TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run and Festival of Miles

Date and Time

Here's the plan for Saturday, June 1:

Saturday Night, June 1: 13th Annual TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k Night Run and Walk -- Tucson's biggest running party!  

4:00: Registration and Packet Pickup begins at Children's Museum and Armory Park, with jumping castles, vendor expo and other activities -- free entry to the Children's Museum 

pick up your Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown medallion and shirt
pick up your TMC Meet Me Downtown race shirt and race number

5:45 or so: Live Music (Santa Pachita was the 2018 concert, while Tucson's Rock n Roll Hall of Famer LeeAnne Savage has headlined for five years)

6:00: Men's and Women's Mile, for all ages and abilities, including prize money and awards for the RRCA West Regional Championship  -- tutus and joggers and all are welcome!

Beer Garden Opens

6:15: Battle of the Badges for all first responders, civil servants, fire department, border patrol, and military, including Team RWB

6:30: FitKidz Free Mile for Children 12-and-under

7:00: TMC 5k Night Run/Walk -- for all ages and abilities

Ongoing: party on site, with After-Party at Hotel Congress

Race Awards

Over $3,000 in prize money

 

Awards and Prize Money

Festival of Miles Open 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
2nd $30
3rd $20 

NOTE: Prize Money double-dipping is allowed, thus it is possible for the fastest woman and fastest man to earn $808 apiece.  
Prize money winners are taken out of age group gift certificate awards.

USATF Course Sanction #: AZ16012JOE

TMC 5k Night Run Awards and Prize Money

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, $15 for 2nd, and $10 for third. All prize money winners are taken out of age group gift certificate awards.

Male and Female Open Prize Money 
1st $200
2nd $150
3rd $100
4th $75
5th $50
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 25th.  There is NO race weekend team registration and no in-person team registration.

Course Record Bonus
$200 bonus to the man who breaks the current men’s course record of 14:25, set by Jordan Chipengama (2014)
$200 bonus to the woman who breaks the current women’s record of 17:23, set by Maggie Callahan (2013)

Master's Prize Money (40-and-over) Male and Female (no minimum time set for the master's money)
1st $50
2nd $30
3rd $20 

Master's Bonus
$50 to the 40-and-over man who breaks Shaun Haley’s master’s record of 15:57 (2011)
$50 to the 40-and-over woman who breaks Paula Morrison’s master’s record of 18:16 (2014)

5k Team Prize Money

$250 to the fastest team of 5 men (using standard cross country style scoring)
$250to the fastest team of 5 women (using standard cross country style scoring)
NOTE: Prize Money double-dipping is allowed, thus it is possible for the fastest woman and fastest man to earn almost $1,000 apiece if they set all records and are part of the fastest teams.  

All individual prize money winners are taken out of age group gift certificate awards.

PRIZE MONEY RULES AND REGULATIONS

NOTE: following USATF and RRCA guidelines, the use of headphones in prize money races is prohibited -- that is, prize money will not be distributed to runners wearing headphones in these events.  We strongly discourage the use of headphones in all TMC Meet Me Downtown Weekend events.  From USATF: "The following shall be considered assistance and therefore not allowed: . . . The visible possession or use by athletes of video, audio, or communications devices in the competition area [ . . .] those competing in Championships for awards, medals, or prize money may not use such devices . . . headphones remain banned for any athlete competing in a USA Championship . . ."
NOTE: All prize money winners will be required to complete appropriate tax information in order to receive checks.
NOTE: A limited number of complimentary entries for elite athletes are available.  Send resume and ways you can add value to the race to race director Randy Accetta at randy@runtucson.net by May 20th, 2019.

We follow the RRCA Fair Competition Policies.
While USA Track & Field is the governing body and issuer of rules for the sport of running, local event directors are encouraged to adopt these RRCA recommended policies to further support and promote fair competition for athletes, especially those competing for prize money and age group awards.
Prize Money Eligibility Policy
To be eligible for elite entry or prize purse at Meet Me Downtown, an athlete must:

• Not be currently serving a suspension issued by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for use of a banned substance
• Not have ever served a ban issued by USADA or WADA for the use of performance enhancing drugs
• Not be represented by coaches and/or agents who have had 2 or more athletes receiving such suspensions in the previous 4 years
• Not be represented by coaches and/or agents who served a ban for use of performance enhancing drugs during their own athletic career*
• Provide proper documentation proving they are eligible for prize money (form W-9, W-8ECI or W-8BEN)
• Sign a statement attesting they are in compliance with USADA and WADA anti-doping regulations related to banned substance use and if issued a doping suspension or ban in the future, they will not be allowed back at the event for any reason
• Consent to random drug testing according to the standards and procedures of USATF, USADA and WADA

Any athlete that believes they have been barred from the event or the opportunity to earn prize money at the event because of mistaken identity due to near or exact name of a person currently suspended, banned or previously banned, must submit documentation certified by a notary in advance to the race director or elite athlete coordinator of the event proving that they are not the same person identified as serving a suspension, ban or previous ban. (event organizers will need to clearly outline the exact person to submit documentation to for this recourse section of the policy)

*Athletes have a duty to ensure they are represented by reputable coaches and agents and have a duty to consult the WADA list of athletes that are or have served a doping ban before signing with a coach or agent.

