Runners from all over the nation come to participate in the award-winning Tupelo Marathon & 14.2 Miler on the Sunday prior to Labor Day. The race will maintain its 5 AM start to “beat the heat”, but the course will once again run through the tranquil countryside of Lee and …
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Runners from all over the nation come to participate in the award-winning Tupelo Marathon & 14.2 Miler on the Sunday prior to Labor Day. The race will maintain its 5 AM start to “beat the heat”, but the course will once again run through the tranquil countryside of Lee and Pontotoc counties. It’s our original course, which is unique, and what made us famous. The marathoners will run a 13.1 mile out and back; whereas, the “halfers” will continue on 1.1 miles from the turn-around back to the finish line for a 14.2 miler.
We’re not charging extra for the bonus mile, so it’s even a bigger bargain. There will be water stops and a few cheering spectators to help along the way. You will get a unique tie-dyed t-shirt for entering and an award winning medallion if you finish. Prizes will be awarded for overall, Masters, Grandmasters, and age group winners. Entries will be capped at 175 for the Marathon and 375 in the 14.2 Miler.
Tupelo is a throwback to the way marathons used to be. There are no bands on the course, there are no cheering spectators, and there isn’t a water stop every mile. It’s old school, but without a doubt, it will be one of your favorite races!
Tupelo Marathon is a Boston Qualifier!
LESS
Humidity is a killer but the race rocks!
Second time doing this run. Nice paved country roads, easy to follow course. Only drawback is roads are open, so you have to pay attention to traffic. Good amount of … MORE
Second time doing this run. Nice paved country roads, easy to follow course. Only drawback is roads are open, so you have to pay attention to traffic. Good amount of water stops, although with the humidity I’d still recommend bringing your own as well. Although I liked last year’s shirt better, this year’s long-sleeved hoodie shirt was nice. Love that they give you a sticker, because I turn it into a magnet for my car. Nice medal, although I was disappointed I got the exact same medal as the marathon (except the lanyard ribbon was a different color) while last year’s was super creative with getting half a skull. Will be back next year!
Hot, Humid, Checks the Box
Humid (96%) and warm (75). Bring a head lamp. Race starts at 5am and that's good so that you can get a lot of the race in before sunrise. The … MORE
Humid (96%) and warm (75). Bring a head lamp. Race starts at 5am and that’s good so that you can get a lot of the race in before sunrise. The race website didn’t mention this, so some were running in the dark on very dark roads. Race course is well marked with arrows/markers spray painted on the pavement. The problem with that is you can’t see that running in the dark unless again you have a headlamp. I added more pros/cons below. It’s an ok race to check the box of saying you did one in MS. Wouldn’t say I’d do it again. Town of Tupelo was a nice place to visit.
Pros: Water stations were plentiful, well-spaced, and the people manning them were wonderful; packet pickup process; early race start time to combat heat; good photo banner at the end; plenty porta-potties and well spaced throughout the course.
Improvement opportunities: Communication and race website information; post race snacks weren’t that much (water and an apple or banana);
Hot & Humid
This race happens in summer in Mississippi so be ready for a hot and humid race. 2024 was 98% humidity and 75 degrees. Likely with this in mind, the race … MORE
This race happens in summer in Mississippi so be ready for a hot and humid race. 2024 was 98% humidity and 75 degrees. Likely with this in mind, the race directors are smart to try and get this race done early in the day with a 5am start time, so much of the heat of the day is avoided. One tip I would suggest is to bring a head lamp because the first 60-90 mins are in complete blackness. The medal is solid. The race shirt is actually a hoody. The post race snacks leave a little to be desired… mostly just water, very little in the way of the usual bananas/bagels etc.
Overall, a good race if you need one in MS. Challenging course if only because of climate.
Worst Marathon
This was the worst marathon I've ever experienced. The course was so poorly marked that I went the wrong way twice. Traffic was not blocked off at all. There were … MORE
This was the worst marathon I’ve ever experienced. The course was so poorly marked that I went the wrong way twice. Traffic was not blocked off at all. There were a ton of cars once it got later in the morning. It was very unsafe. It was just terrible from start to finish. I highly recommend to never do this marathon.
