With more than 22,000 runners and more than 30,000 spectators expected, St. Jude and city officials outlined race-day plans Thursday for the 2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6.
Below is what participants, drivers and residents should know.
Race Overview & Starting Times
Speaking for ALSAC/St. Jude, Chris Boysen, senior vice president at ALSAC, encouraged them to use the marathon’s online resources before heading downtown.
Key race details:
- 5K & 10K start: 7 a.m. at B.B. King Blvd. & Madison
- Half & full marathon start: 8 a.m. at B.B. King Blvd. & Beale
Boysen said runners will experience “some of the very best of Memphis,” including downtown landmarks, historic neighborhoods and the traditional run through the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital campus, where patients, families and staff line the route to cheer.
He urged the public to visit stjude.org/marathonneighbors for:
- Course maps
- Neighborhood impact guides
- Road-closure times
- Parking maps
- Rideshare drop-off points
- Real-time traffic options via the Waze app
Boysen emphasized that the marathon remains St. Jude’s largest single annual fundraising event, supporting its pledge that families never receive a bill “for treatment, travel, housing or food.”
Police & Traffic Impacts
A Memphis Police Department traffic-division commander said road closures will affect much of downtown and midtown throughout the morning. Residents were urged to plan for delays and use alternate routes.
Key reminders from MPD:
- No parking is allowed on the race route. Vehicles parked along the course may be towed.
- Towed vehicles will be taken to a monitored “friendly lot” at G.E. Patterson and Front Street, where owners can retrieve their cars at no charge with proper paperwork until mid-afternoon.
- Officers, medical teams and partner agencies — including the National Guard — will staff intersections and closures for safety.
- Use the Waze app for live updates on street closures and alternate routes.
- The city’s website, memphistn.gov, will list approximate reopening times.
Residents and spectators were asked to report any suspicious activity. “If you see something, say something,” the commander said.
Officials also noted that a Memphis Tigers basketball game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., creating a second wave of traffic downtown.
MATA Transit Impacts
A Memphis Area Transit Authority operations official said MATA will operate its regular Saturday schedule, with one major exception: the William Hudson Transit Center will be closed during the marathon.
To keep service moving, MATA will establish three temporary satellite transfer hubs:
- Lamar & Bellevue – routes 1, 2, 4, 12, 13, 28, 34, 36, 39, 57
- Jackson & Watkins – routes 19, 50, 52, 53
- Chelsea & Thomas – routes 8, 11, 40
Additional notes from MATA:
- Crosstown routes will operate normally.
- Shuttle buses will run between satellite hubs throughout the closure.
- Supervisors, security and administrative staff will be stationed at each temporary site to help riders navigate transfers and answer questions.
- Riders should allow extra time, plan ahead and check matatransit.com and MATA social media for live updates.
Staff and security will remain onsite at the closed Hudson Center to monitor operations.
