(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.
NOTE: THERE IS NO RACE DAY PACKET PICKUP FOR ANY RACE.
Entries capped: To ensure the quality of the race experience for all participants, registrations will be limited.
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
- Twenty-four aid stations (located at the 1.5 mile mark then at every mile from miles 3 through 25)
- Clocks at every mile
- Portalets at every mile (and at the aid station at the 1.5 mile mark)
- Pace teams (Learn more)
- Lots of spirit, music, and southern hospitality
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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.
Course map
Read a preview of the course
Course description
Course attractions and landmarks
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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
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Parking
Parking special: Central Parking System, one of the event’s loyal supporters, is offering a special $5 fee for its large parking lot accessible only from Danny Thomas Boulevard with entrances on Beale Street and Gayoso Avenue (not from Fourth Street). For GPS/Mapquest directions, the lot address is 448 Beale, 38103.
Central Parking also has several lots near the start for $10. If you wish to use these lots, get there early as the lots are expected to close at 5:45 a.m. due to pedestrian traffic on Fourth Street for the race start.
All Central lots will open at 5 a.m.
Additional parking: There are also 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. Parking 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).
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On Course Support
Twenty-four aid stations: Each aid station offers water, PowerAde®, Band-Aids® and Vaseline®. The stations are located at approximately the 1.5 mile mark and then at every mile from miles 3 thro
ugh 25. Energy gels are available at mile marks 9, 15, 18 and 21.
Visual display clocks and portalets are at every mile beginning with mile mark 1. Portalets will also be located at the aid station at the 1.5 mile mark.
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).
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Certification/Sanctioning
The event is sanctioned and supervised by Memphis Runners Track Club (MRTC), which is a member of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and USA Track & Field (USATF).
The course has been certified by USATF:
Marathon ... #TN09042MS
Half Marathon ... #TN09041MS
The event is sanctioned as a qualifying race for The Boston Marathon. For additional details and a list of qualifying times, please visit the Boston Marathon website.
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Participant Amenities
All registrants will receive a race number, timing tag, goodie bag, and official long-sleeved T-shirt (available at packet pickup area only).
Marathon participants will receive a tech shirt. All other race shirts are 100 percent cotton.
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 within two weeks after the event.
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Awards & Prizes
Prize money: The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend no longer offers general prize money to all participants in any race. However, the Memphis Runners Track Club (MRTC) will award a total of $2,000 in regional prize money to the top three male and top three female finishers in the marathon who are MRTC members in good standing and whose principal residence is within a 75 mile radius of Shelby County, Tennessee. Money will be awarded to each gender as follows:
- First place - $500
- Second place - $300
- Third place - $200
No prize money will be awarded for the half marathon, the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K or the St. Jude Family race.
A note about official times for prizes and awards: Only the results for the Open (Overall) division in all three races (including for awarding of MRTC regional prize money) 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 awards and prizes 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 MRTC regional prize money.
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 35. 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 following sites:
U.S. Olympic Committee - www.usoc.org
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency - www.usantidoping.org
International Association of Athletics Federation - www.iaaf.org
International Olympic Committee - www.olympic.org
World Anti-Doping Agency - www.wada-ama.org
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Elite Athletes
While prize money is no longer offered (except for MTRC members), Elite Athletes are still welcome to compete. Entry fees will be waived for those runners who have met certain standards. View a list of standards and read more about the Elite Athletes program.
Apply as an Elite Athlete. (PDF)
For questions about the race or the Elite Athlete program, email marathon@stjude.org.
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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.
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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 "B-tag" timing device which is affixed to the bib (race number). Please do not remove the B-tag for any reason as you may not receive an official time.
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 teams: 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 17 target finish times, beginning with 3:05 through a finish time of 5:40, in 5, 10 or 15 minute intervals. For more information, visit the pace teams page or their 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 Vinh Vu, pace team coordinator, at vinhvu_68@yahoo.com.
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 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 Memphis during 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 MP3 players) 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.”
Finally, any type of support or unauthorized pacing will not be allowed.
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