MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The St. Jude Memphis Marathon will be back this December after going virtual in 2020.
The race is set to make its return on Dec. 4, 2021. This year, the race celebrates its 20th year.
General registration tickets are now on sale for the race which will be a hybrid this year. Racers can choose to run it in-person or virtually.
“St. Jude lives its moto," Warren McWhirter said. "Finding a cure and saving children and that’s a really gratifying thing to be apart of, even a small part.”
McWhirter has been a volunteer for the marathon for nearly a decade. He's excited to get back for the race's 20th year. With 2020 being virtual, he said he missed the comradery of being with fellow volunteers. He's staged each year at the end of the race helping to replenish runners after they finish.
“It’s my favorite part of the race to be honest," he said. "You see all these folks come in and they’re exhausted but they’re really happy. The know they’ve accomplished a goal for a really good cause.”
According to ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude, the race raised more than $12 million - a record-high year.
In 2020, virtually, fundraising dipped to more than $7 million.
The marathon is the largest single-day fundraising event for St. Jude. McWhirter's said he encourages people to get involved to fully experience what St. Jude is all about.
“St. Jude gives these children and their parents hope at a time that it’s very hopeless and being part of that makes me proud to be apart of," he said.
