Anyone run the Indinapolis Marathon or St. Jude Marathon? (Read 504 times)

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site, really like it so far. A little background on my running. I have completed 6 marathons to date.(Detroit, Marine Corps, Flying Pig, Chicago, Disney, and Madison) Hoping one day to run a marathon in all 50 states. I'm running indianapolis in October and thinking about running the St Jude Marathon in December. For those who have run either, what did you think of it? Thanks----Kevin

I've done both, they are both great. The Indianapolis Marathon has absolutely nothing to do with Indy (it's in Lawrence), but the course is a great, especially the park section. Mostly flattish. I've done it twice (2004, 2007) and the weather was wonderful both times. A couple loops, a little out-and-back in the early miles and a long out-and-back in the later miles. St Jude is a different experience... much more of a city marathon. A bit more roly poly, but still flattish as these things go. Ends in the local baseball stadium. Running the warning track is cool. This race can be COLD. They have a ton of food at the end, but the half marathoners really go through it. If you are a 3:30 marathoner, you'll still have all the choices. If you are a 4:00 marathon, some choices will be gone (I ran a 3:58 one year and there was still pizza, junk food and fruit... but the soup was gone. NO SOUP FOR ME!), if you are closer to 5:00, you'll get bananas. Basically, but not exactly, a loop course. Do not expect spectators at either race, except at the end. A few more at Memphis, especially since you pass the end about halfway through (where the halfers will split off). Indy's expo is tiny. Memphis' not that much bigger.

Just mailed off my form for Memphis today. Am doing the half marathon. How cold is cold? wbertha

I am thinking of doing October Indy and Louisville the next day, then Huntsville the week after Memphis (instead of Memphis). With a Monkey in the middle somewhere.

I am thinking of doing October Indy and Louisville the next day, then Huntsville the week after Memphis (instead of Memphis). With a Monkey in the middle somewhere.

I'm actually going to do the half in Louisville as a fitness test. Flat, fast course apparently, but not a lot of crowd support (which i'm fine w/ quite honestly).

Last year's St.Jude was perfect weather wise. I ran in shorts and a long sleeve with a compression shirt underneath. I was shivering at the start, but once we started running it was great. Maybe mid 50's, low 60's. I ran the half last year and we were all directed to the first base side of the upper deck area for post race refreshments. The marathoners went to the third base side. I'm assuming they had their refreshments there. I may be wrong.

Ooo! This means they've changed how they do their food! This is goodness! As for Louisville, it is flat. The half definitely. The full has a little bump up as you come up off the trail in the middle miles. The half is an out-and-back (the full a balloon-on-a-stick)... when you turn around, if you are a midpacker or faster, you'll be dealing with some traffic still heading out. And yup, NO SPECTATORS AT ALL. Very different race from the spring Derby race. I like the little fall one way better.