FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Approximately 24,000 Registered Runners Take On the 2023 St. Jude
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville for a Running Tour of Music City
- Garang Madut (Dayton, Ohio) and Sarah Higgins (Greenwood, Ind.) winners
in the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville Marathon
- Patrick Rizzo (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) and Robin Pomeroy (Verona, Wis.)
were the overall male and female winners of the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll
Nashville Half Marathon
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 22, 2023) - As the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series
celebrates its 25 Years of Running, approximately 24,000 registered runners
took part in the 2023 St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville
providing participants a running tour of Music City.
Saturday's St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville marathon also
saw elite runners take to the course. It was Garang Madut (Dayton, Ohio)
with a time of 2:27:06 and Sarah Higgins (Greenwood, Ind.) winning in a
time of 2:43:54 coming home victorious in the men's and women's races,
respectively.
"I knew the course from the map, but I wasn't super sure about it. I knew
it was going to fun because of all the bands. I am a big country music fan
and just moved to Indiana from California and Nashville is really close to
Indiana, so I had been looking forward to coming here. 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 just
going to run my race and see what happens. The course was definitely
flatter than I expected it to be because I heard Nashville was hilly. There
were still inclines and stuff, but nothing like a crazy hill that you had
to work really hard to climb. You couldn't have asked for better weather."
"Scott Wietecha is a big inspiration. It feels good to come out and win it.
I grew up here, my parents immigrated from South Sudan. It's my hometown
race -- It's good to come back," said Garang Madut. "I took the lead from
the get-go. I went out, I was like, I'm just going to see who goes with me.
"My goal was to win this. I was going to do whatever it took to win it."
Patrick Rizzo (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) with a time of 1:07:41 and Robin
Pomeroy (Verona, Wisc.) finishing in 1:21:40 were the male and female
overall winners of the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.
The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series is a best-in-class road running series
Bringing Fun to the Run® through music, entertainment, and community
immersion all combining in Nashville to provide an unforgettable
experience. With a distance for everyone, runners and walkers hailed from
all 50 States and 37 countries, regions, and territories to take on a
running tour of Music City. The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville
brings participants through the city's most iconic neighborhoods with rich
history around every corner, passing many iconic landmarks including
Broadway's honky-tonks, Dolly Parton's recording studio, Country Music Hall
of Fame, and many more all before ending the event at the finish line at
Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans.
For nine events including St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville, St. Jude
Children's Research Hospital® is the official benefiting charity partner of
the St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series. Thanks to the over 1,500 St.
Jude Heros and the generous support of the Nashville community, people
across the region and country that St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
continues to lead the way the world understands, treats and defeats
childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. To learn more and to
become a St. Jude Hero, visit www.stjude.org.
"We are deeply grateful to our Rock 'n' Roll Running Series partners and
every person who was part of this year's St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running
Series Nashville — especially our St. Jude Heroes, who trained with a
purpose in support of this lifesaving mission," said Richard C. Shadyac
Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization
for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. "Truly, Music City came together
this weekend to help accelerate research and treatment for kids with
cancer. Our finish line will be crossed when no child dies from cancer, no
matter where they happen to be born."
Several local bands, including the Less Kerr and the Bayou Band, U.S.
Airforce Band, Hype Creek, and many more performed live on band stages
along the route all before Greg Pratt, Angie Rey and Runaway June took the
stage at the Finish Line Stage outside Nissan Stadium as the Encore
Entertainment.
The St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville weekend continue Sunday
with the KiDSROCK, 1-mile, and Doggie Dash event all taking place at Nissan
Stadium.
Presale registration for all distances of the 2024 edition of the St. Jude
Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville taking place on April 27-28, 2024,
is now open online through 11:59 p.m. PT on April 30, 2023. Lock in presale
pricing by visiting, www.runrocknroll.com/nashville-register. Special
presale pricing will be at the lowest price of the year, at $85 for the
Marathon, $75 for the Half Marathon, $65 for the 10K, $45 for the 5K, $19
for the 1 Mile, KiDS ROCK, and Doggie Dash. To register for 2024 or learn
more about St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Nashville, please visit
www.runrocknroll.com/nashville.
Next Rock 'n' Roll Running Series Events Coming Up:
The Rock 'n' Roll Running Series continues its 25th Anniversary celebration
as the series makes its way to the Birthplace of the Rock 'n' Roll Running
Series, San Diego, California. As the original event of the Rock 'n' Roll
Running Series, Rock 'n' Roll Running Series San Diego will take place June
3-4, 2023 and has long been a favorite stop on the best-in-class running
series tour, welcoming visitors from all over to experience the ultimate
tour on foot of America's Finest City. Participants will explore everything
San Diego has to offer with a picturesque course, jam-packed with spectator
support. The half marathon and marathon courses lead runners on a scenic
tour through some of San Diego's most iconic neighborhoods, including
Balboa Park, Hillcrest, North Park, Normal Heights and more, before
finishing in Downtown San Diego. Registration for the Rock 'n' Roll Running
Series San Diego is open by visiting, www.runrocknroll.com/san-diego.
To see the full schedule of Rock 'n' Roll Running Series events, visit
www.runrocknroll.com/all-events.
For more information on the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series, please visit
www.runrocknroll.com.
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 Encore Entertainment experience featuring eclectic musical artists
from a variety of genres. With a goal of helping participants find the Beat
in Their Feet™, the Rock 'n' Roll Running Series has also featured some of
the biggest names in music, with past performances including the likes of
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, O.A.R., Aloe Blacc, Pitbull, Flo Rida, The Band
Perry, Fitz and the Tantrums, the Goo Goo Dolls, Bret Michaels, Kesha, The
Revivalists, Hunter Hayes, Capital Cities, and Matt Nathanson. 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, 5150™
Triathlon Series, the Rock 'n' Roll® Running Series, IRONKIDS® Series,
World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf®, UTMB® World Series
events including the Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB®, Tarawera Ultra by
UTMB® and Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB®, Epic Series™ mountain bike races
including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events including Haute Route®,
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. Catering to the full athlete experience, the
company portfolio also includes FulGaz® virtual cycling, the most realistic
indoor riding experience connected fitness application aimed at preparing
athletes for real-world events. 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, Warner Bros. Discovery and
Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com.
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