Fun small-town race
This race is very easy to navigate - packet pickup was simple and could be done the day before the race or the morning of the race from 4-4:45 am … MORE
This race is very easy to navigate – packet pickup was simple and could be done the day before the race or the morning of the race from 4-4:45 am and the race started at 5 am. The long-sleeve tie dye t-shirt with the skull is great. Pick up was located at the finisher’s area, which was also near the start area, and plenty of parking in a large lot nearby! No need for bag check. The race capped at 150 for the marathon and 300 for the 14.2 mile race, and after the first couple of miles the course really thinned out. There were aid stations about every 2-3 miles and the volunteers were amazing – very encouraging with ample water, Powerade, and some snacks (pretzels, watermelon, bananas, oranges, etc) at different stops. There were few spectators and the course is in a rural country area, fairly serene most of the time, however there were a couple of stray dogs on the course as well (thankfully all friendly).
The marathon followed an out and back open course, and one downside was on the way back runners had to be cautious to avoid cars. There were no sidewalks. This was especially true for me in the last mile of the race, which was tiring, and some runners resorted to jogging in the grass. The course itself has rolling hills, however this year it was cloudy so not too hot (71 – 80 deg F while I was running) and the humidity was bearable. Overall, I am definitely glad I did it and would recommend this to fellow 50 staters who need a race in Mississippi! Bonus points – it is on the Sunday before Labor Day, so if you travel there on Saturday you can leave Sunday after the race like I did and still have a day to recuperate before going back to life as normal on Tuesday. 😉 Also – there are no photographers on the race course, but they film the finish line and have it on YouTube, with a link to each person crossing the finish line on that runner’s result page.
Great local marathon
Great early morning start of 5am let's you beat the heat and humidity, gentle rolling hills, great production and swag. Water stops and porta potties were adequate, may repeat. MORE
Great early morning start of 5am let’s you beat the heat and humidity, gentle rolling hills, great production and swag. Water stops and porta potties were adequate, may repeat.
Tough in Tupelo
* I came for the SWAG, and I love my Tie Dye long sleeve T-shirt (nice and soft), sticker, and medal. * I came for a real race in 2020--whoo … MORE
* I came for the SWAG, and I love my Tie Dye long sleeve T-shirt (nice and soft), sticker, and medal.
* I came for a real race in 2020–whoo hoo.
* I started too fast (oh, it will be hot later, better bank time now) and regretted it.
* I enjoyed the volunteers and race personnel. They were efficient and friendly at packet pickup in the morning, all water stops, and the finish, with fun music playing over the speakers and high energy.
* The course was mostly on scenic rural roads, with decent shade/darkness for the first 3.25 hours. Then it was warm and humid. The hills were not what did me in, it was the weather. A bit lonely after 13.1 when the halfers pulled off and we turned around, which was expected.
Well done race. I treasure my shirt and wear it proudly.
Fun Race
Starting when it was dark and getting to see the sunrise was awesome! (And I am not a morning person). Great race, great organization. Just wish there was a starting … MORE
Starting when it was dark and getting to see the sunrise was awesome! (And I am not a morning person). Great race, great organization. Just wish there was a starting mat so that those of us who started in the back would know their actual time.
If you like skulls.....
Easy packet pickup, plenty of parking. No frills gun start in the dark. Loved that it was early allowing plenty of time back at the hotel post race. countryside course. … MORE
Easy packet pickup, plenty of parking. No frills gun start in the dark. Loved that it was early allowing plenty of time back at the hotel post race. countryside course. plenty of rolling hills. Good aid stations. Cool medal. Do yourself a favor and check this one out.
Fun, small race
I love the shirt and medal! The course was mostly on back roads and through neighborhoods, it felt like a long group run. The aid stations were spaced a little … MORE
I love the shirt and medal! The course was mostly on back roads and through neighborhoods, it felt like a long group run. The aid stations were spaced a little further apart than I would’ve preferred. The first station was not until 3.2 miles. They originally told us that there would not be powerade at the aid stations until the marathoners turned around, but there was powerade at all stations from the beginning. Overall, this was a fun and fast course that I would do again.
