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St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend turns a December race into a major pediatric-cancer fundraising event with four distances and a downtown Memphis course.
Course Highlights
The full marathon starts near B.B. King Boulevard and Beale Street, putting runners in the middle of Memphis’s musical and cultural core. The weekend’s distance menu includes a marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K, so families and mixed-ability groups can race together.
Downtown Memphis, Beale Street and the Mississippi riverfront gives the race its sense of place, with the start and finish designed to put runners close to the most memorable parts of the destination. The course profile and terrain make it worthwhile to study the organizer maps before race day rather than relying only on the headline distance.
Race Details
The next listed race date is 2026-12-05 with a typical start around 08:00 local time. Distances include Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K. Check the official website for registration deadlines, wave assignments, course changes, time limits and final logistics, especially if you are traveling internationally.
The 2026 marathon start is scheduled for 8:00 a.m.; the shorter races start earlier. Expect a popular holiday-season weekend, so reserve lodging early, check the official schedule for expo and bib pickup details and leave time for downtown traffic and the finish-area crowds. Build a simple race-weekend plan that covers packet pickup, sleep, breakfast, hydration, transport and a post-race meeting point. For destination events, keeping the plan flexible is useful because weather and road closures can change the best way to reach the start.
Why Runners Love It
The defining feature is the St. Jude mission: participants raise money for the children’s research hospital and its patients. The race’s 25th anniversary in 2026 adds a milestone layer to the weekend, while the Memphis setting gives runners a memorable finish surrounded by music, food and community support.
Whether the goal is a personal best, a first long-distance finish, a relay with friends or a scenic travel experience, this event offers more than a start line. Read the organizer guidance, respect local course rules and arrive ready to enjoy the community atmosphere as well as the miles.
Official race website: https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/fitness-fundraisers/memphis-marathon.html
Race-weekend planning: Recheck the organizer website as the event approaches for final maps, bib collection windows, weather guidance, aid-station details and transport changes. A little planning goes a long way: protect sleep, identify a warm-up route near the hotel, decide where supporters will meet after the finish and keep the official emergency and course-contact information with you.
Memphis, TN United States
St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend turns a December race into a major pediatric-cancer fundraising event with four distances and a downtown Memphis course.
Course Highlights
The full marathon starts near B.B. King Boulevard and Beale Street, putting runners in the middle of Memphis’s musical and cultural core. The weekend’s distance menu includes a marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K, so families and mixed-ability groups can race together.
Downtown Memphis, Beale Street and the Mississippi riverfront gives the race its sense of place, with the start and finish designed to put runners close to the most memorable parts of the destination. The course profile and terrain make it worthwhile to study the organizer maps before race day rather than relying only on the headline distance.
Race Details
The next listed race date is 2026-12-05 with a typical start around 08:00 local time. Distances include Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K. Check the official website for registration deadlines, wave assignments, course changes, time limits and final logistics, especially if you are traveling internationally.
The 2026 marathon start is scheduled for 8:00 a.m.; the shorter races start earlier. Expect a popular holiday-season weekend, so reserve lodging early, check the official schedule for expo and bib pickup details and leave time for downtown traffic and the finish-area crowds. Build a simple race-weekend plan that covers packet pickup, sleep, breakfast, hydration, transport and a post-race meeting point. For destination events, keeping the plan flexible is useful because weather and road closures can change the best way to reach the start.
Why Runners Love It
The defining feature is the St. Jude mission: participants raise money for the children’s research hospital and its patients. The race’s 25th anniversary in 2026 adds a milestone layer to the weekend, while the Memphis setting gives runners a memorable finish surrounded by music, food and community support.
Whether the goal is a personal best, a first long-distance finish, a relay with friends or a scenic travel experience, this event offers more than a start line. Read the organizer guidance, respect local course rules and arrive ready to enjoy the community atmosphere as well as the miles.
Official race website: https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/fitness-fundraisers/memphis-marathon.html
Race-weekend planning: Recheck the organizer website as the event approaches for final maps, bib collection windows, weather guidance, aid-station details and transport changes. A little planning goes a long way: protect sleep, identify a warm-up route near the hotel, decide where supporters will meet after the finish and keep the official emergency and course-contact information with you.