RunRace USA › Tennessee › St. Jude Memphis Marathon › The course

Elevation, map and mile by mile

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon course

26.2 miles · about 720 modeled feet of climb · roughly 216 to 297 ft elevation

Elevation, mile for mile

Marathon elevation26.2 miles · about 720 ft of climb
160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: -0.1% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: +0.6% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: -0.1% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: -0.2% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: +0.1% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: +0.8% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: -0.7% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: +0.8% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: -0.0% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: -0.3% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: -1.9% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: +0.5% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +1.2% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: +0.1% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: +0.7% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: +0.3% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: -0.0% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: -1.0% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: +1.8% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: -1.0% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.0% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.2% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: +1.0% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: +0.2% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: -2.4% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: -0.3% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: +0.3% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: -0.1% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: -0.9% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: -0.0% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: +3.4% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: -1.1% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: -0.4% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: -0.9% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: -0.9% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.2% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: +0.5% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: +0.8% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: -1.0% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: -0.9% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: +0.2% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: -0.4% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: +0.6% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: +0.7% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: +0.7% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: -0.4% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: -0.7% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: +0.1% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: -0.1% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: +0.9% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +0.1% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: +0.9% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: +0.2% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: -0.0% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: +0.6% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: -1.1% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.1% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: +0.8% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: -0.2% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: -1.0% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: -0.0% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: -0.7% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: +0.7% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: +0.2% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: -0.7% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: +0.5% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: +0.5% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: +0.6% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: +0.2% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: -1.4% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: +0.0% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: +0.9% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: -0.5% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: +0.9% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: +0.5% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: -0.2% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: -0.5% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: -0.0% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: +0.7% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: -0.5% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: -0.7% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: +1.3% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -1.0% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: -0.4% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: +0.8% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: +0.4% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: +1.1% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +0.9% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: +1.3% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: -0.1% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: -1.1% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: -0.3% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: -0.8% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: +1.6% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: +0.6% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: -1.7% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: -0.1% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: -0.6% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: +0.8% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: +0.9% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: +0.6% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: -0.9% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: -0.5% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: -0.2% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -0.2% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: -0.6% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: +0.4% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: +0.1% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: -0.2% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: -0.8% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: +1.2% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: +0.7% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: +0.3% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: +0.0% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: -0.6% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: -0.6% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: -0.7% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: -0.7% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: +0.5% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: +0.9% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: -1.0% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: -0.3% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: +0.1% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: -0.5% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: -0.1% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: +0.3% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: -0.6% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: -0.7% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: +1.0% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: +0.6% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -1.4% 5 10 15 20 25 mile +92 ft +72 ft +53 ft +49 ft +48 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 216 to 297 feet, and contains about 720 feet of modeled climb.

  • , mile 16.62 to 17.65: 92 feet up, 1.7% average.
  • , mile 19.77 to 20.23: 72 feet up, 2.9% average.
  • , mile 5.72 to 6.2: 53 feet up, 2.0% average.
  • , mile 2.31 to 3.24: 49 feet up, 1.0% average.
  • , mile 8.05 to 9.02: 48 feet up, 0.9% average.

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26
Marathon route26.2 miles
course featured climb start/finish

Gold is the course; route provenance is stated on the course page.

The climbs that shape the day

Climb 1

Mile 16.62 to 17.65

92 feet of modeled rise · 1.7% average.

Climb 2

Mile 19.77 to 20.23

72 feet of modeled rise · 2.9% average.

Climb 3

Mile 5.72 to 6.2

53 feet of modeled rise · 2.0% average.

Climb 4

Mile 2.31 to 3.24

49 feet of modeled rise · 1.0% average.

Climb 5

Mile 8.05 to 9.02

48 feet of modeled rise · 0.9% average.

Mile by mile

Every row uses the same measured route and elevation as the profile above. Net change shows the shape of that mile; the common sparkline scale makes hard and easy sections comparable.

MileShapeModeled netWhat happens
1+5 ft
2+11 ftFirst Horizon Bank Tower
3+6 ftMemphis Pyramid (Bass Pro Shops)
4+5 ft
5-24 ft
6-10 ft
7-7 ft
8-8 ft
9+24 ft
10-1 ft
11+14 ft
12-12 ft
13-5 ft
14+8 ft
15+15 ft
16-6 ft
17-3 ft
18+40 ft
19-4 ft
20-11 ft
21-19 ft
22-8 ft
23+19 ft
24-8 ftCrosstown Concourse
25-23 ft
26+11 ft

Landmarks along the course

Get your bearings with these local landmarks along the course.

FedExForum

Near mile 0.0

A local landmark beside the course.

The Peabody Hotel

Near mile 1.3

A local landmark beside the course.

One Commerce Square

Near mile 1.4

A local landmark beside the course.

First Horizon Bank Tower

Near mile 1.5

A local landmark beside the course.

Sterick Building

Near mile 1.5

A local landmark beside the course.

Lincoln American Tower

Near mile 1.6

A local landmark beside the course.

100 North Main

Near mile 1.7

A local landmark beside the course.

Raymond James Tower

Near mile 3.1

A local landmark beside the course.

Route provenance

Current community course trace cross-checked against the published route. GET https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53454976.json loads: name '2025 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend 2025 Marathon Course.kml', distance 43,122 m (26.79 mi), locality Memphis TN, first point 35.1395,-90.0518 (B.B. King Blvd @ Beale St — matches current start), uploaded 2025-12-05 (day before the 2025 race). A digitized copy of the official 2025 course KML; 2026 course (per official PDFs) keeps the same B.B. King/Beale start and Union Ave finish.

Course lines can change between editions. Confirm late adjustments on the official race site →

Know the line. Run the line.

Register for the 2026 St. Jude Memphis Marathon →on St. Jude in-house registration

Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for December 1-9 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-27 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on www.stjude.org/get-involved/fitness-fundraisers/memphis-marathon.html before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.