Definitely Do It!
This race is a must do for anyone, 50 stater or not. Best Race Director, organized and well run event. Post race festivities are amazing and the food and drink … MORE
This race is a must do for anyone, 50 stater or not. Best Race Director, organized and well run event. Post race festivities are amazing and the food and drink were plentiful
Well run small race.
Having the race hotel at the start line was amazing. The start line was a bit outside the arena, but enough prior runners were around to direct newcomers. The start … MORE
Having the race hotel at the start line was amazing. The start line was a bit outside the arena, but enough prior runners were around to direct newcomers. The start just sort of happened. I expected some announcement but off we went. The course was well lit at the beginning (good for a 5 am start). It was definitely hilly on the course, with a lot of turns. The aid stations were great. After reading the reviews, I expected them to be much further apart. They were well stocked and the volunteers were excellent. Once the half marathon finished there was a lot more separation and most of the second half of the race I spent alone. The white arrows on the pavement marking the course were lifesavers.
The second half started getting hot quickly. Once the sun came up, it was much more demanding on the course. Definitely the price to pay for a beautiful morning!
The finish was well done, except as you entered the arena a buzzer would sound. It felt like the end, but was simply telling the finish line what number was entering. Several runners stopped, but were still a hundred yards from the finish. Medals and times were efficiently handled. The food and drinks were plentiful.
The race staff is first rate. I would highly recommend this race to my friends.
Brutally humid, excellent hardware
There's one big reason to run this race: the skull-themed medals. It's a small race in rural Mississippi with a course that doesn't offer much to look at. It's also … MORE
There’s one big reason to run this race: the skull-themed medals. It’s a small race in rural Mississippi with a course that doesn’t offer much to look at. It’s also held around Labor Day weekend, which usually means temperatures flirting with the 90s and oppressive humidity. It’s not an easy race at all, but every year a few hundred runners gut it out to earn a truly badass medal. I started slow and slowed down as the race went on. It’s the slowest marathon I’ve ever run, but I wore the golden medallion with pride. A definite for runners seeking additional cred.
Birthplace of Elvis
Race – Labor Day weekend so we decided to make it a road trip from Oklahoma. Everyone though we were crazy to run a marathon in September in Mississippi, but … MORE
Race – Labor Day weekend so we decided to make it a road trip from Oklahoma. Everyone though we were crazy to run a marathon in September in Mississippi, but luck was on our side. Race has an early start time (I think in the 5am hour, but I can’t remember exactly but I know it is early…. I am reviewing this race in 2020, so whatever I do remember was impactful and memorable! 😊). At the start the temp was incredibly cool….in the 50s and so we were able to know quite a few miles out in the dark & cool. Great water stops, but the best surprise was popsicles around mile 18 and cupcakes around mile 21! I normally would never have indulged, but who can refuse homemade cupcakes with sprinkles!!!!!! By the way, after the race we tracked down the cupcake lady and thanked her (Pam Britt)!! The best part of the race is the cookout at the finish line! Lots of good food to replenish the body. The course is pretty.
Where to Stay – Courtyard by Marriott – nothing special except that there is an Outback Steakhouse in the same parking lot. We usually strive to eat at local places when travelling but sometimes when you get in and have kids and have a race the next morning, Outback is a good option.
Food – the complimentary cookout after the race was delicious and then we ate barbeque in Memphis on our drive back
What to do – did I mention that the running is my least favorite part of running trips😊. Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis Presley – they have a museum at his home that is supposed to be very well done. We did not visit the museum, just drove by it. We instead chose to spend our time outside at the Natchez Trace Parkway (part of the National Park Service) – visited the parkway Visitor center where the kids participated in the Junior ranger Program, drove the parkway, and hiked part of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. Also visited Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield site and the Tupelo National Battlefield site. On the way home, we stopped in Memphis and visited Graceland, home of Elvis! We did the audio tour and enjoyed all the sights. Ate waffle cone ice-cream at the parlor shop there before getting back in the car for our drive home. Also stopped at St. Jude Hospital to see a family friend……what an amazing hospital.
Highlight of the Trip – Graceland