St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend takes place on Sat, Dec 5, 2026 in Memphis, United States. The main route is 42.2 km.
- Date
- Sat, Dec 5, 2026
- Start
- Memphis 🇺🇸
- Distance
- 42.2 km
- Level
- Open to all
The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend features multiple distances including a full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K, serving as a major annual charity event to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Official event pageWhat this race demands
The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend requires athletes to complete a 42.2 kilometer running distance in early December.
Aerobic endurance
Covering the full 42.2 kilometer distance demands sustained cardiovascular capacity and muscular stamina over an extended duration.
Late-season pacing
Racing a marathon in December requires disciplined energy distribution to manage fatigue across the entire distance.
Aim for 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour to sustain energy output throughout the marathon duration.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
3:45–4:30
Peak-week training
5–7 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is 15 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Base3 weeks · Aug 23, 2026 – Sep 12, 2026
Aerobic foundation: mostly steady endurance work that grows the aerobic engine and the durability the later phases stand on.
02Build6 weeks · Sep 13, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
03Peak3 weeks · Oct 25, 2026 – Nov 14, 2026
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
04Taper2 weeks · Nov 15, 2026 – Nov 28, 2026
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
05Race week1 week · Nov 29, 2026 – Dec 5, 2026
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
Similar races
Organising this race?