St. Jude Memphis Marathon 2026 fueling guide: aid stations, GU miles, and a plan for every finish time

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon is on Saturday, December 5, 2026, with the marathon and half marathon starting together at 8:00 a.m. at B.B. King Blvd. and Beale St. The official event guide puts the first hydration station between miles 1 and 2, then one about every 1.5 miles, each with water and Gatorade. GU Energy Gel is handed out near miles 12.7, 16.5, 19.2 and 23.2. That is real help, but all four gels come after the halfway point, so the first two hours or so are on you. This guide sets out what the organizer has published, when you will reach each gel at your pace, and three plans to choose from.

Early December in Memphis is usually cool and dry: NOAA normals put the 8 a.m. temperature near 43 °F (6 °C) and the afternoon high near 56 °F (13 °C). In those conditions the common mistakes are running the first half on breakfast alone and drinking at every station because it is there. The facts below come from the 2026 participant event guide, FAQ, schedule and course map on the official St. Jude site. The organizer says the full event guide will be released closer to race day, so recheck station details in race week.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon 2026: the confirmed race facts

The 6.5-hour limit is an average of about 14:52 per mile (9:15 per km), and the clock starts when the last runner crosses the line, not at the gun. The event guide and FAQ give the half marathon 4 hours 20 minutes, about 19:50 per mile; the in-person races page lists 6.5 hours for the half, so check the final guide if you are close to that limit. Runners who stop are taken back to AutoZone Park by SAG shuttle from the nearest hydration station.

What is on the St. Jude Marathon course

The event guide calls them hydration stations. Every one has water and Gatorade, plus Vaseline, bandages and portable toilets, and each has an emergency radio. Ambulances move along the course, and a field hospital staffed by doctors and nurses is at the finish. The 2026 course map marks mile markers and the St. Jude campus but not station positions, so the station rows below use only what the guide states.

GU’s label lists about 22 g of carbohydrate (21 to 23 g by flavor) and 100 calories per gel, with 60 to 125 mg of sodium, and some flavors carry 20 or 40 mg of caffeine. The guide does not say which flavors will be handed out. Four course gels add up to about 88 g over the race. The guide also does not name the Gatorade formula. Standard Gatorade Thirst Quencher lists 36 g of carbohydrate and 270 mg of sodium per 20 oz (591 ml) bottle, so a 150 ml cup at that strength gives about 9 g of carbohydrate and 70 mg of sodium. The guide itself advises caution with Gatorade or GU if you have not trained with them.

Half marathon runners: the four GU miles all fall on the marathon-only part of the course, after the half turns back just past mile 10. Plan to carry any gel you want for the half. Gatorade at the stations is the only course carbohydrate on your route.

When you will reach each gel station at your pace

The table shows elapsed time at an even pace, with the clock time for the 8:00 a.m. start in brackets. Add the minutes it takes you to cross the start line from your corral. At roughly 1.5 miles apart, you pass a hydration station about every 10 minutes at 3:00 pace, every 14 minutes at 4:00, and every 21 minutes at 6:00.

Read the first GU row closely. A 4:00 runner gets the first course gel almost two hours in, and a 6:00 runner almost three. If you wait for the course to feed you, you start the second half already behind. After mile 12.7 the course gels come every 3 to 4 miles, which is about one every 25 to 45 minutes depending on pace.

Pick your plan: three runner profiles

World Athletics’ consensus statement gives 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour as the usual marathon range, and its companion paper on distance runners suggests trained runners try up to 90 g per hour in events longer than about two and a half hours. Research on multiple transportable carbohydrates shows that intakes above 60 g per hour are only absorbed well when the product mixes glucose and fructose and the gut has been trained for it. In Memphis the shape of the plan is simple: carry for the first half, then let the four GU gels and the Gatorade cover part of the second.

