A team of almost 200 runners, about half of them from Central Illinois, undertake a grueling run for the cause of childhood cancer research this week.
The 43rd annual St Jude Memphis to Peoria run officially starts Wednesday morning, but the Central Illinois group sets off for Tennessee on Tuesday. After arriving in Memphis, the team will split into two groups and complete the nearly 500 mile run back to Peoria in eight hour, relay-style chunks over the next five days.
Gina Seghetti is a Development Specialist with St. Jude. She says the event has raised more than $25 million for the children’s hospital since its start in the early 1980s.
“We freely share all of our research and we are committed to helping drive the overall survival rate for cancer across the globe up 20% to 60% in 2030,” Seghetti said.
The runners, including some St. Jude Memphis employees, have been training with Thursday night runs for months. However, no matter how prepared you are, Seghetti says a cross-country trek like this one can get grueling.
“Running through Kentucky, Southern Illinois, it is hot months,” she said. “They run rain or shine, as long as it is safe to do so. They are truly putting their bodies through so much, all to support the kids at St. Jude.”
The event also includes dozens of “satellite” races and runs across Central Illinois over the next week. You can find more information here about the events across the state before the runners arrive back in Downtown Peoria Saturday afternoon.
