Run in the shadow of the Usery Mountains that stand tall just outside the town of Mesa, Ariz., the Valley of the Sun Half Marathon takes runners on a fast and mostly downhill course filled with long, gently sloping downhill grades and a few hills mixed in. The first 3 to 4 miles of this race are reportedly the fastest, as they feature the race's steepest downhill stretch -- from an elevation of just above 2,000 feet above sea level at the start to 1,648 feet by the fourth mile marker.

Along the course through the northern sections of Mesa, runners are treated to sights such as majestic mesas jutting up from the horizon, the snow-capped peaks of the nearby McDowell Mountains and the peaceful waters of the Salt River, which participants run past between miles 8 and 10. The race includes a sharp uphill around mile 11, and then a mixture of additional uphills and downhills on the way to the finish line on N. Bush Highway.

The terrain for the race is made up entirely of paved surfaces, and there are typically few spectators along the course, thanks to its remote location away from populated areas and neighborhoods.

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