That was the deal on Saturday, April 22, and lots of folks from near and far participated.
Their route, which started at 8th Avenue and ended at Nissan Stadium, included iconic landmarks such as Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Music Row, The Gulch, and more. The Rock ‘n’ Roll races take place nationwide, with Nashville’s event featuring lots of music, as you might expect.
Runaway Jane performed after the race
In 2023, the organizers celebrated 25 incredible years of Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series – Bringing Fun to the Run! That’s 25 years of energetic start lines, milestone moments, moving to the music- all types of music, and finish line memories with friends, family, and a community over 2.5 million strong. In Nashville, with a quarter century of experience at the helm and idyllic conditions, this year’s edition can go into the books as nearly flawless. It will become a benchmark to judge all future outings.
Thursday and Friday were registration days. The health expo at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium and the Musicians Hall of Fame featured live music from Joe Noto, Golden West, Jillian Cardarelli, Lance Carpenter, and Adam Warner. These artists added to the energy of the expo, where runners were picking up racing packs, checking out marathon merchandise, and more. On Saturday, participants were serenaded by over 25 additional groups and performers along the route.
Saturday’s St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Nashville marathon reported close to 24,000 registered runners; however, it was Garang Madut (Dayton, OH) with a time of 2:27:06 and Sarah Higgins (Greenwood, IN.) won in a time of 2:43:54 coming home victorious in the men’s and women’s races, respectively. In the Half Marathon category, Patrick Rizzo (Kingston Springs, TN), with a time of 1:07:41, and Robin Pomeroy (Verona, WI), finishing in 1:21:40, were the overall winners.
“I had to try to keep my pace because the bands made me speed up, and I was like, whoa, chill out, Sarah,” said Sarah Higgins. “I was hoping to get top three. I was going to run my race and see what happened. The course was definitely flatter than I expected it to be because I heard Nashville was hilly (it is). There were still inclines, but nothing like a crazy hill you had to work hard to climb. You couldn’t have asked for better weather (slightly chilly in the early morning hours of the race).”
In addition to an interesting course with uplifting music, contenders were encouraged by this marathon to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude is a leader in understanding, treating, and defeating childhood cancer. Founded in 1962, this hospital has helped increase the overall survival rate for patients from 20% to over 80%. Because of generous supporters, families do not receive any bills for treatment, travel, and housing. So, this race is a win-win for all participants.
There was plenty of excitement at Nissan Stadium as folks cheered people crossing the finishing line. Publix was on hand to give out water and bananas, plus there were photo ops, meet-up spots, vendors, and more live performances. Nearby was a sizable stage where Greg Pratt, Runaway June, and Angie Ray entertained runners and their supporters. It was a music-centric fun way to wind down after achieving a major goal, and it doesn’t get much more Rock ‘n’ Roll than that!
“We are excited to be back for our 23rd running of the St Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Nashville,” stated Drew Wolff, Regional Director. “The weekend was full of great music, and you don’t need to be a hardcore runner, we have distances of a mile up to a marathon, a kids’ race, and a doggie dash. All the events were a unique and inspiring way to experience Music City Nashville!” On Sunday, DJ Pete performed during some of these extra proceedings to conclude Marathon Weekend on a high note.
The next Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon will occur in San Diego, California. That course will lead runners on a scenic tour through some of that city’s most well-known neighborhoods, including Balboa Park, Hillcrest, North Park, Normal Heights, and more – before finishing in Downtown San Diego.
Related Links: For more information on ST. JUDE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RUNNING SERIES and the other organizations mentioned, please visit the following links St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville | St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
