Registration now open for 22nd annual Pat’s Run in Tempe

Registration is now open for the 22nd annual Pat's Run, the Tempe race honoring the late Pat Tillman, which will be held on April 11.

BY JEFF VINTON

Jan 7, 2026, 1:33 PM Updated: Jan 8, 2026, 12:48 pm

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Watch: Everything you need to know about the 2026 Pat's Run | 9 mins

PHOENIX — The countdown is officially underway for the 22nd annual Pat’s Run in Tempe, the race honoring former Arizona State University and Arizona Cardinals star Pat Tillman, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2004, while serving in the U.S. Army.

Registration for the 4.2-mile run/walk opened on Wednesday on PatsRun.org and will remain open until race day on April 11.

Those who register before 11:59 p.m. Arizona time on Wednesday will be able to do so for $42.40, a nod to the numbers Tillman wore with ASU and the Cardinals, respectively. After that, the price will increase to $50.42 and remain at that price until the end of the month.

This could be you on April 11, 2026 in Tempe AZ 👀Register now! https://t.co/2faCyOxukW pic.twitter.com/2KLCH6B4I6

— Pat Tillman Foundation (@pattillmanfnd) January 7, 2026

The price will continue to increase each month until it peaks on April 1 at $75.40.

Along with the 4.2-mile run, there will be a 0.42-mile run for kids. Registration for that race will cost $10.42 until Jan. 10. The fee will increase to $15.40 starting Jan. 11 and $25.42 starting April 1.

Those who cannot make it to Tempe in April can still honor Tillman’s legacy by registering to participate in one of 33 honor runs held around the nation, or by registering to run on their own, for $42.40.

“You can run, you can walk, you can stroll, you can skip if you want to,” Pat Tillman Foundation CEO Katherine Steele told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show Wednesday. “We just want you to get out there and have a great time.”

All adults who register will receive a T-shirt and a medal, while kids will receive a T-shirt and a medallion.

Additional items are available for purchase, including a tank top, sweatshirt, hat and sunglasses.

All proceeds from Pat’s Run benefit the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Tillman Scholars Program, which helps active-duty service members, veterans and military spouses through investments in their higher education.

What to expect at Pat’s Run in 2026

Pat’s Run will begin at 7 a.m. with a wheelchair race, followed five minutes later by the start of the 4.2-mile race. The kids’ run will begin at 10 a.m.

The race course winds through the streets of north Tempe and ends with racers crossing the 42-yard line inside ASU’s Mountain America Stadium.

After the race, the Tillman Tailgate will return for a second year and will offer food trucks, vendors and music for racers to enjoy.

“There is something for everyone and that’s the idea,” Steele said. “We want you to come out, have a great time and hang out with us for a while.”

It's almost time for Pat's Run 2026 with the @pattillmanfnd! We talked to Dr. Katherine Steele, CEO of the Foundation about what makes each year even more special than the last. Registration begins today!

Full segment: @KTAR923 YouTube. pic.twitter.com/z1iVANIrJF

— The Mike Broomhead Show on KTAR News (@BroomheadShow) January 7, 2026

History of Pat’s Run

Tillman was a star linebacker at ASU from 1994 to 1997 before turning pro. He was drafted by the Cardinals and played safety for four seasons before leaving football to join the Army after the 9/11 attacks.

He was killed in action in April 2004. The first Pat’s Run was held a year later after being organized by Tillman’s friends and family.

“They decided to go ahead and do a run, expecting a couple hundred people to show up,” Steele said. “(They) ended up with 5,000 people that showed up the first year, and everybody was kind of blown away by the power that Pat had, right, in the community.”

Since then, the number of racers has steadily increased, and organizers expect about 30,000 people to attend Pat’s Run this year.

“It’s such a great reminder of the power of service, right? And I think that’s what Pat illustrated for all of us, right? Serve your people, serve your country, serve your team, serve your community in some way, shape or form,” Steele said. “And you get to be shoulder-to-shoulder with 30,000 people that have come together because they want to make a difference.”