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Marathon Details - Tupelo Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > MS > Tupelo > Tupelo Marathon

Tupelo Marathon

Tupelo Marathon & 14.2 Mile

Tupelo, MS USA

September 1, 2024

http://www.tupelorunningclub.org/trc-races

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Race Details

Summary: Hot and rural, but full of love

The Tupelo Marathon & 14.2 Miler, a race wrapped in the rustic charm of rural Mississippi, offers an experience as diverse as the runners who lace up their shoes to conquer its course. Be it challenging or charming, every participant carries home a unique slice of this local tradition. Enthusiastic first-timers revel in the well-organized early morning start, which allows them to beat the heat with a gentle ambiance created by rolling hills and cheers from sporadically placed spectators. The race garnered applause for its efficiency, with easy packet pickups and ample parking, ensuring a smooth pre-race setup.

Participants share tales of quaint yet quirky moments - from encountering friendly stray dogs along the course to the unexpected delight of homemade cupcakes near the finish line. The landscape, mostly scenic rural roads, provides a serene backdrop for the physical and mental marathon journey. However, not all reviews glow with positivity; some runners recount the challenges of navigating a course with insufficient signage and the dangers posed by non-closed roads.

Yet, amidst these varied experiences, the race remains a beloved event for many, particularly those collecting unique medals from each state, the skull-themed medals here are a coveted prize. Whether they return for the swag, the challenge, or the sheer joy of racing, runners leave Tupelo with stories of triumph, personal bests, and sometimes, the resolve to tackle it again, proving the race's ability to weave new narratives into the enduring fabric of marathon lore.

Contact Information

Name:	Amy Ballard
Address:	549 N Conley RD Tupelo MS 38801
Phone Number:	6626906620
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

2012 IS IN THE BOOKS. 2013 COMING SOON (3/12/13)

Mike Lail

Registration for the 2013 Tupelo Marathon and 14.2 Miler is now open at www.racesonline.com.

Runner Reviews (159)

Course 4.0

Organization 4.4

Spectators 2.5

Write a review

Number of comments: 159 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 16 > ]

