NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Brian Shelton and Candice Fredericks are Top Finishers in Sold-Out 2011 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend

Philanthropic Race Raises Record-Breaking $3.9 million for St. Jude

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tennessee residents Brian Shelton of Cookeville, and Candice Fredericks of Collierville were the top male and female finishers, respectively, in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend on Saturday, Dec. 3. Shelton finished the 26.2-miles course with a time of 2:38:16 while Fredericks finished in 3:11:22. Proceeds from all races benefited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital(®), one of the world's premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other deadly childhood diseases.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111205/DC17345-a)

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111205/DC17345-b)

Shelton, a first-time marathon winner, had a little extra motivation to get to the finish line. "There were times when I wanted to quit," he said. "But then I thought about the kids and I kept going." Other winners from race day included Natalie Solovyeva of St. Petersburg, Russia, as the top Half Marathon female finisher with a time of 1:15:23, and Archie Barelkis of Oak Forest, Ill., who finished as the top male Half Marathon winner with a time of 1:08:42.

The sold-out St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend races welcomed more than 16,000 registrants and 200 families who participated in either the Marathon, Half Marathon, the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K and the St. Jude Memphis Family Race and Kids Marathon.

The 2011 events raised nearly $1 million more than the 2010 race weekend. Through the St. Jude Heroes program and event registration, so far this year a record-breaking $3.9 million has been raised for the hospital.

"We are at $3.9 million now, but we are still counting funds," said St. Jude event coordinator Erin Martin. "As our St. Jude Heroes return home after completing their race, we expect to see even more donations filter in over the next several weeks."

Of the total race registrants, nearly 5,000 were St. Jude Heroes, a special group who raise funds for St. Jude by securing donations from family, friends and co-workers. Runners will be challenged to do it all again as St. Jude Heroes and can register now for the St. Jude Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon on April 28, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn.

Race results are available at www.stjudemarathon.org. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is presented by Juice Plus+® and is a collaborative effort between St. Jude and the Memphis Runners Track Club. Next year the hospital will celebrate 50 years of finding cures that have saved the lives of countless children. The 2012 races will be held Saturday, December 1.

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is one of the few major marathons in the country to benefit a single charity. Events like the marathon are important to St. Jude because the hospital relies primarily on the public's generosity to support its lifesaving mission. No family ever pays St. Jude for anything - St. Jude covers the cost of treatment, travel, lodging and meals for patients and a family member.

To learn more visit www.stjude.org.

About the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend
The 2011 St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend is celebrating 10 years of supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its fight against childhood cancer. Since 2002, the event has been produced in partnership with the Memphis Runners Track Club and presenting sponsor Juice Plus and now features a marathon, half marathon, the Memphis Grizzlies House 5K and the St. Jude Memphis Family Race and Kids Marathon. Each year, a special group of race participants called St. Jude Heroes raise additional funds for the hospital by obtaining pledges from friends and family. Since its inception, nearly $20 million has been raised through event proceeds and the St. Jude Heroes program. For more information, visit www.stjudemarathon.org.

About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering research and treatment of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The hospital's research has helped push overall survival rates for childhood cancer from less than 20 percent when the institution opened to almost 80 percent today. It is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, and no family ever pays St. Jude for care. For more information, go to www.stjude.org and follow St. Jude on www.facebook.com/stjude and www.twitter.com/stjude.

About the presenting sponsor:
Juice Plus+(®) is an easy and inexpensive way to add nutrition from a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and grains to your diet, every day. It provides whole food based nutrition from 17 different fruits, vegetables and grains in convenient capsule or chewable form.

SOURCE St. Jude Children's Research Hospital