Racing it: rely on what you carry. At 75 g per hour, a 3:00 race is about 225 g, or nine 25 g gels. A belt, shorts with real pockets, or a light vest (the FAQ allows vests if your bib is visible) makes that easy. Build your number over eight to ten weeks of long runs, starting at 60 g and adding 10 to 15 g every second week while your stomach stays quiet. If you already train with GU, you can pick up the course gels and carry four fewer.

Steady marathon: think in grams. A 4:00 race at 60 g per hour is 240 g. The four GU gels give about 88 g, so you need about 150 g of your own, six 25 g gels, most of them before mile 12.7. A typical rhythm is one gel at about 25 minutes, then every 20 to 25 minutes to the first GU stop near 1:56. If you take a few cups of Gatorade, about 9 g each, you can drop one of your own gels later.

Long day: five to six and a half hours changes the math. Fifty grams per hour over 5:30 is 275 g. The course GU covers about 88 g, and eight cups of Gatorade might add about 70 g, which leaves around 115 g, four or five gels, to carry. Most of those go in the first three hours, before the first GU stop. Walk through stations so you can drink and eat without spilling.

Caffeine, sodium, and the course Gatorade

• Caffeine: the ISSN position stand supports 3 to 6 mg per kg taken about 60 minutes before exercise. For a 70 kg runner, 3 mg per kg is 210 mg. With an 8:00 a.m. start, that means around 7:00, while you wait downtown.
• Some GU flavors contain 20 or 40 mg of caffeine. The guide does not say which flavors will be at the stations, so count them toward your total only if you check the packet.
• Sodium: ACSM’s fluid position stand suggests drinks with about 20 to 30 mmol of sodium per litre (about 460 to 690 mg) during long exercise. Gatorade Thirst Quencher at bottle strength is about 460 mg per litre, at the low end of that range.
• In cool December conditions most runners will not need a salt product on top of the Gatorade and gels. Heavy or salty sweaters, or anyone expecting a warm, humid day, can use a tested electrolyte product.
• Each GU adds 60 to 125 mg of sodium, so the four course gels give roughly 250 to 500 mg over the second half.
• Tear the top of your gel just before a station, so you can wash it down with water straight away.

Hydration for a December morning in Memphis

NOAA’s 1991 to 2026 normals for Memphis International Airport give December 5 a high of 55.9 °F (13.3 °C) and a low of 38.0 °F (3.3 °C). The hourly normals are 42.7 °F (5.9 °C) at 8 a.m., 49.5 °F (9.7 °C) at 11 a.m. and 52.6 °F (11.4 °C) at 2 p.m., with dew points around 35 to 36 °F (2 °C), which means dry air. The organizer lists an average race-day high of 53 °F and low of 36 °F. Those are averages: some years are colder, wetter or warmer, so check the forecast. ACSM’s fluid guidance says to drink enough to avoid losing more than 2 percent of body weight, and suggests 0.4 to 0.8 litres an hour as a starting point. World Athletics also warns against drinking more than you sweat; finishing heavier than you started is a sign of overdrinking. On a cool day, with a station every 1.5 miles, that is the bigger risk.

• Test your sweat rate in a cool long run. Weigh yourself before and after, without clothes, and account for what you drank.
• The event guide bans unauthorized support, including fluid bottles from vehicles. Carry what you need rather than planning handoffs on the course.
• Pick your priority stations now: the ones where your carried gels fall, plus the four GU stops.
• Tell staff at the nearest hydration station if you or another runner feel unwell. Each station has an emergency radio, and the field hospital is at the finish.

Breakfast and timing for an 8:00 start

A familiar carbohydrate-rich meal one to four hours before racing is the standard framework, and ACSM gives 1 to 4 g of carbohydrate per kg in that window. The event guide asks runners and spectators to be downtown and parked by 6:00 a.m. because of road closures, and Union Ave. and B.B. King Blvd. close from midnight. Gear check opens at 5:30 a.m. at Union Ave. and 4th St. Choose one of two breakfasts and practise it.

