 32nd and back down toward what is now The Esplanade. From there, the course found a home at Osborne and Central — through what became Central Park — winding down Central Avenue and back up the other side, long before light rail changed the street forever.

Over the decades, the route touched Indian School Park at Indian School and Central, then Phoenix College, then the energy of downtown Cityscape, and eventually looped around the Capitol.

In 2024, the race returned to 24th and Camelback — this time extending into Paradise Valley as the event heads into its 51st year. After 50 years of chasing a city that never stopped building, the course finally feels like home.