St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville Marathon
Nashville, United States · April · Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
Why people love it
- Start on Broadway, finish at Nissan Stadium.
- Live bands and spectators with hoses, ice and popsicles.
- Course through Music Row, the universities and the river.
- Boston qualifier with a 6 hour cutoff.
- 25,000 or more registered for the weekend.
Watch out for
- Hills early, at mile 12 (19 km), and near miles 21 and 23 (34 and 37 km).
- Heat up to 27 to 30 °C (80 to 86 °F) with 90% humidity.
- Half and full merge near mile 17 (27 km).
- Empty water stations reported in 2026.
- Hard parking and a crowded finish area.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.5
RaceRaves gives 3.7 from 83 ratings; MarathonGuide scores 3.7 and 2.3. Heat and hills dominate complaints; music, crowds and the St. Jude cause earn praise. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.2
Corrals ran well in 2026 and a 2023 runner called it nearly flawless. But 2026 had empty water stations and parking trouble. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDemanding2.4
6 h cutoff, but hilly and hot. A first-timer called it crazy hilly, with the last 8 km (5 mi) the hardest of their life. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialSlow2.0
Reviewers say it will not give you a PR day. Hills, heat and little shade; 37 BQs (1.4%) in 2025 per FindMyMarathon. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful3.6
RaceRaves scenery is 3.8 out of 5: Broadway honky-tonks, Music Row, universities and the river. One 2026 runner scored it 1 because of exposed sun. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points2.8
A 2023 reviewer disliked congestion near mile 17 (27 km) where half and full runners merge, plus a funnel around the stadium for medals. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Paved city roads; no reviewer comments on surface quality. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.8
City-run large race with a traffic impact page; finish congestion and parking reports exist but no mention of traffic on course. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessHilly2.0
Reviewers report 275 to 460 m (900 to 1,500 ft) of climbing, above the rolling band of 150 to 300 m (500 to 1,000 ft). · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Point-to-point from downtown to Nissan Stadium. No net drop is reported. · Low confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.0
Corrals ran smoothly in 2026 and the start is on Broadway. Parking is hard, the stadium finish is crowded and 2024 reviews mention toilet issues. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.7
Pacers with mobile speaker packs and mile markers with speakers were reported in 2018; chip timing is standard. · Medium confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.0
Live bands along the course, and spectators with hoses, ice and popsicles in hot years. Reviewers also report shots of whiskey and a strong atmosphere. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.2
Cooling buses, iced towels and spectator ice are reported, but 2026 runners found empty water stations and a 2024 runner found little sports drink. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.5
No review mentions wind. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureHarsh2.4
Late-April starts around 15 to 18 °C (59 to 64 °F) and finishes near 27 to 30 °C (80s °F), often humid. · High confidence
- Weather reliabilityUnsettled2.4
24 April highs ran 16 to 28 °C (60 to 83 °F), lows 2 to 17 °C (36 to 63 °F). Heat hit 2022, 2026. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.4
Downtown start, music zones and a stadium finish are easy for spectators; the long run through neighbourhoods is harder to follow. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.8
Nashville is about 120 m (400 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
Plenty of downtown hotels but a 25,000 plus weekend raises prices. · Low confidence
- Hotel valuePricey2.4
Nashville race-weekend pricing is high; no hard prices found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.6
Start on Broadway is walkable from downtown hotels; the finish at Nissan Stadium is across the river and a long walk. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
Nashville airport is 13 km (8 mi) from downtown with many direct flights. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Smaller expo in 2026, parking troubles and a crowded finish area. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.8
Broadway honky-tonks, live music, hot chicken and barbecue within a short walk. · High confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.2
Open entry; no sell-out reported. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.0
Reviewers dislike pricey expo merchandise, a low-quality shirt and finish-line crowding. Fee not found. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Nashville, Tennessee, United States
- Typical month
- April
- Latest or next date
- 25 April 2026
- Organiser
- Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
- Field size
- About 3,000 athletes
- First held
- 2000
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Start time
- 07:20
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Road
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Air temperature
- 16–27 °C (61–81 °F)
- Humidity
- High; one 2022 runner reported 97% humidity at the start
- Altitude
- 120 m (395 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Nashville International (BNA), 13 km (8 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown, The Gulch, SoBro, East Nashville
- Booking
- Downtown hotels sell out and rise in price for the weekend of 25,000 or more.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville (83 ratings)Raced 2026 · aggregator · Mixed
83 ratings average 3.7 out of 5 (difficulty 3.9, scenery 3.8, production 3.8, swag 3.5). Reviewers agree the course is hilly with three steep climbs in Shelby Park and a lot of sun. 2026 reviews report 72 °F (22 °C) at 90% humidity, empty water stations and a smaller expo, with praise for corrals and volunteers.
“I've never seen so many people walking the hills in all my marathons”
- BibRave Nashville reviews (2014 to 2022)Raced 2022 · aggregator · Mixed
Reviewers call it fun but hard: constant climbing, a hill at mile 12 (19 km) in the sun, and big hills at miles 21 and 23 (34 and 37 km). A 2022 runner reported 64 °F (18 °C) and 97% humidity at the start and the low 80s °F (27 to 28 °C (82 °F)) at the finish. Spectators hosed runners and offered ice and whiskey. Parking and finish congestion recur.
“Crazy hilly! Last 5 miles were the hardest thing I've done running.”
- MarathonGuide Rock 'n' Roll Country Music Marathon reviewsRaced 2023 · aggregator · Mixed
Three reviews: 5.0 for a 2023 near-flawless event with mile 17 (27 km) congestion, 3.7 for a hot humid 2022 with clear marking, and 2.3 for 2021 when runners missed a loop and were disqualified. 2,744 finished in 2024.
- Athletics Illustrated: 2018 race reportRaced 2018 · article · Positive
Nearly 30,000 registered. Route starts on Broadway, passes Music Row and ends outside Nissan Stadium. Bands line the course, mile markers with speakers and pacers carried speaker packs; a new red-carpet finish and recovery zone with massage.
- WKRN 25th edition report (2025)Raced 2025 · article · Positive
More than 25,000 registered across the weekend; marathon winners 2:32:06 (David Gregory) and 3:06:38. A legacy runner called the weather perfect that year.
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Sources
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