• Option A, about 5:00 to 5:30, 2.5 to 3 hours before: a practised breakfast such as a bagel or white toast with jam or honey, a banana and juice, about 1.5 to 2.5 g of carbohydrate per kg. Eat before you leave if you are driving in to park by 6:00.
• Option B, about 6:00, 2 hours before: a smaller meal of about 1 g per kg, such as a white roll with honey and a sports drink, eaten in a downtown hotel or after parking. Make dinner the night before your bigger carbohydrate meal.
• 6:00 to 7:15: sip a sports drink you know in small amounts, and use the toilets near the start before the corrals fill.
• Around 7:00: caffeine, at the dose and timing you have practised.
• 7:40 to 7:50: an optional gel in your corral, only if used in training.
• Pick up your packet at the Renasant Convention Center by 8 p.m. on Friday, December 4. There is no race-day pickup. St. Jude Heroes with a reservation can eat at the Heroes Pasta Party there from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Course tactics: where the St. Jude course tempts you

The segments below follow the official 2026 turn-by-turn. The only elevation profile on the course page is labelled 2023. It shows a rolling course between roughly 220 and 300 feet (67 to 91 m), with the highest ground between about miles 17 and 20, so treat it as a guide.

• 0 to 7 miles (0 to 11 km): south on B.B. King Blvd. from Beale St., then 2nd St. (miles 1 and 2), north on Front St. (miles 3 and 4) and along Riverside Dr. by the Mississippi riverfront (miles 5 and 6), then back up Front St. The marathon and half run together in a big crowd. Start your own gels at about 25 to 30 minutes; there is no course gel for a long time.
• 7 to 10.5 miles (11 to 17 km): Main St. through Uptown (mile 8), 3rd St. (mile 9), then through the 4th St. gate onto the St. Jude campus at mile 10. It is easy to lose track of time here, so keep eating on the clock. The half marathon turns back on North Pkwy. near N. Waldran Blvd. just after.
• 10.5 to 15 miles (17 to 24 km): marathon only. North Pkwy. near I-40 (mile 11), Avalon St. near the Greenline (mile 12), then neighborhood streets including Dickinson St. (mile 13) and Varsity Ave. (mile 14). The first GU stop is near mile 12.7. With the half runners gone, the field thins out and stations are easier to work.
• 15 to 20.5 miles (24 to 33 km): North Pkwy., West Dr. (mile 16), North Dr. (mile 17), East Pkwy. near Poplar Ave. (mile 18), then Morrie Moss Ln. and the Overton Park loop (miles 19 and 20). GU near 16.5 and 19.2, and the highest part of the old profile. This is where runners who skipped early fuel start to slow.
• 20.5 to 26.2 miles (33 to 42.2 km): North Pkwy. near the Zoo (mile 21), the Stonewall St. out-and-back (miles 22 and 23), North Pkwy. back toward I-40 (mile 24), Danny Thomas Blvd. (mile 25), then up the exit ramp and the downhill on Union Ave. to the finish. Take the last GU near 23.2; after that, small sips only.

The long-run rehearsal that makes the plan real

Memphis asks you to fuel yourself for about half the race and then switch to course gels. Rehearse both halves. In October and November, schedule two or three long runs that start at 8:00 a.m. Eat the same breakfast at the same time, carry the gels you will use for the first half, and then switch to GU for the rest of the run if you plan to take the course gels. If GU does not suit you, buy the flavors you like and carry them instead.

The later rehearsals are where you simplify. If carrying six gels is awkward, try a vest or a soft flask of gel. If a gel every 20 minutes feels stressful, tie your gels to the stations: one at every second station is every 3 miles, about every 25 to 40 minutes for most runners. The best plan is the one you can still follow on North Pkwy. at mile 21.

