- Weather
- 43°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~2,000 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 200 ft gain
Flat desert loop across 3 cities
PR9Weather9Experience8
Mid-December · Southwest · Loop
The Marathon Project
Chandler, AZ · Saturday, December 12, 2026
Event: Gold Wave Marathon
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Bucket List
Registration opens on the organizer's site
Typical start
46°
Cooler than 64% of U.S. marathons
Modeled historical conditions
Elevation gain
50ft
Flatter than 89% of races
Estimated total climb
Field size
500
Larger than 14% of races
Estimated field
PR potential
9.2/10
Ahead of 69% of races
Almanac model
Percentiles compare this race against all 224 U.S. marathons in the Almanac.
Course profile
50 ft gain · 0 ft net
Flat course, loop.
0510152026.2
Race-day weather
Modeled from location, month and coastal proximity, not verified race history.
6 AM
38°
Start
46°
Midday
57°
ExcellentGoodWarmHeat risk
Typical start sits at 46°F, excellent marathon conditions.
Typical dew point 24°F, 6% chance of precipitation, wind around 7 mph. All modeled.
The bottom line
A quietly fast race that does not ask for much beyond honest pacing.
The Marathon Project is a strong choice for a PR attempt, and Chandler offers very little meaningful elevation. The tradeoff is atmosphere: expect long quiet stretches and few spectators.
Why runners choose this race
A loop course around Chandler, AZ, with very little meaningful elevation change.
The case for it
- PR attempts
- Boston qualification
- Runners who want a low-key start
The tradeoffs
- You want crowds and on-course energy
Course and logistics
- Course type
- Loop
- Surface
- Road
- Profile
- Flat
- Total gain
- 50 ft(estimated)
- Total loss
- 50 ft(estimated)
- Net elevation
- 0 ft(estimated)
- Field size
- ~500 runners(estimated)
- Crowd support
- Quiet, low-key
- Entry
- Hard
- Entry fee
- $350(most recent listed price)
- Day of week
- Saturday
- Start / finish
- Start and finish in the same area
Race details
- Typical timing
- Mid-December
- Next confirmed date
- Saturday, December 12, 2026
- Registration
- Open now
- Region
- Southwest
- Editorial tier
- Recommended
- Data last reviewed
- 2026-08-26
- Best for PR
- Boston Qualifier
- Bucket List
- Loop course
- Flat course
Similar races
Races with a comparable profile.
- Weather
- 53°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~500 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 40 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience6
- Weather
- 54°Ftypical startModelled estimate
- Field size
- ~800 runners
- Course
- Flat
- Elevation
- 200 ft gain · 0 ft net
Event listed as: Marathon
PR9Weather9Experience6