P. K. from Cincinnati, Ohio (9/3/2024) "Great Destination Race" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 The tagline for this race is "Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead." Not sure what they mean. Sounds pretty cold-blooded. Nevertheless, the volunteers were really friendly, even when I was weak from the pea-soup humidity and rolling hills. One volunteer actually slowed his truck to ask if I was okay at four-hour mark. Excellent aid stations, some of which offered bananas, and the potassium made a big difference in the heat. And the electrolytes were full-strength (unlike the Ohio race I ran four months ago). Cars on the road were a bit of a problem, but only near end of race. Crowd support tepid, but who needs it. No crappy music at start, thankfully, but some aid stations felt compelled to blast contemporary pop, country, and hip-hop. (The one ska song I heard made up for it.) Nice hoodie, and very classy, colorful finisher medal, not as gaudy as most these days. Hamburgers, hot dogs, soda at finish line tents! Excellent parking area, too. Turned out the bananas and electrolytes made a big difference, as my legs were in far less agony than usual after finishing. All in all, a well-run small-town marathon, and a great destination marathon even if you don't like Elvis. Just maybe change the tagline to something a bit more compassionate.
K. C. from Nashville, TN (9/1/2024) "Not as bad as you might think" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I ran the Tupelo Marathon today, finishing 20th and 2nd in my age group. It was not as brutal as I had imagined. The 5:00 a.m. start definitely helps, although the humidity the first hour was actually worse than afterward. However, it is surprisingly mentally taxing to run the first hour with a headlamp. I had cloud cover until about mile 22 or 23, so it didn't get oppressively hot until then. I would also characterize this course as hilly, rather than rolling. My one complaint was the lack of a water stop at mile 2/24 (as it's an out and back course). There was even a gas station at mile 2/24 that would have allowed for the tables to be set up off the road. There were enough water stops that a little redistribution could have made this possible. The swag was unique as pictured on the website. Postrace food was burgers and hot dogs, which didn't quite sit right with me at 8:45 a.m., so I showered at my hotel and came back later. The course did not go through town but rather out into the suburbs. There was little traffic, and motorists were considerate. If you're going to run a marathon Labor Day weekend and can't get to somewhere cooler, this is a consideration.
S. C. from Portland Oregon (9/5/2022) "Well run, run." (about: 2022) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thanks to the 5am start I survived this hot and humid run. If you're done in about 4:30, the sun and heat aren't that bad. After that, it gets dicey. Great aid stations and fun finish line festivities. Morning bib pick-up was great since my flight was delayed!!! Great medal.
J. Z. from Tallahassee, FL (12/3/2021) "Small Race, Early Start, and Elvis Presley." (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Early start, small-town feel, well organized, course well marked (spray painted arrows on the road), with enough water/electrolyte aid stations. No frills, just a good time and serious runners. Bring a flashlight/headlamp for the early start. Roads were open to the public, with no road barricades or law enforcement, but it was no issue since most drivers were polite enough to slow down and give you enough space. It started getting warmer towards the morning but not too terrible (to be expected). Enough portapotties at the start, with a few placed along the course. I generally felt relaxed initially, hometown feel, and felt welcomed. I recommend this race if you're looking for a marathon in Mississippi and you're not from the area. Afterward, go check out the Elvis Presley Birthplace historical museum.
D. S. from Mesa, Arizona (9/6/2021) "Everything was fantastic!" (about: 2021) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Ran in the Tupelo marathon 9/5/2021. The course, organization, race director, and communication was all top notch. This was my 75th marathon and ranks towards the top! The 5AM start makes a huge difference and a big plus! Southern hospitality was on display everywhere!
Anna Marie from NorthEast (9/7/2020) "Awesome Small Town Race!" (about: 2020) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was an amazing race. The volunteers are spectacular, attentive and very kind. I loved the 5 am start, the ease of logistics. The Race Director did a fantastic job putting on a safe race, during this COVID environment. Each race packet held a disposable face mask runners were encouraged to wear in the start area and discard after the race began and participants spread out. I didn't mind that there was no GU/Energy Gels on the course because that was stated up front. The water stops were every x3 miles (all had Gatorade) with an extra one at 1.5 miles from the finish. About 1/3 of the water stops also had some form of food (bananas, starburst candy, cookies, pretzels). There was a shower racers could use at the finish. The course was an out/back and was pretty, rolling terrain. Not really hilly, but a few small ones. I appreciated the thoughts/prayer of remembrance for the race's long-time director who passed away this year. His name also appeared on the medal. The food at the end was great (Jimmy John's box lunch and fresh fruit). This was a really, really nice race to do. I felt so happy just to actually get to do a race during COVID, I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, and was overall, incredibly impressed.
h. E. from NE, TN (9/2/2018) "Very fun, low key event" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I signed up for this race because a lot of the details I felt were cool and fun - tie dyed, long sleeve cotton shirt, cool medal, inexpensive entry fee, no frills event, and the coolest motto out there (Trample the weak, Hurdle the dead). So despite being a terrible hot weather runner, I entered and it was everything they said it would be: Hot, humid, difficult course (sneaky difficult), no spectators (I mean none) and no superstars. Regardless, I had fun, it was not as 'no frills' as they let on, at the finish line was a decent spread, AC venue and showers to use. I would rate this highly and to be honest I enjoyed it more than a lot of other big name events.
J. Y. from Dayton, OH (9/10/2017) "Really good small race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Organization and easy logistics really made this race stand out. You can't beat a host hotel that is practically on the start line and indoor bathrooms in the arena at the start. The course was hilly as advertised, and while we lucked out with cooler weather this year, we came prepared for heat and humidity as warned. There are lots of turns on the course, but I thought the arrows on the road were easy to see and there were some great volunteers at one of the potentially confusing spots where there's two-way race traffic. We also drove the course the day before, so it helped to know what to look for (I'd recommend that!). The post-race food was great, especially for a smaller race, and I got my age group award within a week, so kudos to the RD. The medals and shirt are great and it's nice to have something that's different from other races. We picked this race because it was one of the only MS marathons in driving distance from OH and I'm trying to do all 50 states. Overall, it was a great choice!
Chris Holder from Lexington, KY (9/5/2016) "Small race executed exactly as it was described." (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Race director/web site: -Hot; yep -Humid; yep -Hilly; yep -no crowds; yep -few and far between water stations; yep None of these things should come as a surprise since they are clearly noted. The main thing that imo differs from notes about the race is shade. -little to no shade; disagree. There are shaded areas covering at least 75% of the course. The 5am race start puts half the course with little to no sun on you regardless of pace anyway. The 2nd loop will have the sun high enough off the horizon to get you glistening if your pace hasn't already done so when you hit the unshaded areas. The AIrConditioned indoor finish was welcoming. The volunteers at water stops were enthusiastic. I ran with my own bottle. I only stopped 3 times to refill my bottle. All 3 spots offered to do it for me but 2 of 3, I did myself. The 1 I didn't was due to its pit crew nature as a 4 man team converged on me and all dumped at the same time which filled up my bottles in 2 seconds. This was at the halfway mark. Made me smile which we all know those opportunities are golden. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Train in heat and you'll perform in it.
G. B. from Atlanta, Georgia (9/26/2015) "Great Race - Tough Course - Super Organization" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is a great race for those wanting a tough challenge: late summer heat/humidity, rolling hills, and limited spectator support make this a race for the tough at heart. A great developer of grit every marathoner needs! Race organizers did a great job of communicating all the details, and have a sense of pride and enjoyment not found at many races. The medal and shirt from this race are legendary! Huge medal (with built in bottle opener) and one-of-a-kind long sleeved tie dyed shirt. Well worth the effort in accomplishing the completion of this one! Great post race food & beverages in air conditioned sports arena (indoor finish!). For a small race, this is a good one just be prepared this is not an easy or fast one but develops great character. Go for it!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 16 > ]



