Run It Fast®

The St. Jude Marathon and Half Marathon in Memphis, Tennessee was cancelled earlier this evening by race directors due to safety concerns for runners, volunteers, and spectators after a nasty ice storm and cold temperatures invaded the area on Friday.

However, unlike with cancellations at other marathons, race directors are offering three options for runners to not be totally left out in the cold according to The Commercial Appeal:

“Runners have three options, and donating the registration fee is one of them. St. Jude will also refund the fee, or apply it to one of three upcoming marathons: P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half-Marathon in Phoenix Jan. 19; the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon and Half-Marathon Feb. 2 or the St. Jude Country Music Marathon and Half-Marathon in Nashville April 26.”

So runners can 1. Donate the entry fee to St. Jude, 2. Refund the fee to the runner, or 3. apply it to either the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon/Half, Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon/Half, or St. Jude Country Music Marathon/Half.

“Registered participants will also get first dibs to sign up for the 2014 event, which will be on the first Saturday in December, during a special registration window that will be announced later.”

It sounds like race directors made the right call in canceling the race according to reports we are hearing from runners and residents in the area.

The Dallas Marathon was cancelled earlier in the day due to similar conditions and concerns.

Indiana native Justin Gillete won the St. Jude Memphis Marathon on December 1, 2012 in Memphis, Tennessee with a time of 2:35:13.

Justin is member RIF #153 of Run It Fast – The Club, and we had a chance to ask him about his preparation leading up to and victory in Memphis:

“Memphis has always been on my list of races that I would like to experience winning because the race is for a great cause. Since I am a more popular runner than some, I always feel that winning a race that is for such a good cause gives that race a little more publicity.

I entered the marathon several months ago, and briefly considered withdrawing as I had to miss 11 days running in the 3 weeks prior to the marathon due to poison ivy and an injury while cutting wood.

Overall I didnt run as fast as normal but that doesnt diminish the value of winning such a great event.

Prior to the race starting I was not allowed into the elite athlete pre race suite, I used that as motivation during the race.”

It was the 55th marathon win in Justin’s running career. Truly an amazing accomplishment.

Gillette was able to hold off Cookeville’s (TN) Brian Shelton who finished close behind in 2:37:43.  Third place went to Greg Lemmon, from Cincinnati, with a time of 2:39:16. It should be noted that Matthew Thomas, from Alexandria, Virginia, was a very close 4th place in 2:39:24.

What an exciting and close field of runners that finished atop the field down in Memphis.

On the women’s side the win went to Angie Zinkus, from Eads, Tennessee, who finished with a time of 2:55:39. Her finish was fast enough to be 16th overall.

Second place female went to Laura Blaylock, from New Orleans, in 3:02:21 with third place female going to Floridian Carrie Pustilnik (3:08:15).

Full List of 2012 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Results

You can follow Justin Gillette on Twitter @gilletterunning

[image by Cindy Rickert via Justin Gillette]

Here is the finisher’s medal from the St. Jude Memphis Marathon that took place on December 1, 2012 in Memphis, Tennessee.

The St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon finisher’s medal is pictures below (click to enlarge).

MORE PHOTOS OF MARATHON/ULTRA MEDALS AND BUCKLES

[Medal photo submitted by RIF #191 Kristy who finished her first marathon at St. Jude. Congrats!!  Follow her on Twitter @KRISTY_RUNS The Half Marathon medal is submitted by RIF #166 Nathan Judd. Follow him on Twitter @Beukdeup]

Ultra trail marathoner Emily Conley, who contributes to Run It Fast from time to time, was featured in an article about her running in the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper this morning.

Conley told the CA, “Trail runs are primarily what I do,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to unplug from gadgets and from commitments. It’s a real release being out in nature. It’s almost therapeutic.”

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Here is the 2010 St. Jude (Children’s Hospital) Memphis Marathon medal.  Some fine bling indeed and one of the larger finisher medals from the 2010 racing circuit.

[Event Website]