This was my first time to run the Tupelo 14.2 and I'd certainly recommend it. The event organizers, Trails and Treads, really had their act together. The race kicked off quickly and plunged runners into a sweet country darkness. There was food aplenty, hydration, and runner support along the rolling course, which, for an hour, was nothing but a field of stars. Roosters, crows, horses and neighborhood dogs all showed their appreciation as spectators to our hard work. On crossing the finish I received an awesome skull and crossbones medal, beer and BBQ with fine fixins. Ten out of 10!

Everything was great. Course support was great. They even had drive-by support offering water/Gatorade. Long-sleeve t-shirts are really cool. The 5 a.m. start on country roads means that there are basically no spectators other than support personnel. But that's OK with me. The medal is the best one I have or have seen. Post-race BBQ was really great and they had plenty even at the end of the race. The only negative thing is that, toward the end of the race, the traffic was a little unnerving, but the drivers moved over to keep it safe. There were plenty of police cars making sure as well.

Tupelo was a great race! The location is nice, as there are a lot of amenities, but nothing is too far. I stayed in an inexpensive hotel that was just 10 minutes or less away from the start. The parking at the start was plentiful. The course was an open course on country roads - with gently rolling hills. We started at 5 a.m. in the dark; it was fun, like running an early-morning training run. They passed out flashlights if you needed them, but I ran without them. Around 5 miles, the sun started coming up. It's an out-and-back... the hills are the worst in the middle section (around 10-16) but are not bad. The last 6 are relatively flat and the scenery is new because you ran it in the dark the first time. Traffic wasn't an issue with the course unless you are going to be out there close to the time limit.

The shirts are long-sleeve, cotton, and tie-dyed (with a skull and crossbones and the slogan, "trample the weak, hurdle the dead" on them). MY FAVORITE IN 25 MARATHONS!! The medal matches the shirt and is also SUPER COOL!

The post-race food was plentiful: pretzels, bananas, BBQ sandwiches, coleslaw, pot salad, beer, Coke, PowerAde, and water.

The race sold out this year for the first time, so sign up early!

My only suggestion for the race director is to make the course map more detailed for spectators. It was hard for my husband to find me because there aren't any roads on the map but the course roads. He wanted to stay off the course for runner safety. It would be nice to put other named roads on there so people could spectate better (especially roads to get from Coley to mile 3 or around 12 and 14 and around 9.5). The roads are listed as county roads, but often had different names. This would be great - especially for out-of-state runners who aren't familiar with the area. Thanks for a great timeI I PR'd by 6 minutes!!

This was my second trip to Tupelo in as many years and I am just amazed how much I love this marathon. As others have said in the past it is 'a cult' thing. Or maybe I just love marathons that are a little edgy and rough without all that pre-processed, regurgitated garbage that is the mainstay of so many other races.
To start with, this is just the 'Tupelo Marathon' and not the 'Bank of Whatever' Tupelo Marathon or the 'Choose your Favorite Healthcare Plan' Tupelo Marathon. It is put on by the local running club. In other words this is a marathon done by Runners for other Runners. How refreshing!
Second, this marathon makes no excuses for the weather. It's in the South. It's the Summer. Expect the worst conditions possible for heat and humidity. Amazingly, however, this year's conditions were nearly perfect. Low humidity and low temps. Go figure.
Third, the 5 AM 'in the dark' start keeps the out and back course interesting. They offer you flashlights at the start but I prefer to run without them. The stars are spectacular and everything is totally different running back after dawn even over the same territory.
Finally, the swag is amazing! The Skull and Crossbones Finishers' medal is just the best out there.... period. The t-shirt is pretty amazing as well.All top notch stuff.
To sum it all up, this is not a marathon for those requiring massive crowd support, an aide station at every mile and a marching band on every corner. It is a small town marathon on an open out and back course with a rural country backdrop. The mile markers are invisible in the dark hours and are smallish signs even in the light. You share the road with a few cars on a Sunday Drive, a few bike riders and more than a few dogs. Virtually nobody in town even knows a marathon is going on.
This event is going back to the basics. The volunteers who are there WANT to be there. The course is uncluttered and the air is clean. You get to watch the sun rise and hear the roosters crow. There are more cows than people along the course. You get to run along stands of Poplar and Southern Oaks hanging heavily over the backwoods roads.
Is it any wonder that this race sold out months in advance? You better bet I'll be back!

The 2010 edition had an unusual cold front move in the for the weekend. I expected temps in the low 70s for the start and it was 55 at 5:00 a.m. when we started. SWEET!

Many folks had flashlights while they ran (until the sun came up).

The out-and-back course was a little hilly but not too bad.

Great organization and post-race party.

Water stops were plentiful and well staffed - I just wish they would have used paper cups instead of plastic. Really great shirt and medal!!!

Definitely a well put-together, small race. This is what I call a runner's race. It's not for your weekend 5K runner. The 5 a.m. start is great due to Southern summer weather. It was very cool this year and that was very welcome. Not a particularly hilly course. Very cool medal and long-sleeve t-shirt. Do this race if you get a chance. The only negative I have is that the host hotel took forever to get our room cleaned. We didn't get in ours until 4 p.m. That's just an irritation though.

I'm not a big marathon runner, as this was only my second. The start time was great and the first two hours were a breeze, nice and cool. I didn't see a mile marker though since it was dark. The only downside to this race was dodging traffic during the last two hours. If you don't mind that, it was an easy race to finish. I did not try the post-race McDonald's burgers but did not hear good things about them from others. There was plenty of water, Gatorade, etc... at the finish though. Tupelo is... well, Tupelo. There is a reason it isn't Vegas. If you want Vegas, then go to Vegas.

The 5 a.m. start really provided a great beginning to this well organized race. I love Mcdonald's and beer, and both were provided. This has to be the best t-shirt and medal I have ever gotten. My kudos to the race director and staff.

I loved the 5 a.m. start and the awesome T-shirt and medal. The half-skull and crossbones I got for the half is mucho cool!!

This marathon is the anti-megamarathon. Running under a pre-dawn moon, hearing the roosters crow as you plod down country roads, and watching the dogs giving you this "What the heck are these people doing?" look as you pass by their front yards is a real running experience. Even the skunk I smelled at mile 12 added a certain rural "aura" to this race.

Though I could have used a few more mile markers, and at one time I wondered where I was and if I was on the right course, the "where in the world am I?" feel added mystique to this race.

I appreciate the amateur "no sponsor" aspect of this race. It's nice to have a super cool t-shirt that isn't littered with 15 names of banks, law firms, etc., on the back. I hope to run this race again.

Wow! First time at this one and I had a great time. Nice welcome by the hosting Tupelo runners at packet pickup, terrific pre-race dinner with the many Marathon Maniacs attending, and while the weather was typical (warm/humid), the start, course, and finish were exactly what a small-town race should offer. This was the first time I ever had McDonald's burgers for post-race recovery, but I even enjoyed that touch. We wore our medals all the way up to Memphis for celebrating on Beale Street!