St. Jude Memphis Marathon fueling plan

Where every St. Jude Memphis Marathon water and gel station falls at your pace, plus a carb and sodium plan built for your finish time.

Grey dots are the 4 aid stations. Build your plan to put your gels on them.

Course route from organiser maps and OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Map tiles by Esri. Check the official course before race day.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon

Saturday 5 December, 8:00 start

Distance
42.2 km
Aid stations
4, all with water and sports drink
Gels on the course
Mile 12.7, 16.5, 19.2 and 23.2
Race
Distance
Optional

Fuel and water line up with this course's aid stations.

Minutes and seconds, like 5:30.

Fuel

Leave empty to use the recommended 92 g for your finish time.

Water during the race
About you
Sex
Weather and sweat
Race-day weather
Sweat rate
Salt in your sweat

Salty if your kit shows white marks after long runs.

St. Jude Memphis Marathon

42.2 km, Memphis

3:52:04

Finish time at 5:30 per km

Carbs per hour
100 g
Gels
14
Fluid per hour
600 to 900 ml

Free. No account needed.

Drink to thirst. Fluid is a range, not a target.

Something wrong with this course? Email us

Want training-aware nutrition around this race? See Mavr on the App Store

General guidance for healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian if you have a health condition, take medicines or have special dietary needs. Caffeine advice is for healthy adults only. EFSA's safe limit is 200 mg in one dose and 400 mg in a day.

Every St. Jude Memphis Marathon aid station, and when you reach it

Time on the clock from your start, at an even pace. The orange dot marks the gel stations.

DistanceWhat is there3:30 finish4:00 finish4:30 finish
Mile 12.7 (20.4 km)Water, Gatorade, GU Energy Gel1:421:562:11
Mile 16.5 (26.6 km)Water, Gatorade, GU Energy Gel2:122:312:50
Mile 19.2 (30.9 km)Water, Gatorade, GU Energy Gel2:342:563:18
Mile 23.2 (37.3 km)Water, Gatorade, GU Energy Gel3:063:323:59

From the organizer's published course information. Check the runner information again in race week.

Sample plans for three finish times

Built for a 70 kg runner in mild weather with Maurten Gel 100 (25 g) and water at the aid stations. Pick how much carbohydrate you want to aim for. Your own plan changes with your weight, gel and the weather.

A middle target most runners can train up to.

3:30 finish

8:01 per mile

  • 75 g carbs per hour
  • 10 gels, first at 0:20 (Mile 2.5 (4 km))
  • 600 to 900 ml fluid per hour

4:00 finish

9:09 per mile

  • 75 g carbs per hour
  • 11 gels, first at 0:20 (Mile 2.2 (3.5 km))
  • 600 to 800 ml fluid per hour

4:30 finish

10:18 per mile

  • 75 g carbs per hour
  • 13 gels, first at 0:20 (Mile 1.9 (3.1 km))
  • 600 to 800 ml fluid per hour
Get your plan for your pace

Race-day facts

Date
Saturday, 5 December 2026
Start
8:00
Distance
26.2 miles (42.2 km)

St. Jude Memphis Marathon fueling FAQ

Where are the water stations on the St. Jude Memphis Marathon?

There are 4 aid stations and all of them have water: at Mile 12.7 (20.4 km), Mile 16.5 (26.6 km), Mile 19.2 (30.9 km) and Mile 23.2 (37.3 km). All of them also serve a sports drink.

Are there gels on the St. Jude Memphis Marathon course?

Yes, the organizer lists gels at Mile 12.7 (20.4 km), Mile 16.5 (26.6 km), Mile 19.2 (30.9 km) and Mile 23.2 (37.3 km). Carry your own as well, so your plan does not depend on a single table.

When does the St. Jude Memphis Marathon start?

The race is on Saturday, 5 December 2026, starting at 8:00 local time. Check the organizer's runner information in race week, since wave times can change.

How many gels do I need for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon?

It depends on your finish time and how much carbohydrate you have practised taking. At a steady target, a 4:00 finish uses about 11 gels of 25 g, or 75 g of carbs per hour. Enter your own pace, weight and gel in the calculator to get your number.