(See Information on the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K)
Race Start
The Marathon and Half Marathon start at 8 a.m. See the Events/Schedule section for more details.
Entries capped: To ensure the quality of the “race experience” for all participants, registrations will be limited to 3,500 in the marathon ... 8,000 in the half marathon ... and 4,000 in the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K.
Key Features
- Start and Finish lines two blocks apart and near over a dozen Downtown hotels, lots of restaurants, and Beale Street, Memphis’ entertainment district
- Dynamic finish in AAA baseball stadium (with use of locker rooms and shower facilities)
- Wave start
- Aid Stations with clocks, water, PowerAde®, and portolets . . . all at every mile
- Lots of spirit, music, and southern hospitality
Course Information
Runners and walkers will enjoy a course that's relatively flat with rolling hills featuring some of Memphis' most historic neighborhoods. With the race beginning (and ending) in Downtown Memphis, participants will pass many of the city’s most popular landmarks and attractions including the Mississippi River, Beale Street, Sun Studio (where Elvis Presley first recorded), the National Civil Rights Museum and the campus of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Runners will experience a dynamic finish at AutoZone Park, home of the Redbirds, Memphis' AAA baseball team.
View this year's course map.
List and description of course attractions and landmarks.
Course Elevations
Start = 245 feet above sea level
Finish = 215 feet above sea level
Highest point = 330 feet above sea level
Lowest point = 215 feet above sea level
Parking
There are an abundant number of surface lots and parking garages located within four to six blocks of the start and finish lines. These are the same lots which serve major sporting and entertainment events in Downtown Memphis. Obviously, lots closer to AutoZone Park will fill-up first and traffic on Race Morning will be heavy, so plan to get there early (see map of the Downtown area which includes lot locations).
On Course Support
Aid Stations at every mile: Each Aid Station features a visual display clock, portolets, Band-Aids®, Vaseline®, water, and PowerAde®. Race officials, runner number verification points and direction personnel will be located on the course as well. Energy gel will be available at mile markers 9, 15, 18 and 21.
Spirit Stations throughout the course: Be entertained by both Memphis Music and non-traditional zaniness!
Traffic control will be directed by the Memphis Police Department.
Medical Support: There will be a full emergency field hospital at the Finish. In addition, there will be medical support on the course with nurses at several of the Aid Stations. The course doctor will be in the Race Director's car throughout the race and will be able to respond to emergencies in a few minutes. Runners who must drop out of the race will be picked up at one of the Aid Stations, which will be in radio contact with the main medical unit at the Finish.
Post Race Support at AutoZone Park: Finishers will have access to a variety of food and beverages. An attended bag check area will be available as well as access to the shower facilities in the ballpark’s locker rooms (participants should furnish their own soap and towels).
Certification/Sanctioning
The event is sanctioned and supervised by Memphis Runners Track Club, a member of RRCA.
The course has been certified by USA Track & Field (USATF):
Marathon ... #TN09042MS
Half Marathon ... #TN09041MS
The event is recognized by Road Runners Club of America as that organization's official State Championship of Tennessee.
The event is sanctioned as a qualifying race for The Boston Marathon. Additionally, qualified times in this year's St. Jude Memphis Marathon will achieve eligibility for the next two Boston Marathons since both of which will be held within 24 months of this year's SJMM. For additional details and a list of qualifying times, go to www.bostonmarathon.org.
Participant Amenities
All registrants will receive a race number, timing chip, goodie bag, and official long-sleeved T-shirt (available at packet pickup area only).
All finishers will receive a medal, access to food and beverages, and invitation to the afternoon Post-Race Celebration.
Certificates of Completion are available online several weeks after the event.
Awards & Prizes
Marathon Purse*: Prize money totaling $20,000 will be awarded to the top three male and top three female finishers who ran in the marathon only as follows:
| 1st - $5,000 |
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| 2nd - $3,000 |
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| 3rd - $2,000 |
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Note that we no longer offer prize money in the Masters Division or in the half marathon.
Course Record Money*: In addition to the first place check, a bonus of $1,000 will be paid to the male marathon champion runner who has a winning time of 2:16:48 or better . . . and to the female marathon champion runner who has a winning time of 2:37:10 or better.
*Individual checks will be mailed within 10 working days following receipt of proper tax forms.
Notes About Official Times for Prizes and Awards: The results for the Open (Overall) Division only in all three races, including determination of cash prizes in the Marathon (as well as Course Record Bonuses), will be based on the actual order of finish (“gun time”). Results determining the awarding of trophies and plaques in all other divisions and age groups of all races will be based on “chip time.” Runners will be eligible for prizes and awards only in the specific race for which they registered. Also, while the ban on wearing listening devices has been lifted, the event will continue to enforce a "no headphone" policy for those competing for prize money in the marathon.
Shelby County Winners: The male and female runners from Shelby County, Tennesee with the lowest Marathon finish times will each receive a cash prize of $500 for first place, $300 for second, and $200 for third ... generously funded and distributed by Memphis Runners Track Club. Click here for residency guidelines.
Trophies will be awarded to the top three male and top three female runners in both the marathon and half marathon in the following divisions: Open (Overall), Masters (40+), Grand Masters (50+), Senior Masters (60+), wheelchair athletes and residents of Shelby County, Tennessee. Trophies for the Open (Overall) Division of both races will be awarded at the Awards Ceremony on race day. All other trophies will be mailed within two weeks after the event.
Plaques will be awarded to the top three male and female runners in both the marathon and half marathon in the following age groups. Since plaques are personalized, production/distribution is targeted for 45 – 60 days following the race.
