This was my first St. Jude Marathon and hopefully will be my first of many. It's nice to have the start and finish close to one another, along with a scenic marathon course. Especially enjoyed finishing in AutoZone Park and the post-race food! If you want a nice, enjoyable marathon and can stand some quiet time with minimal fan support, I would certainly recommend this race. In addition, the cause makes it the biggest reason to do it.

This was my first marathon and I couldn't have had a better experience. The course was good, aid stations excellent, only problem was that there was a bit too much traffic in some areas; the exhaust was a bit much. The volunteers were the best, one even handed me her cell phone at the end so I could 'phone home' with my time. I will be back!

This was my first marathon and I am glad it was St Jude's. The goody bag was fun and the shirt is the nicest race shirt I have to date. The course was awesome the first 16 miles but the traffic the last 6 miles was crazy and made it hard to stay motivated. (Could have been tired legs that caused a lack of motivation.) The people along the way made it a great experience. I loved all the encouragement from spectators during those last trying miles. The finish in the park was cool and lastly, I loved the beer and soup.

This was my first full marathon and I am glad I chose this one. I enjoyed everything about this race. The volunteers were wonderful. Clocks at every mile was a very nice touch. The spectators were very plentiful in certain places. I really could have used a little more cheering between miles 18-22. Although, the spectators that were there were awesome. More bands would have been nice. The finish inside Autozone Park was very cool. I would definitely recommend this marathon, and I plan on doing it again.

I ran the half marathon and did enjoy the course; very good for fast times. However I didn't appreciate a cop at one of the intersections after mile 11 stopping all the runners for a van to turn onto the street; I can understand an emergency vehicle but not a private vehicle. May influence my coming back again. Overall the race was well done except for that instance. Also a 'post-race party' was supposed to be on Beale St. but we never found it - it was more beer/food discounts in 3 resturants. I was looking for a more organized gathering.

This is a great course for fast times and was as well organized as any I've ever been in (24 marathons to date). There was water at almost EVERY mile marker, and the attitude of the volunteers was outstanding! Everyone was very friendly and supportive. The crowd is not that big, but they were enthusiastic. I highly recommend this race to anyone!

It was a gas! Water at all of the water stops, great crowd support in a charming city. I would highly recommend this to everyone.

I only did the half marathon, but I can say the 13 miles I did were so well staffed. Water every mile and plenty of pace clocks. Although slightly hillier that I expected, it wasn't too bad as I am used to running hills. I thought the finish at Autozone Park was awesome... it felt BIG! Everyone involved was so nice. There were some spots without any spectators, but what can you do about that? Also, I had no problem getting pasta the night before. Overall, I would say I had a great experience.

This was my 4th marathon, 1st in my hometown, and it was great, all the way up to the puny medal. PR'd and qualified for Boston, so everything else becomes somewhat irrelevant. Nonetheless, enjoyed the new course (double-loop eliminated). The finish at Autozone park is great, water/aid stations every mile well staffed, mile markers and times displayed each mile, fans are great, and missed the expo, so no comment.

I have been running half marathons and other races for years. This race was very well organized. There were aid stations at every mile, and mile markers and times were clearly visible. The course is relatively flat, though there are a few rolling hills on the back half. Ending the race in the Autozone baseball stadium was pretty cool, and you could hear your name over the loudspeaker as you crossed the end.

The crowds that were there were fantastic, but there were many places where crowd support was thin, esp. between miles 20 - 24 (when you really need it!). And there weren't nearly as many bands as I expected to see. Also, I strongly recommend staying in a hotel as close to Beale St. as possible. I found this was a great advantage race-day (plus, there's not much else to do in the other parts of town).

Overall, great race, great organization, great fans (when there). I would definitely do this one again!