FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Music City, USA Celebrates the 21st Running With the Return of
the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville
- Will Cadwell (South Haven, Mich.) and Gisela Olalde (Nashville, Tenn.)
were crowned champions in Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville Marathon
- Nick French (Nashville, Tenn.) and Meg Murphy (Nashville, Tenn.) topped
the podium in Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville Half Marathon
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 20, 2021) - The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series events
returned to Nashville over the weekend for the 21st running of the St. Jude
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville event. Music City, USA played host
to the musically-themed running event bursting with Nashville spirit. Over
15,000 registered participants took on the Nashville streets lined with
cheer squads, local bands and entertainment from start to finish. For the
St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville Marathon, Will Cadwell
(South Haven, Mich.) and Gisela Olalde (Nashville, Tenn.) were crowned
champions. Nick French (Nashville, Tenn.) and Meg Murphy (Nashville, Tenn.)
topped the podium in the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville
Half Marathon.
The 2021 St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville participants
received a running tour of Nashville and the numerous landmarks including
running down Broadway and past the Honky Tonks, Music Row, 12 South and
Bicentennial Capitol Mall before the finish line greeted them at Nissan
Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Titans.
In the marathon race, Will Cadwell (South Haven, Mich.) came home
victorious for the men clocking a time of 2:26:45. Derek Stone (Nashville,
Tenn. was second with a time of 2:28:00 and Cody Poskin (Cedar Hill, Mo.)
followed in third place finishing in 2:35:43. Gisela Olalde (Nashville,
Tenn.) was the women's champion with a final time of 2:46:11 with Becca
Murray (Nashville, Tenn.) finishing in second with a finishing time of
3:03:17.
In the half marathon race, Nick French (Nashville, Tenn.) was crowned the
winner for the men clocking a time of 1:10:18. Andrew Taylor (Hilliard,
Ohio) was second with a time of 1:12:15 and Nathan O'Connor (Porter, Ind.)
followed in third place finishing in 1:15:30. Meg Murphy (Nashville, Tenn.)
was the women's winner with a final time of 1:23:38 with Rebecca Walter
(Nashville, Tenn.) finishing in second with a finishing time of 1:24:09 and
Kimberly Muldowney (Nashville, Tenn.) rounding out the podium in 1:25:06.
Elite runners and fast times aside, Saturday's race was all about the party
atmosphere. Several local bands, including Less Kerr and the Bayou Band,
Belmont Church, Suitcase Souls, 2nd Sunset among many other talented
artists from the Nashville market performed live on band stages along the
route interspersed with cheerleaders and crowd support. The party wasn't
only on course - Yankton closed out the show as the Encore Entertainment at
Nissan Stadium.
More than 1,300 of the participants ran as St. Jude Heroes® for the mission
of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Finding cures. Saving children.®
Since the partnership began in 2012, tens of thousands of St. Jude Heroes
have raised more than $12 million through the event.
"I am deeply grateful for the compassion of the Nashville community, the
collaborative spirit of our IRONMAN Group partners and the commitment of
our St. Jude Heroes, who are unwavering in their dedication to St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and
CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital. "These amazing people came together today for
a shared purpose that began nearly 60 years ago when St. Jude was founded.
With every mile, we're one step closer to realizing the goals of the
six-year, $11.5 billion St. Jude strategic plan that's focused on
accelerating research and lifesaving treatment to raise the survival rates
worldwide and improve quality of life for pediatric cancer survivors."
The St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville weekend kicked off on
Thursday with the KiDSROCK and 1-mile event taking place at Nissan Stadium.
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series has developed a series of comprehensive Safe
Return to Racing operating principles prepared in accordance with industry
standards for open air participation sporting events including standards
from World Health Organization (WHO) and guidance from the IRONMAN Group
Global Medical Advisory Board. These Ready to Rock: Safe Return to Running
Guidelines empower everyone involved to focus on a safe return to running.
With attention to density reduction, touchpoint minimization, enhanced
hygiene, screening, and education, as well as self-awareness, the Rock 'n'
Roll Running Series will continue to deliver a rockin' participant
experience with necessary adjustments so that the participants can race
safely, race smart, and race their best.
Next Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Events Coming Up:
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series is scheduled to continue with the Humana Rock
'n' Roll Running Series San Antonio on Dec. 4-5, 2021. To see the full
schedule of Rock 'n' Roll Running Series events, visit
www.runrocknroll.com/all-events.
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series will return to Nashville on its traditional
date of April 23, 2022. The 2022 St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
Nashville event is now available at
www.runrocknroll.com/nashville-register.
For more information or to register for an event on Rock 'n' Roll Running
Series, please visit RunRocknRoll.com.
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 life-threatening
diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the
only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped
push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80%
since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude won't stop until
no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes,
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 or food -
because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Visit
St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories of hope, strength,
love and kindness. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking
St. Jude on Facebook, following St. Jude on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok,
and subscribing to its YouTube channel.
About Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
The Rock 'n' Roll® Running Series is the world's largest running series
taking part in destination locations around the world every year.
Established in 1998, the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series simple idea of making
running fun has transformed both the U.S. and global running landscape by
infusing the course with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water
stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators
alike. Focused on running, music and community, race weekend kicks off with
a free Health & Fitness Expo showcasing the latest in running gear, sports
apparel, health and nutritional information and much more. Events culminate
with an entertaining finish-line festival featuring some of the biggest
names in music, with past performances including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis,
O.A.R. Aloe Blacc, Pitbull, Flo Rida, The Band Perry, Fitz and the
Tantrums, the Goo Goo Dolls and Bret Michaels. Further information about
the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series can be found online at
www.RunRocknRoll.com and follow @RunRocknRoll on all social platforms.
About The IRONMAN Group
The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the
IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, the
IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock 'n'
Roll® Running Series, the Rock 'n' Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS®,
World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf®,
Ultra-Trail® World Tour events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail
Australia™, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling
events including Haute Route®, and gravel racing like Gravel Epic®, and
other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass
participation sports in the world and provides more than a million
participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the
company's vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand
and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS
POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single
race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with
hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by
Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit
www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.
About Advance
Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in
companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications,
education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the
value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and
innovation. Advance's portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage
Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders
Group, Turnitin, 1010data and Pop. Together these operating companies
employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the
largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Discovery and Reddit. For
more information visit www.advance.com.
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