A great run if you've had your hill training. It's billed as being primarily flat, but during your later miles, you're going to be faced with a lot of uphill mileage at the most inopportune time...near the end. Three words to combat this...stretch, gel and hydrate. You're going to need those electrolytes in your arsenal if you're going to talk those leg muscles into seeing this thing through to the finish line. One of the greatest selling points to this race is the wave starts. Every two minutes, they send off runners in ascending pace groups. This is essential for keeping the field open and uncongested. I found plenty of room to maneuver around slower runners, or get out of the way of faster ones, too. The beginning of the race is very picturesque as it takes you along the river, giving you a great view of the city. The last .2 mile is pretty exciting, too, as you race to the finish line at home plate in AutoZone Park, the home of the Memphis Redbirds Minor league baseball team. The park will be full of people cheering you on and believe me, you'll need them! When booking a room, make sure you make your reservation early. The hotels in the area sell out quite quickly and you don't want to have to drive for miles and miles after just having run 26.2 yourself! read more

St. Jude Memphis Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me

Wow. Never in my life would I be in Tennessee, but as luck would have it, I was here for the 2010 St. Jude Memphis Marathon in December. After completing the race and looking up my results online the next morning, I quickly signed up for the 50 States Marathon Club. Yes! There is such a club and its filled with such amazing people! One of my favorite memories would be running through the St. Jude research hospital complex, where the kids and their parents and supporters were out there cheering the marathoners and half marathoners. It was a great feeling to have high five'd a couple of them in passing before I made my way. The expo itself was in the convention center in downtown Memphis. Thankfully, I got there a couple of hours before they closed. The expo was sparse, but it had plenty of runner related goods to service all types of runners. I picked up KT tape here and that suited me just fine. The course itself was great. The first few miles we ran along scenic venues and along the Missouri River. It was quite majestic, as the course took us in and around the city of Memphis. That pyramid was a pretty random thing, but I was told that a professional sports team used that arena as their home base. The last half of the course was a quintessential out and back course, which was scenic and took us through the residential areas of Memphis before heading back to the finish line in Autozone Park. Tried as I must, I was victorious and it helped me secure another personal best, which still stands today. The course support was nonexistent in the later miles, but that's what you can expect when you live life at the back of the pack. The aid stations were adequate and the finish line was great. It was awesome to have the announcer dude call my name and say I was from Hawaii, just to run the marathon. Such a priceless feeling indeed. I did like the finisher's medal and the post race pizza was ok. There was alot left, so I took one extra box and had it for dinner a few hours later. I would definitely recommend this race to support St. Jude's research hospital. If you are looking for a great marathon, this one should be on your list. A+ #Yelp Marathons read more

I ran the St. Jude Half Marathon on December 6, 2014 and was one of the best running races I have ever done. I think more because of the St Jude Children's Research Hospital and their cause of combating or treating childhood cancer and many other life-threatening diseases. After a long year filled with many races and finishing Ironman Florida just a few weeks before this event, I decided to do the half marathon instead as I was a bit tired at the time. lol! The event offers a 5K, a full marathon and the half marathon. The expo was huge with so many vendors. The race was very well organized with endless volunteers and EMS, police everywhere, as it is a major event each year for the city of Memphis and the major fund raiser event for St Jude. Volunteers were amazing and the people cheering all along the route was just incredible! Good old southern hospitality! I think the highlight of this event for me was when we entered the St Jude campus, as the running route went through there. There was live music on a big stage, many people all around and then you saw all the kids that were brought outside, with family and their friends, whether on wheelchairs or crutches, still wearing their gowns all lined up cheering for us along the course through the campus. You could not help but to stop and hug all of them, one by one, giving them high 5's, and see their smiling faces, and those little sparkling eyes and big hearts because they know you are running for them. It is one of those things that you actually get to experience in person, and feel it on the spot. I couldn't help but to be compassionate about it and getting teary eyes being a bit emotional in having that experience myself. Indeed it was a very humble moment for me. Many events donate to charities and other causes, but you can really see it first hand, up close and personal what this cause is all about. I can't even imagine the pain and suffering these kids and their parents go through. But as a Dad myself, this is very close to my heart as I can understand the love a parent has toward his or her own child. The course takes you through major downtown streets, businesses, to residential areas and parks. As you were heading back downtown, and eventually finishing at the baseball stadium you could feel the energy of the large- never- ending crowds cheering the runners along the route in the streets! It was really a fun and cool event. It was a very special race for me, forever close to my heart and hope to return again. Definitely a race for your bucket list!! read more