11-15 (half marathon only)
16-19 45-49
20-24 50-54
25-29 55-59
30-34 60-64
35-39 65-69
40-44 70-74
75+.
NOTE: There will be no duplication of trophies or plaque awards.
Drug Testing: USA Track and Field (USATF), recognized by the United States Olympic Committee, is the sanctioning and certifying body for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and Half Marathon. Without USATF certification, any record set or qualifying times achieved would not be recognized. Athletes who participate in this competition may be subject to formal drug testing in accordance with USATF rules and IAAF Rule 55. Athletes found positive for banned substances or who refuse to be tested will be disqualified from the event and will lose eligibility for future competitions. Some prescriptions and over the counter medications contain banned substances. Information regarding drugs and drug testing may be obtained by going to the United States Olympic Committee Web site at www.usoc.org or by going to the United States Anti-Doping Agency Web site at www.usantidoping.org.
Wheelchair Athletes
To recognize their equal effort and ability, the following program and guidelines will apply to wheelchair athletes for all three races:
- Trophies will be awarded to the top three male and top three female finishers in each race (category was previously awarded same plaques as age group finishers)
- Early start with police escort
- Special restroom facilities near the Start and on the courses; proper facilities are also available at AutoZone Park, site of the Finish.
- Special parking near the Finish (contact Race Office for details)
The races follow the definition for participants in this category as set by Wheelchair Sports USA in Division 3 Specific Rules for Track Events, Rules 50.5 (no mechanical gears or levers) and 50.12 (mandatory use of approved helmets). The WSUSA Rules in sections 70.0 (“Specific Rules for Road Racing”) and 71.0 (“Assistance to Competitors”) will also apply.
Elite Athletes
In addition to offering a cash purse (Marathon only), we do welcome elite athletes by waiving entry fees for those runners who have met certain qualifying finish times in a 24-month period prior to this year’s marathon. For a list of those standard times and a printable Elite Athlete Entry Application, click here.
Email marathon@stjude.org for more information on our Elite Program.
Other Important Information
Timing: The ChronoTrack System will be used to determine all official finishing times. Along with race numbers and other information distributed at Packet Pickup/Expo, each participant will be furnished a disposable "D-tag" timing device which is affixed to a show during the race.
Wave Start: In order to alleviate crowding at the Start and first few miles of the race, we are once again featuring a staggered wave start. All participants will be asked to position themselves at the Start in a “Corral” which best corresponds to their projected pace (average minutes per mile). When the horn sounds, only first Corral (and elites runners in front) will start. The runners in Corral #2 will walk slowly to the Start Line where they will be held in place for two minutes, then released ... and so on until the last Corral has crossed the Start Line.
Pace Team: This year's race will again feature pace teams, coordinated by volunteer members of the Memphis Runners Track Club. Pace teams will be organized at target finish times, beginning with 3 hours and continuing in 5-minute increments through a finish time of 4:00, then at 15-minute increments from 4:15 through a finish time of 5:45. For more information, visit the pace team booth at the Expo when you obtain your info packet and race number.
If you are an experienced marathoner and would be interested in leading a pace group for a specific time, please contact Brooke Miles, Pace Team Coordinator.
Course Closing: Officially, the course will be open for six hours after the official start time (or adjusted if a late start). However, note that traffic control by the Memphis Police Department, the use of cones and the operation of Aid Stations will cease in stages along the course (some before 2 p.m) as the event progresses. Accordingly, to take advantage of this support, it is important that runners and walkers in the half marathon maintain a minimum 20-minute/mile pace and a 14-minute/mile pace in the full marathon. Once normal vehicular traffic resumes, participants should proceed at their own risk and are asked to use sidewalks. Volunteers will continue to monitor participants' progress along the course.
The Finish Line will operate until 3:30 p.m. Official times will be recorded, and medals will be distributed until this time.
Walkers: Walkers are very welcome in the Half Marathon as long as they can maintain a 20-minute/mile pace (approximate finish time of 4:20). The course and Aid Stations will close on this pace. Walkers who cannot maintain a 20-minute/mile pace may be asked to complete the race on sidewalks without Police traffic control support. It is important that walkers start the race in the last corral behind all runners. Also, in order to cross the finish line (recording an official time) and to receive a medal, they must complete the entire course. Walkers are strongly discouraged from participating in the marathon.
Historical Temperatures for Memphisin the first week of December:
Average high - 56 degrees F (Record high of 81 degrees F in 1982)
Average low - 38 degrees F (Record low of 15 degrees F in 1937)
Mean - 46 degrees F
What’s Prohibited: (noncompliance with the following may result in immediate disqualification): Unregistered runners, unauthorized vehicles, bicycles, roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, strollers, baby-joggers, and runners with pets are strictly prohibited to assure runner safety and to comply with liability insurance requirements.
Headphones are now allowed, but not recommended: In accordance with revised regulations of U.S. Track and Field, this event no longer bans the use of headphones and other listening devises (such as iPods) while participating in our three races (except for elite athletes; see below). However, the SJMMW recognizes the potential danger of wearing such devices during a sometimes-crowded race on city streets shared with auto traffic and strongly urges participants not to use headphones. According to Road Runners Club of America’s tips for running safety: “Don’t wear headsets. Use your ears to be aware of the surroundings. Using headphones, you lose the use of an important sense—your hearing. Always stay alert and aware of what’s going on around you. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are.”
Note: The SJMMW will continue to enforce a “no headphones” policy for those competing for cash prizes.
Finally, any type of support or unauthorized pacing will not be allowed.
