By Ancelious Meeks, Special to The Tri-State Defender
On December 7, 2024, runners gathered for a 7 a.m. start to kick off St. Jude Marathon Weekend under this year’s theme: Together, We Can Do This. More than 22,500 participants lined up on B.B. King Boulevard for the largest fundraising event of the year benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The four races—5K, 10K, half marathon, and full marathon—collectively raised $16 million. Each race course wound through the St. Jude campus, where patients and their families filled the streets, cheering on runners. The event concluded at AutoZone Park, where participants celebrated their achievements in a festive, party-like atmosphere.
This monumental event supports one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. Families of St. Jude patients never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Since its inception in 2002, the St. Jude Marathon has become a cherished community tradition, raising vital funds for the hospital’s groundbreaking research and treatment.
Race Winners
Marathon:
Carl Nelson of Kansas City, Mo., and Johanna Wistokat of Memphis, Tenn., won this year’s St. Jude Memphis Marathon with times of 2:34:18 and 2:54:45, respectively. Robert Reidelberger claimed victory in the wheelchair division with a time of 4:19:18.
Half Marathon:
Berket Mesele of Memphis, Tenn., finished first in the half marathon with a time of 1:11:14. Madisyn Dominy of Bowling Green, Ky., led the women’s division with a time of 1:21:43.
10K:
Ben Deeter of Memphis, Tenn., was the top male finisher in the 10K with a time of 35:27, while Lisa Sauter of Springfield, Mo., won the female division with a time of 37:53.
5K:
Both from Memphis, Tenn., James Murphy finished the 5K with a time of 17:06, and Alisha Scott won the women’s 5K with a time of 19:05.
