MM #11943

The St Jude Memphis Marathon event is fabulous! The 2016 version raised $10MM for the Children's Cancer Research Hospital.....that by itself just makes it awesome.

St Jude wants everyone to run as a HERO. They open registration in May for HEROS only - meaning you have to commit to raising at least $500 for St Jude. Not counting your entry fee. Because the Half Marathon is so popular, a lot of people go this option to ensure that they get into the Half. All races open a month later and oftentimes the Half is almost full by this point.
The marathon doesn't typically fill up until close to race day so no fundraising is required....however even if you don't sign up as a HERO they give you a fundraising page and send you reminders early and often to raise money! The Expo is two days long - Thurs and Fri. The race organizers are fanatical and militant about YOU having to pick up your own bib. Charm, begging and threats do not work. Since this is a Saturday Marathon that causes issues for travelers but the Expo is open until 8 or 9pm on Friday night. Good Expo, lots of vendors, music and some speakers.
Race starts at 8:30 with the half-marathoners. 5K and 10K leave at 7am so you can run more than one if you want. Bag check and bathrooms and shelter are in AutoZone Park (AAA Baseball Field) downtown. That's nice. Race starts in downtown Memphis, runs up the MS River, hits the famous Beale St then goes through the St Jude Hospital campus around mile 5. Often there are families out giving high fives and shedding tears of thanks for the runners - it's always energizing and emotional. The course overall is beautiful - runs through parks, by the zoo and through some gorgeous neighborhoods. There are some parts that are more stale and commercial but it's not a lot. Aid stations plentiful with Gu, water and NUUN (not a big hit this year) and Vaseline/bandaids were available too. Cheer stations, bands, corporate sponsor stations, etc are scattered around the course and the locals are out with beer, candy, potato chips, fruit and lots of Kleenex this year (because it was cold and wet).
Race finished in Autozone Park - friends can wait in the seats and watch the finish line on the scoreboard. They call your name out too. Runner tracking available on RTRT.ME. Post race food is pizza/donuts/beer/etc....pretty generic. Getting out of the food area to bag check and out of the park is a LONG walk that is no fun after a marathon.
Great race - 20,000 total runners (about 2500 marathoners), good crowd support and fun city to visit.