St Jude Memphis Marathon

Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Country: United States
Website: https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/fitness-fundraisers/memphis-marathon.html
2025 Marathon Date: 06/12/2025
2026 Marathon Date: TBC
Winning Time 2025: 2:28:03
% Sub-3s: 2-5% # Sub-3s: 50-99 Total Finishers: 1-3k

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon is a distinctive December marathon that combines a challenging urban course with a powerful philanthropic purpose. Held annually in Memphis, Tennessee, the race takes runners on a 26.2-mile journey through the city’s historic neighbourhoods and downtown core, with the defining feature being a direct run through the campus of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The marathon starts on B.B. King Boulevard, close to the Beale Street entertainment district, placing runners immediately in the heart of the city. From there, the course unfolds as a broad tour of Memphis. Early miles head toward the Mississippi River, where runners follow Riverside Drive alongside Tom Lee Park, with open views across the river toward the Hernando de Soto Bridge. This stretch provides one of the more visually expansive sections of the race before the route turns inland.

The course then moves through a series of established residential areas, giving the race a strong neighbourhood feel. A notable section passes through Overton Park in Midtown, adding green space and a change of rhythm before runners return toward the downtown area. Throughout the race, crowd support is strong, with local residents, musicians, and block parties lining the streets in many areas.

The emotional centrepiece of the marathon comes in the latter stages, when runners pass directly through the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital campus. Patients, families, and hospital staff line the route, creating an atmosphere that many participants describe as the most memorable moment of the race. This section reinforces the marathon’s core identity as a mission-driven event rather than a purely competitive one.

The course profile is best described as rolling. Total elevation gain is approximately 214 metres, spread across the distance in a series of steady rises rather than sharp climbs. While not a flat course, it remains manageable for experienced marathon runners and is a certified Boston Marathon qualifier. The finish comes on Union Avenue, with a slight downhill lead-in that carries runners past AutoZone Park.

Established in its current form in 2002, the St. Jude Memphis Marathon has grown into the hospital’s largest single-day fundraising event, raising more than $100 million over its history. It stands out as a marathon where the physical challenge, the city’s character, and the event’s humanitarian mission are tightly interwoven, offering an experience that is as emotionally resonant as it is demanding.