Race-week St. Jude checklist

• Recheck the final event guide for station positions, GU miles, the half marathon time limit and the start times.
• In the 36 to 48 hours before the race, eat a high-carbohydrate diet. ACSM’s joint position statement sets carbohydrate loading at 10 to 12 g per kg per day for events longer than 90 minutes.
• Lay out every carried item, add one backup, and write grams and timing on one card. Mark the four GU miles on it.
• Plan your morning backward from 8:00: breakfast, road closures, parked by 6:00, gear check from 5:30, corral by letter.
• Bring photo ID and your race entry confirmation email to the expo. Do not buy an unfamiliar gel there because the flavor sounds good.
• Check the forecast 48 hours out and adjust layers, fluid and sodium, not the whole plan.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and update notes

1. 12026 Participant Event GuideSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; start times and locations, corrals, pace teams, hydration station spacing and contents, GU miles, time limits, medical, SAG shuttle, gear check, parked by 6 a.m., expo; full guide to be released closer to race day
2. 2Frequently Asked QuestionsSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; Gatorade at every station, GU near miles 12.7, 16.5, 19.2 and 23.2, hydration vests allowed, time limits
3. 3Schedule of EventsSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; expo hours, Heroes Pasta Party, race-day start times, gear check, average race-day high 53 °F and low 36 °F
4. 4Course MapsSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; course descriptions, St. Jude campus, downhill finish on Union Ave., elevation profile labelled 2023
5. 52026 Marathon Course Map and Turn-by-TurnSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official PDF)Mile marker locations, St. Jude campus at mile 10, half marathon turnaround, Overton Park and Stonewall St. sections, finish on Union Ave.
6. 62026 Half Marathon Course Map and Turn-by-TurnSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official PDF)Half marathon route and turnaround near N. Waldran Blvd.
7. 7In-Person RacesSt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; all distances sold out; lists 6.5 hours for the half, which differs from the event guide
8. 8Navigating Race DaySt. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend (official site)Accessed November 2, 2026; road closure times
9. 9Energy GelGU Energy Labs100 calories, 21 to 23 g carbohydrate, 60 to 125 mg sodium; some flavors with 20 or 40 mg caffeine
10. 10Gatorade Thirst Quencher Lemon-Lime, 20 oz (label)Hannaford (retailer listing of the manufacturer label)36 g carbohydrate and 270 mg sodium per 20 oz bottle; the event guide does not name the formula served
11. 11U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020, Memphis International Airport (USW00013893), hourly normals for December 5NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationHourly temperature and dew point normals; daily normals for December 5: high 55.9 °F, low 38.0 °F
12. 12International Association of Athletics Federations Consensus Statement 2019: Nutrition for AthleticsInternational Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (Burke et al., 2019), PMID 30952204Carbohydrate ranges, pre-race meal, and hydration guidance
13. 13Contemporary Nutrition Strategies to Optimize Performance in Distance Runners and Race WalkersInternational Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (Burke et al., 2019), PMID 30747558Marathon carbohydrate intake, including up to 90 g per hour for trained runners in longer events
14. 14Nutrition and Athletic Performance: Joint Position StatementAmerican College of Sports Medicine (Thomas et al., 2016), PMID 268911661 to 4 g per kg carbohydrate 1 to 4 hours before exercise; carbohydrate loading at 10 to 12 g per kg for 36 to 48 hours
15. 15Exercise and Fluid Replacement: Position StandAmerican College of Sports Medicine (Sawka et al., 2007), PMID 17277604Avoid more than 2 percent body weight loss; 0.4 to 0.8 litres per hour starting point; 20 to 30 mmol sodium per litre
16. 16A Step Towards Personalized Sports Nutrition: Carbohydrate Intake During ExerciseSports Medicine (Jeukendrup, 2014), PMID 24791914Multiple transportable carbohydrates and intakes above 60 g per hour
17. 17International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Caffeine and Exercise PerformanceJISSN (Guest et al., 2021), PMID 333880793 to 6 mg per kg, about 60 minutes before exercise