Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon Announces Prize Money

July 28, 2021

November 6th Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon Offers Over $1,500 in Prize Money

The November 6^th Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon is pleased to announce that it is offering prize money in 2021.

With a loop course through the scenic Kaibab National Forest, the Trail Half Marathon will begin and end in Grand Canyon Village, located just a few miles the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Registrants come from 28 states, plus Latvia and Canada.

The Half Marathon will take place on the forest roads and trails in the Kaibab National Forrest, which surrounds the Town of Tusayan and borders Grand Canyon National Park.

This is a high elevation race with a starting elevation of 6,595 feet, a max elevation 6729 Ft and a gain of 546 ft.  November weather fluctuates near the Grand Canyon, but standard temperatures ranging from mid 40’s to mid 60’s should make this trail run ideal.  The course is not a certified distance.

“The course is demanding, that’s for sure,” says race director Randy Accetta.  “Miles 1-4 are actually pretty rugged, with troublesome footing and an overall elevation gain.  But the road smooths out and should be pretty comfortable for the rest of the race. The last mile will be rolling downhill on a paved path, part of which is the famed Arizona Trail.”

Prize money will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers, with additional course record awards.  The first male and female will each receive $300. Second place will receive $200, and third place will receive $100.  “It’s not a ton of prize money,” admits race director Accetta, “but we want to celebrate the effort of running fast on trails.”

Special course record bonuses of $200 will go to the man and woman who break the male and female course records.  The women’s course record was set in 2020, when Janet Bawcom, a former US Olympian who is a nurse at the South Rim, won the overall race in a time of 1:27:13.  The men’s course record of 1:26:07 was set in 2021 by Stephen Eles of Houghton, Michigan.

The Grand Canyon Trail Half Marathon is a joint partnership between the Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce and Run Tucson, the premier local event directing company in Arizona. Every participant receives a race shirt and a special souvenir medallion produced by Ashworth Awards.  By capping the field at 750, the race organizers will ensure an intimate running experience, with a pre-race motivational talk at the Tusayan IMAX Theater, a race-day pancake breakfast produced by the Tusayan Fire Department, and post-race sightseeing opportunities.

Race registration information can be found at the Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce website: www.grandcanyoncvb.org/grand-canyon-trail-half-marathon

About Run Tucson: 

Run Tucson (www.runtucson.net) is a full service event and coaching running company, producing running events in Arizona and coaching athletes around the nation.  With coaches certified by the Road Runners Club of America (www.rrca.org), Run Tucson manages Arizona’s longest-running coached training group, the Workout Group.

Contact:

Randy Accetta at randy@runtucson.net or 520-991-0733.

Contact the Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce:

General Manager
Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau
520-329-1889
https://grandcanyoncvb.org/