The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Marathon went a little differently this year.
In a typical year, the marathon would be held in Memphis, with races walked or run, not to compete, but to raise money to help continue the work done by St. Jude.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the race was held virtually, with walkers cheered on locally by those who may not have gotten a chance to do so in Memphis.
Becky Dees said that in Winona, a group came out with one goal in mind – to raise money for St. Jude, giving children a chance to have more birthdays.
“We had about 10 participants from our Winona Montgomery County School District Team. The Carson Crusaders had four people, and the Boy Scouts brought several boys, as well,” Dees said.
Dees and Amber Austin ran a half marathon, Becky Rosamond and her Cub Scout troop completed a 5K and Austin said others did either a 5K or a 10K.
Rosamond’s Cub Scouts — Braylan Thomas, Kaden McKinney, Jordan Cobbins, Will Tate, David Watson, and Braylen McGee — and Boy Scouts Thomas and Ben Rosamond participated in the race for the first time.
“It was really great seeing the community come out to support St. Jude and the Cub Scouts,” Rosamond said.
For Dees, Austin, and Chris McRae, who has participated in the marathon in Memphis in years past, event was quite different for them this year. Dees said she didn’t get the adrenaline rush from the crowd in Memphis cheering walkers and runners on, but that the local support helped.
“It was nice to have people from our community to support us as we walked around town,” she said.
Instead of walking the 13.1-mile Memphis route, she said the local route was more condensed with participants walking it several times.
“We walked a 4.4-mile route three times. Not being able to go through St. Jude Hospital Street is probably what I missed most. Seeing those patients, their families, and the medical providers out there cheering for us is always one of the most heartwarming parts of the race,” Dees said.
McRae said it was a bit monotonous running a loop in town because he saw the same things repeatedly.
“I would go to the airport just to break it up. And, there are usually tables set up and aid tables along the way, and we had water stations set up,” he said. “It was just weird seeing my wife and kids multiple times.”
Austin said that, in a normal year, participants enjoy the special experience of having the people and patients in Memphis cheer them on as they walked or ran the St. Jude campus. But this year, they enjoyed being cheered on by the local people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.
“That meant a lot to us,” Austin said.
McRae not only did a 5K, 10K, and the half marathon, he did a full marathon to raise funds for St. Jude.
“I didn’t do them in one day now. It took me about a month, maybe a little longer. I did the 5K and the 10K in October, the half marathon in November, and the full marathon this past Saturday,” McRae said. “I’ve done marathons and half-marathons before, but I hadn’t done one in three years, and I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. It was stupid, and I’m probably smarter than that.”
He said it was also an unusual feeling not to travel almost two hours back from Memphis following the event.
“I parked at the school, and I live right up the hill, so it was a 30-second drive to my house. That was nice,” he said.
McRae said that to raise money for St. Jude, he’ll continue participating in the annual event until he is no longer able.
“My wife [Amanda] said I’ve done this seven times,” he said. “I’m going to keep doing it until my body, or the good Lord tells me to stop. But, until then, I’m going to keep doing it.”
But that doesn’t mean he’ll attempt to do all of the race varieties all at once again. McRae said he wished he’d participated earlier in life, but the event always coincided with his football coaching season and the state championship schedule in particular.
“It doesn’t mean that you’re always going to go, but I couldn’t schedule anything on that date,” he said. “But, when I stopped coaching football, that’s when I started.”
McRae said he runs for his younger brother, who was diagnosed with cancer when he [his brother] was younger. McRae said that while his brother wasn’t treated at St. Jude, the facility’s medical team helped develop his brother’s treatment plan.
McRae said it was weird seeing his wife along the track.
“I usually see her once at the beginning and the end, but I saw her multiple times during the race. She and my daughters would cheer me on. And she would pull on me and ask me if I was okay.”
Along this year’s route, Dees said community supporters and an organization manned water stations. She said water stations were manned by the Montgomery/Carroll County Crown Club girls manned one of our water stations. Janey Beth, Emmy Lou, Sara Glenn, daughters of coach and racer Chris McRae, worked water stations and Betsy Tompkins, Hattie Frank Maloney, and Maloney’s daughters.
Despite the differences in this year’s event, Austin said everyone appreciated having the local community’s support.
“It was great to see the community out, it was a great day,” Austin said. As part of their fundraising effort, she said Dees made signs honoring those in the community who had either survived their battles or won them – not in natural life, but eternal life.
Dees said the team has raised over $17,000 so far and has until January 2021 to collect and submit final donations. Austin said those who want to donate still have time to do so.
Austin said their goal is usually $20,000, and they usually exceed their goal, but with the pandemic, it’s been hard to reach the $20,000.
“But, we’re almost there,” she said.
McRae said people always ask if the fundraising part is the hardest, he said no. It’s actually the easiest part.
“Everyone wants to donate to St. Jude,” he said.
Austin said as her fundraiser, she sold baked goods over the summer and during the holidays, and Rosamond said the Cub Scouts asked people if they wanted to donate.
As a fundraiser, Dees and her husband, Johnnie, make buttons for just about every occasion throughout the year, which they sell for $4 each..
“I do my button fundraiser year-round. I will sign up for the 2021 race in January and will start working towards my goal of $3,000 as every opportunity arises: sports, dance recitals, graduations, smiles behind the masks, or whatever else may come up,” Dees said. “I am thankful for the many people who have helped me reach my goal of $3,000 - $4 at a time. I also appreciate my husband, Johnnie Dees, for making all those buttons for me!”
Dees began raising money for St. Jude after her son, Greg, died of leukemia.
“As a mother of a child who died of leukemia, it is very important to me to raise as much money as possible to help families at St. Jude. Being a caregiver is a full-time job. These parents don’t need the added stress of how to pay for their medical expenses. We have to keep working for a day where we can #endcancer and #beatleukemia because everyone deserves to have more birthdays,” she said. “We will never be able to raise enough money for the families at St. Jude, not until there is a day where there are no more children being diagnosed with cancer.”