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So, I haven't actually run this race, since it was cancelled this year. However, I was very impressed with the level of engagement and support provided by St. Jude ever since I signed up way back in May. The fundraising website was easy to use and customize, and while I didn't take advantage of the email templates for both soliciting donations and sending thank you's, it would have been easy to do so. They also offered weekly training runs, training tips, and workshops, and kept me up to date on when and where everything was available. I even received a phone call from a volunteer telling me how proud they were of my fundraising progress and telling me to keep up the good work! The expo was well-organized, so it was easy to pick up my packet, number, access, bracelets, etc. They were also prompt about notifying runners about the cancellation -- the decision was made at 6:30pm on Friday, and by 7pm, it was on the official website and I had received a text message update. I had fully expected to be up at 5am on Saturday trying to figure out it the race was still on! Communication since the cancellation has continued to be excellent. I received an email with instructions on my options and a form to fill out indicating what I wanted done with my entry fee, packet, and medal, and I have no doubt they'll continue to follow up (2013 entrants will also be offered early registration for the 2014 race). While I'm disappointed that I couldn't run, I would definitely recommend this race to anyone! read more

I've done the St. Jude half marathon twice, out of maybe a dozen other races I've participated in. This course and the whole experience is by far my favorite race. Many marathons have proceeds going to support some good cause, but in this race, you actually get to see some of the families you are helping. In addition to running along the Mississippi, down Beale Street, and some other cool areas of Memphis, the course actually goes through the hospital's campus. Nothing pulls on your heart strings more than seeing children who have been diagnosed with cancer coming out with their families to cheer you on and thank you for your support. It's very moving, and it certainly helps to keep you moving. The race features your usual 5k, half, and full marathon. It always takes place the first weekend in December, and be warned that it sells out quickly! If you've not done a race before, December might sound like a terrible month for running, but by the end of your race, you'll be glad it's cold out. I like to pick up a second hand coat and then ditch it along the route after the first couple of miles. All of the abandoned clothes get donated afterward, so don't feel like you're littering ;) After all the races I've completed, this one remains my favorite. Lots of different schools and businesses come out and work the water tables, and the feeling you get is very rewarding. read more

Well organized and ran like a well oiled ship. I'd run another half again. The medals were to die for and the St Jude hero jackets were cute!!! read more

St. Jude Memphis Marathon - This is when the city comes together as one to love on Jude families and encourage each. Roads were safe and clear of traffic. - Races & Competitions Near Me

I ran this marathon earlier this month in 3:38:xx in completing my 49th marathon distance race. The expo for this marathon was pretty good as it was fairly large and also somewhat open. That meant that there were plenty of vendors to check out without feeling too overcrowded. Getting to the start of this race wasn't too bad either as my wife dropped me off about 3 blocks away. The start of this marathon had self assigned corrals which surprisingly were too crowded. They did have the usual collection of people who were significantly slower than the corral was for but I feel like that happens whether the corrals are assigned or not. The first couple of miles of this race was where we ran through both of the areas that i thought were interesting. The first of these was right at the 1 mile marker and was Beale St. The second was at around mile 6 or 7 and was running through St. Judes which I thought was really cool. The rest of the course seemed to be through many different residential areas which were fairly boring. Finally you finish in their baseball stadium which is always a fun experience. The course itself was a rolling course without any major hills but you always seemed to be going up and down. The bottom line for me is that I am glad to have done this marathon. While it wasn't the easiest marathon course and was quite boring for large chunks, I did enjoy running through the St. Judes and I think that it is one of the best marathon causes out there. read more

Awesome run for a great cause. If only family and friends could be on the field to see the runners cross the finish line.

Great course, was well supported with water and powerade every mile on the course. The crowds were plentiful (except the back half of the marathon course). Was a great first marathon! read more