Scottsdale Beat the Heat 11.22k and 5k is scheduled to run on June 22 at 2:47 p.m., in commemoration of the hottest recorded temperature in the Valley, set in 1990.
June 26, 1990, the thermometers hit 122 degrees in the Valley. Flights out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airports were canceled, the city’s buses stopped working and people claimed that the rubber soles on their shoes had melted.
Marathoner, triathlete, sprinter or mud runner, this race will challenge athletes in the best of shape. Toeing the line at the hottest time of the day, this summer run in the desert will bring out the best athletes for a test in endurance and tolerance of the elements.
Notable names have already committed to the challenge including ultramarathon runner David Goggins who holds the world record for the most pull-ups (4,025 in 17 hours), and Perry Edinger, ultramarathon runner and Pat’s Run co-founder.
The event will take place around WestWorld of Scottsdale, finishing on the Scottsdale Polo Field. DJ Peabody will be mixing tunes and greeting finishers and spectators to tents, refreshments, restrooms and the world’s largest inflatable water slide for the kids.
For runners’ safety, precautions will be taken including water stations at every half mile and medical staff on site from the race’s title sponsor Professional Medical Transport (PMT). Hopeful participants are encouraged to seek permission from a medical professional before registering for the race.
Scottsdale Beat the Heat was founded by Scottsdale Polo Championships co-owner and Rose+Moser+Allyn Public and Online Relations Founder Jason Rose with a mission to celebrate the area’s supreme heat and boost summer tourism interest.
“Two summers ago Major League Baseball held its All-Star game in Phoenix in July. This summer we wanted to create a dramatic way to highlight what an exceptional place this is to visit, even in the summer,” said Rose, now co-owner of Innovative Racing Events, LLC which is producing the race.
Recognizing the hottest day in Valley history as well as other notable local, weather and endurance-related feats are the awards for the top 10 finishers:
First Prize: $1990 To celebrate the year of the hottest day of recorded in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The winner will also receive a two-night, all-inclusive stay (valued at $1,200) at Hidden Meadow Ranch in eastern Arizona’s White Mountains.
Second Prize: $1957 The year Scottsdale became a city.
Third Prize: $1949 The year Olympic champion Bruce Jenner was born.
Fourth Prize: $826 To recognize the date the world record for the 10K was set in 2005.
Fifth Prize: $700 The average number of calories burned during a 10K, though runners might burn many more on June 22.
Sixth Prize: $626 In recognition of the date of hottest temperature recorded in Phoenix.
Seventh Prize: $143 The greatest number of days recorded at 100 degrees or higher in Phoenix (1989).
Eighth Prize: $122 Highest temperature ever recorded in Phoenix.
Ninth Prize: $121 Second highest temperature ever recorded in Phoenix.
Tenth Prize: $92 Average number of days at 100 degrees or higher in Phoenix.
Entry fee for the inaugural year is $62.60, and $122 for the VIP package.
For more information and registration, visit scottsdalebeattheheat.com.