The Southern Arizona Roadrunners is a member-driven non-profit devoted to promoting health and wellness through running and walking. If you are not a SAR member, please consider joining—you can save all sorts of money off race entry fees, receive discounts to many local merchants, and be part of a great community of people. See http://azroadrunners.org/go/category/membership/join for details.

About the Race Directors: The TMC Meet Me Downtown was founded by Randy and Tia Accetta in 2007 to promote Downtown Tucson by providing fitness and social opportunties for all ages and abilities. The TMC Meet Me Downtown event is on the SAR calendar, with the Saturday Night 5k on the SAR "Running Shop Grand Prix."  A former 2:19 marathoner who ran in the 1996 US Olympic Trials Marathon, Randy is a Mentor in Residence at the University of Arizona's McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship and is the national Director of Coaching Education for the Road Runners Club of America.  Tia is a 2:48 marathoner with an MA in Education with an emphasis on teaching the deaf and hard of hearing.  They live near the UA with their two small children, both of whom are faster than Randy.

Race Hotels

Local hotels, perfect for any budget and any vacation goal!

Hotel Congress: Historic Downtown hipster and funk, a 2-minute walk to the start at 311 E Congress St, Tucson, AZ 85701

Arizona Inn: In-town beauty and glamour, about a 8 minute drive to the start at 2200 E Elm St, Tucson, AZ 85719

Hotel Tucson City Center: Convenient to I-10, about half-mile to the start line at 475 N Granada Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701

Hotel Clifton: Convenient to the race course in the heart of Downtown Tucson

J.W. Marriott Starr Pass: Upscale desert resort with good summer pricing at 3800 W Starr Pass Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85745

Want a romantic bed and breakfast steps from the starting line?  Check out the Royal Elizabeth and tell ‘em you’re with the race. 

Beneficiaries

Get Sweaty, Do Good!  

Thanks to sponsorship from Tucson Medical Center and our partnership with Cox Charities, in 2018 we provided funds to the following local organizations

Children's Museum, Tucson: At Children’s Museum Tucson we help children develop foundational skills by igniting a spark for discovery and learning in an environment where families play and connect in meaningful ways.

Educational Enrichment Foundation: Through its grants, scholarships, professional development programs, and community activities, EEF actively provides enhanced and enriched learning resources for TUSD students, teachers, and schools, advocates for educational excellence for all children, and ensures access to educational enrichment opportunities within TUSD for financially in-need students.

Greater Tucson Leadership: Founded in 1980, Greater Tucson Leadership (GTL) 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 for over 30 years.

Watershed Management: A local non-profit, Watershed Management Group (WMG) develops community-based solutions to ensure the long-term prosperity of people and health of the environment, providing people with the knowledge, skills, and resources for sustainable livelihoods.

Presidio San Agustin del Tucson: The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum is a re-creation of the Tucson Presidio built in 1775. Visitors travel back in time to learn about life as early Tucsonans would have lived it.  Docent tours discuss life in the Santa Cruz Valley for early Native Americans, Presidio residents and Territorial Period settlers.  See the archaeological remains of a pit house, walk along the original Presidio wall and experience a 150 year old classic Sonoran Row house. 

Team Hoyt Arizona: Team Hoyt Arizona is a pending non-profit dedicated to sharing the racing and team experience with anyone who wishes to join, including people with special needs and diverse abilities or disabilities.

Southern Arizona Roadrunners: The vision of the Southern Arizona Roadrunners is to provide running-related events at professional standards, with a reasonable pricing structure, a family-friendly environment, and competition that emphasizes the pursuit of individual competitive excellence, the joy of individual and team participation, and a healthy lifestyle. We do so by facilitating and supporting competitive and social running and walking events; by promoting running and fitness for all ages; by providing educational and social information about our sport; and by promoting our sport through public relations and civic involvement.

Cox Charities: We run many of our charity dollars through our partnership with Cox Charities, the fundraising and grantmaking arm of Cox Communications raising funds for local charities.

  

Kids' and Post-Race Activities

All evening, children’s activities in front and inside of the Children’s Museum, courtesy of Tucson Medical Center and the Children’s Museum—plus games from The Tucson Racquet and Fitness Club and jumping castles courtesy of Cox Communications.

Food and drink, free beer garden, plus fourth-ever Running Race Food Truck Round-Up.  After-party at Hotel Congress!

Visit with race beneficiaries and sponsors at the Race Expo on the grassy areas in front of the Children’s Museum.

Fire show by Cirque Roots

8:30 and onwards: Official post-race party at Hotel Congress.  Hotel Congress will host a live band on the patio, and provide 2-4-1 drinks plus special Meet Me Downtown appetizer discounts.

Community Partners

Thanks to artist Pete Marenfeld and RetroTrek for creating a new version of his great retro logo! 

Sponsors: Please patronize our great sponsors!! They believe in a healthy Tucson and they believe in an exciting and active Downtown . . .

Tucson Medical Center

Rio Nuevo

Cox Communications

Encompass Health

The Running Shop

SunWest Federal Credit Union

Connect CoWorking

ProActive Physical Therapy

Radiology Ltd

AmstelXlight

iHeart Media and My92.9

Caliente and the Arizona Daily Star

KGUN's The Morning Blend

Tucson Lifestyle and tucsonlifestyle.com

Waste Management, AMR, Culligan Water, Downtown Tucson Partnership, Hotel Congress, Run Tucson, and Meet Me Concepts

 

Contact

Call Race Director Randy Accetta +15209910733 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).