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P. K. from Cincinnati, Ohio (9/3/2024) "Great Destination Race" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 The tagline for this race is "Trample the Weak, Hurdle the Dead." Not sure what they mean. Sounds pretty cold-blooded. Nevertheless, the volunteers were really friendly, even when I was weak from the pea-soup humidity and rolling hills. One volunteer actually slowed his truck to ask if I was okay at four-hour mark. Excellent aid stations, some of which offered bananas, and the potassium made a big difference in the heat. And the electrolytes were full-strength (unlike the Ohio race I ran four months ago). Cars on the road were a bit of a problem, but only near end of race. Crowd support tepid, but who needs it. No crappy music at start, thankfully, but some aid stations felt compelled to blast contemporary pop, country, and hip-hop. (The one ska song I heard made up for it.) Nice hoodie, and very classy, colorful finisher medal, not as gaudy as most these days. Hamburgers, hot dogs, soda at finish line tents! Excellent parking area, too. Turned out the bananas and electrolytes made a big difference, as my legs were in far less agony than usual after finishing. All in all, a well-run small-town marathon, and a great destination marathon even if you don't like Elvis. Just maybe change the tagline to something a bit more compassionate.
K. C. from Nashville, TN (9/1/2024) "Not as bad as you might think" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I ran the Tupelo Marathon today, finishing 20th and 2nd in my age group. It was not as brutal as I had imagined. The 5:00 a.m. start definitely helps, although the humidity the first hour was actually worse than afterward. However, it is surprisingly mentally taxing to run the first hour with a headlamp. I had cloud cover until about mile 22 or 23, so it didn't get oppressively hot until then. I would also characterize this course as hilly, rather than rolling. My one complaint was the lack of a water stop at mile 2/24 (as it's an out and back course). There was even a gas station at mile 2/24 that would have allowed for the tables to be set up off the road. There were enough water stops that a little redistribution could have made this possible. The swag was unique as pictured on the website. Postrace food was burgers and hot dogs, which didn't quite sit right with me at 8:45 a.m., so I showered at my hotel and came back later. The course did not go through town but rather out into the suburbs. There was little traffic, and motorists were considerate. If you're going to run a marathon Labor Day weekend and can't get to somewhere cooler, this is a consideration.
S. C. from Portland Oregon (9/5/2022) "Well run, run." (about: 2022) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thanks to the 5am start I survived this hot and humid run. If you're done in about 4:30, the sun and heat aren't that bad. After that, it gets dicey. Great aid stations and fun finish line festivities. Morning bib pick-up was great since my flight was delayed!!! Great medal.
J. Z. from Tallahassee, FL (12/3/2021) "Small Race, Early Start, and Elvis Presley." (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Early start, small-town feel, well organized, course well marked (spray painted arrows on the road), with enough water/electrolyte aid stations. No frills, just a good time and serious runners. Bring a flashlight/headlamp for the early start. Roads were open to the public, with no road barricades or law enforcement, but it was no issue since most drivers were polite enough to slow down and give you enough space. It started getting warmer towards the morning but not too terrible (to be expected). Enough portapotties at the start, with a few placed along the course. I generally felt relaxed initially, hometown feel, and felt welcomed. I recommend this race if you're looking for a marathon in Mississippi and you're not from the area. Afterward, go check out the Elvis Presley Birthplace historical museum.
D. S. from Mesa, Arizona (9/6/2021) "Everything was fantastic!" (about: 2021) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Ran in the Tupelo marathon 9/5/2021. The course, organization, race director, and communication was all top notch. This was my 75th marathon and ranks towards the top! The 5AM start makes a huge difference and a big plus! Southern hospitality was on display everywhere!
