20th annual Pat's Run welcomes runners from across the world, closes roads in Tempe
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 2024 version of Pat's Run begins on Saturday at 6 a.m. in Tempe.
It's the 20th anniversary of the 4.2 mile running race in memory of former Army Ranger, Arizona State Sun Devil and Arizona Cardinals football player, Pat Tillman.
The event attracts nearly 30,000 participants, more than 1,000 volunteers and helps provide funding for nearly 900 Tillman Scholars.
The Tillman Scholar Foundation helps provide service members a path to education through scholarships. The foundation has provided more than $34 million to military members to date with the average scholar receiving $22,000 in financial relief.
Following a welcome ceremony hosted by Jake Plummer and the 1997 Sun Devil football team that made a trip to the Rose Bowl, the race begins at 7 a.m. It ends at 11 a.m. with a toast for the participants at Casey Moore's Oyster House.
What roads are closed for Pat's Run?
Partial and full road closures will be in effect during the event. They will be in place from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. with limited access to Curry Road, Mill Avenue, Rio Salado Parkway and Scottsdale Road. On and off ramps at the Loop 202 Red Mountain Freeway will also be blocked for the event.
Those closures will be in place in addition to other freeway closures across the Valley.
Phoenix weekend freeway closures (April 12-15)
Westbound Interstate 10 between the U.S. 60 and I-17 will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Monday; 32nd Street will also be closed between I-10 and Elwood Street during that time. The northbound and westbound lanes of the Loop 202 Red Mountain will be closed between the U.S. 60 and the Loop 101 from 8 p.m. Friday through Noon on Saturday. The eastbound and southbound lanes of the Loop 202 Red Mountain will be closed from 8 p.m. Saturday through Noon on Sunday. The southbound lanes of the Loop 101 will be closed between Warner Road and the Loop 202 from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.
Parking is available at the ASU parking garages but all attendees are encouraged to use the Light Rail to avoid congestion. An information booth will be located at the south end of Mountain America Stadium where the finish line of the race is located.
Who is Pat Tillman?
Tillman's life was tragically taken during a friendly-fire incident while serving for the U.S. military in Afghanistan in April of 2004. Tillman forwent an NFL career to enlist following the Twin Tower attacks on September 11 and was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart and Silver Star by then Sen. John McCain.
In 2021, a petition was made to retire his number 40 across the NFL.