Three Nashville Natives Win Big At The 21st St. Jude Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon

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Will Caldwell. Photo: Donn Jones

This weekend over 15,000 registered participants took to the Nashville streets for the 21st running of the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Nashville Marathon.

Will Cadwell and Nashville native Gisela Olalde were crowned champions of the marathon race, while Nashville natives Nick French and Meg Murphy finished at the top in the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series Nashville Half Marathon.

Gisela Olalde. Photo: Donn Jones

Cadwell finished first overall and came home victorious for the men’s full, clocking a time of 2:26:45. Olalde was the women’s champion with a final time of 2:46:11. French was crowned the winner for the men’s half, clocking a time of 1:10:18, while Murphy was the women’s winner with a final time of 1:23:38.

Thousands of spectators showed up throughout Nashville to cheer on their friends, family and fellow Nashvillians. Several local bands, including Less Kerr and the Bayou Band, Belmont Church, Suitcase Souls, and 2nd Sunset, among others, performed live on stages along the route interspersed with cheerleaders and crowd support.

Nick French. Photo: Donn Jones

More than 1,300 of the participants ran as St. Jude Heroes for the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 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,” says 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.”

Meg Murphy. Photo: Donn Jones

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.

Steven Boero
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