Anna Marie from NorthEast (9/7/2020) "Awesome Small Town Race!" (about: 2020) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was an amazing race. The volunteers are spectacular, attentive and very kind. I loved the 5 am start, the ease of logistics. The Race Director did a fantastic job putting on a safe race, during this COVID environment. Each race packet held a disposable face mask runners were encouraged to wear in the start area and discard after the race began and participants spread out. I didn't mind that there was no GU/Energy Gels on the course because that was stated up front. The water stops were every x3 miles (all had Gatorade) with an extra one at 1.5 miles from the finish. About 1/3 of the water stops also had some form of food (bananas, starburst candy, cookies, pretzels). There was a shower racers could use at the finish. The course was an out/back and was pretty, rolling terrain. Not really hilly, but a few small ones. I appreciated the thoughts/prayer of remembrance for the race's long-time director who passed away this year. His name also appeared on the medal. The food at the end was great (Jimmy John's box lunch and fresh fruit). This was a really, really nice race to do. I felt so happy just to actually get to do a race during COVID, I wasn't sure what exactly to expect, and was overall, incredibly impressed.
h. E. from NE, TN (9/2/2018) "Very fun, low key event" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I signed up for this race because a lot of the details I felt were cool and fun - tie dyed, long sleeve cotton shirt, cool medal, inexpensive entry fee, no frills event, and the coolest motto out there (Trample the weak, Hurdle the dead). So despite being a terrible hot weather runner, I entered and it was everything they said it would be: Hot, humid, difficult course (sneaky difficult), no spectators (I mean none) and no superstars. Regardless, I had fun, it was not as 'no frills' as they let on, at the finish line was a decent spread, AC venue and showers to use. I would rate this highly and to be honest I enjoyed it more than a lot of other big name events.
J. Y. from Dayton, OH (9/10/2017) "Really good small race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Organization and easy logistics really made this race stand out. You can't beat a host hotel that is practically on the start line and indoor bathrooms in the arena at the start. The course was hilly as advertised, and while we lucked out with cooler weather this year, we came prepared for heat and humidity as warned. There are lots of turns on the course, but I thought the arrows on the road were easy to see and there were some great volunteers at one of the potentially confusing spots where there's two-way race traffic. We also drove the course the day before, so it helped to know what to look for (I'd recommend that!). The post-race food was great, especially for a smaller race, and I got my age group award within a week, so kudos to the RD. The medals and shirt are great and it's nice to have something that's different from other races. We picked this race because it was one of the only MS marathons in driving distance from OH and I'm trying to do all 50 states. Overall, it was a great choice!
Chris Holder from Lexington, KY (9/5/2016) "Small race executed exactly as it was described." (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Race director/web site: -Hot; yep -Humid; yep -Hilly; yep -no crowds; yep -few and far between water stations; yep None of these things should come as a surprise since they are clearly noted. The main thing that imo differs from notes about the race is shade. -little to no shade; disagree. There are shaded areas covering at least 75% of the course. The 5am race start puts half the course with little to no sun on you regardless of pace anyway. The 2nd loop will have the sun high enough off the horizon to get you glistening if your pace hasn't already done so when you hit the unshaded areas. The AIrConditioned indoor finish was welcoming. The volunteers at water stops were enthusiastic. I ran with my own bottle. I only stopped 3 times to refill my bottle. All 3 spots offered to do it for me but 2 of 3, I did myself. The 1 I didn't was due to its pit crew nature as a 4 man team converged on me and all dumped at the same time which filled up my bottles in 2 seconds. This was at the halfway mark. Made me smile which we all know those opportunities are golden. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Train in heat and you'll perform in it.
G. B. from Atlanta, Georgia (9/26/2015) "Great Race - Tough Course - Super Organization" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tupelo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is a great race for those wanting a tough challenge: late summer heat/humidity, rolling hills, and limited spectator support make this a race for the tough at heart. A great developer of grit every marathoner needs! Race organizers did a great job of communicating all the details, and have a sense of pride and enjoyment not found at many races. The medal and shirt from this race are legendary! Huge medal (with built in bottle opener) and one-of-a-kind long sleeved tie dyed shirt. Well worth the effort in accomplishing the completion of this one! Great post race food & beverages in air conditioned sports arena (indoor finish!). For a small race, this is a good one just be prepared this is not an easy or fast one but develops great character. Go for it!

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Marathon Details - Tupelo Marathon