First finishers Erik Thiele Orberg, Alyssa Bloomquist, post times of 2:33 and 2:52 during St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend, capping celebratory Dec. 4-6 weekend declared by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton
St. Jude Heroes raise $7.5 million for kids battling cancer, other life-threatening diseases at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Erik Thiele Orberg of Baltimore, Maryland, and Alyssa Bloomquist of Columbia, South Carolina were top finishers in the 13th annual St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend® presented by Juice Plus+®. With winning times of 2:33 and 2:52 Orberg and Bloomquist capped off a celebratory weekend officially proclaimed "St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend" by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton.
Other top finishers included half-marathoners Cameron Thomas of Collierville, Tennessee, with a time of 1:12, and Jordan Hamric of Memphis, Tennessee, with a time of 1:18.
Overall, more than 18,000 people registered for the event, which raised $7.5 million through a marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay, 5K, kids marathon and family fun run. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® puts the event on annually, in partnership with the Memphis Runners Track Club, with the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South as the official St. Jude Kids Marathon and Family Fun Run partner.
Thousands of guests who visited the city over the weekend showed their generous hearts for St. Jude and enjoyed Memphis restaurants, hotels and shops, boosting the local economy by an estimated $20 million, local officials reported.
"On behalf of the kids and families of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, I want to congratulate our winners for each race, and every person who put their heart and soul into running and walking for the kids of St. Jude," said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is now an incredible destination event that brings together people from across the country to support St. Jude and experience the amazing city of Memphis. I want to extend our warmest thanks to our event sponsors, to the safety and security personnel who supported us and to every participant, volunteer and spectator who ran, walked, cheered and worked to make this event an inspirational experience and single most successful fundraising event for our mission."
More than 60 percent of participants traveled from outside the metropolitan area, with many forming teams and registering as St. Jude Heroes to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Official training partner Breakaway Running collaborated with national St. Jude Heroes coach Kevin Leathers to lead participants desiring professional coaching.
Presenting sponsor Juice Plus+® organized a company-wide team with 74 participants from 17 states and raised more than $52,000.
"When we started our partnership with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Memphis Marathon in 2002, it was founded on a mutual dedication to improve the health of children everywhere through a cause that brings people from across the country together right here in our hometown of Memphis," said Jay Martin, president and CEO of the Juice Plus+® Company. "The Juice Plus+ Company's mission is to inspire healthy living around the world. With partners like St. Jude, we can work together to build awareness for children's health. We are proud to return as a presenting sponsor of the marathon this year."
Unique to this event is the race route, which takes runners and walkers through the hospital campus twice. There, patient families cheer words of gratitude and encouragement to remind runners they are running for a greater purpose – to help ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything. Additionally, to give participants strength and boost their stamina, there are enormous television screens along the course, showing patients cheering them on, as well as volunteer cheer stations and bands. As a result, participants often describe the event as the most meaningful experience and one that keeps them coming back year after year.
Final race times for all participants will be available at stjudemarathon.org.
The event would not be possible without the support of numerous sponsors, including official sponsor Landers Ford, which left a memorable impression by wrapping a vehicle with the names of every registered St. Jude Hero and donating $25 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the name of anyone who test-drove a Ford vehicle in the months leading up to the event.
Many runners who completed the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend are now looking forward to April, to participate in the St. Jude Country Music Marathon. Set for Saturday, April 25, in Nashville, Tennessee, it's another chance for runners, walkers and others to register to participate as a St. Jude Hero at stjude.org/heroes.
About the St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend
Since 2002, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® has organized the St. Jude Memphis Marathon® Weekend in partnership with the Memphis Runners Track Club and presenting sponsor Juice Plus+® to include a marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay, 5K, kids marathon and family fun run. Participants have the option to register as St. Jude Heroes to raise awareness and funding to help ensure no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for anything. Since the event's inception, the St. Jude Heroes program has raised more than $40 million for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. For more information, visit stjudemarathon.org.
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world's best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.
About Juice Plus+®
Juice Plus+ has been the presenting sponsor of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend since 2002. With juice powder concentrates from 30 different fruits, vegetables and grains, Juice Plus+ is whole food based nutrition in an easy to take capsule or chewable form that helps bridge the gap between what you should eat and what you do eat every day. In addition to supporting the Marathon and Half Marathon through monetary donations, Juice Plus+ hosts the Spirit Station at the 10-mile mark in front of Target House, where volunteers cheer on race participants with song and dance. Both St. Jude and Juice Plus+ are deeply invested in children's health. In support of children everywhere, Juice Plus+ created the Juice Plus+ Children's Foundation and Children's Health Study. Together, St. Jude and Juice Plus+ have made great strides in raising funds and awareness for children's health. To learn more about the Juice Plus+ Company mission of inspiring healthy living around the world visit www.JuicePlus.com.
About Landers Ford
Landers Ford is the official vehicle of the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend. In the months leading up to the event, the dealer donated $25 to support the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the name of anyone who test-drove its Ford vehicles.
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SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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