Pat's Run grows beyond Tempe

In recent years, Pat's Run has bumped up against a glass ceiling, but organizers keep finding new ways to break through it.

In its 11th year, the annual 4.2-mile run/walk honors former Arizona State University and Arizona Cardinals defensive star Pat Tillman, who walked away from his NFL career and millions in potential salary to join the Army Rangers.

Tillman, 27, was killed by friendly fire during a firefight in Afghanistan. After his death, friends and family members started Pat's Run to raise money for his foundation, which has blossomed into the Tillman Military Scholars program and has funded 347 students around the country with 60 more to be added in 2015.

At least one scholar will be stationed in each of the 28 starting corrals at the April 25 race. In all, more than 60 are coming to Tempe to take part in Pat's Run.

Since the Tillman Scholars program began in 2008, the foundation has invested more than $10 million in academic support for students at 98 universities.

Trouble is, only so many runners and walkers can fit on the 4.2-mile course. So organizers put a limit of 28,000 participants in the race that ends on the 42-yard line amid a gauntlet of Sun Devil football players. A 0.42-mile kids run also is booming in popularity.

Michelle McCarthy, spokesperson for the Tillman Foundation, said registration is ahead of last year and a sellout is possible. The entry fee goes from $45 to $50 after 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on March 31, and there typically is an increase in registrations right before that deadline.

In 2013, the last year for which Running USA statistics are available, Pat's Run was the largest running event in Arizona, based on the number of finishers. It ranked 15th in the country, third among military-oriented events and was the largest honoring a fallen member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

So how does it keep growing beyond the foot of A Mountain?

Virtually. And in the shadows.

In the early years of Pat's Run, "shadow runs" began popping up in which runners, and especially members of the military, who could not come to Tempe participated on their own.

The Arizona State Alumni Association began organizing events in cities across the country. Shadow runs for troops are available overseas. This year, McCarthy, said there will be more than 40 shadow runs, including 34 in U.S. cities organized by ASU alumni. Almost 3,000 participated in 2014 and the number will go up.

"Our shadow-run registrations are tracking way ahead of last year," McCarthy said. "There is much bigger demand, in part I think because American Family Insurance came aboard as a national sponsor and has given them greater visibility."

But even the shadow runs aren't available to everybody. So this year, Pat's Run is offering a "virtual run" option.

Virtual runs are booming in popularity for charity events because they allow runners to enter, receive a T-shirt or whatever other goodies a race offers, and run on their own wherever and whenever they want. They are encouraged to post their results and photos on social media.

Essentially, they're individual shadow runs. And arguably Pat's Run is responsible — thanks to the success of the grassroots shadow runs — for the whole "virtual run" concept.

"I'd have to do some research, but it might have been the original model," McCarthy said. "We can't take credit officially, but it's great to see the concept spreading. We added the virtual run this year to try to be responsive to demand.

"We hear from folks every year who may have done it here for five years, moved away and don't live in a shadow-run market. We heard from a Marine who lives in Norway and served in Afghanistan and Iraq who wanted to run. We've heard from people in Asia and South America as well."

Even Tillman Foundation volunteers and employees who can't run in the actual race run on their own a week or so before the event.

"One of our points of emphasis over the next 10 years is to activate more of the military bases," McCarthy said. "We hope to continue to grow the shadow runs and virtual runs worldwide.

"But we still love having people come to Tempe to do the race. Arizona is a great place to go in April."

Details: First wave starts at 7:05 a.m. Saturday, April 25. Packard Drive and Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe. $45. patsrun.com.

Arizona Trail Expeditions

Matt McFee, who operates the mountain-biking company Hermosa Tours, has teamed with the Arizona Trail Association to create a series of unguided mountain-biking, hiking and trail-running trips on segments of the Arizona National Scenic Trail.

It's a concept familiar to road bicyclists, who ride multiday routes in which the tour company transports their supplies, sleeping bags, tents and so on to the next destination. Each cyclist arrives at his or her own pace, the gear is waiting and they set up camp.

Arizona Trail Expeditions will start by offering 13 trips — five hikes, five trail runs and three mountain-bike trips. Two additional mountain-bike trips are in the works.

A shuttle will take participants to the starting point. Each day, a "Ready Camp" will be waiting with two 10-foot by 10-foot canopies, a full kitchen, firewood, chairs, personal gear, tents, sleeping bags, water and coolers with food and beverages purchased before the trip.

The tours last three to four days and cost $375 to $415 per person, depending on the activity and the trail passage.

"In addition to getting more hikers, bikers and trail runners out on the Arizona National Scenic Trail, part of the proceeds from each trip will go back to the Arizona Trail Association to help fund trail maintenance on the entire 800 miles and help support the organization as a whole," McFee said.

Details:aztexpeditions.com.