Route Changes for 2010!

Jan. 5, 2010 – LOUISVILLE, KY – The Kentucky Derby Festival is pleased to announce some exciting new changes to the race route of the 2010 Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon, presented by Walmart. The races, which will begin simultaneously at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 24, will now start near Iroquois Manor Shopping Center and will finish at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville, a 500,000-square-foot entertainment venue located within Waterfront Park. The Marathon course will also include a slightly longer loop in Jeffersonville, Ind., with competitors running alongside the Ohio River.

“We’re very excited about the new race course, especially the finish line location,” said Mike Berry, President and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Festival. “The start line should flow more smoothly and the finish will be much more welcoming for both runners and spectators. The overall experience for runners at all levels of competition will be greatly enhanced with the changes that we are unveiling today.”

Combined entries for both the Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon were capped at 12,000 runners for the past two years. In 2010, the number of registrants will cap at 15,000, setting the stage for the largest annual day of road racing in Kentucky history. Berry said the expanded race field is part of the overall growth of the races in recent years, which in 2009 attracted runners from all 50 states and 13 foreign countries.

“Our goal is to be one of the premier springtime races in the United States,” said Berry. “We’ve gotten tremendous feedback from both local and out-of-state runners and we want to build on that momentum. The support of sponsors such as Walmart allows us to add new components to the races that bring it to a world-class level.”

Berry said the new start location will eliminate any congestion among elite runners exiting Iroquois Park and slower runners and walkers.

“The runners won’t be ‘doubling back’ on each other leaving the park as they have in the past,” he said. “We definitely wanted to keep the start in the south end of the city because of the tremendous fan support those neighborhoods have offered for more than 35 years. The finish at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville will feature a more comfortable and scenic reunite area for runners and their loved ones. There will be food and other concessions available starting at 8 a.m., followed by a concert at the site later that day.”

Registration for the 2010 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon, presented by Walmart, is now open online at www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com. Entry fees are $50 for the mini and $65 for the Marathon if registered by Jan. 31. All runners will receive Asics “technical” t-shirts at packet pickup, which will be held April 22-23 at the Kentucky International Convention Center. In addition, runners will receive a limited edition race poster, complimentary admission to the Derby Festival’s entertainment venue, Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville on the Waterfront, and free admission for two to Churchill Downs on April 24 or 25.

Training Program Starts January 5th

The introductory meeting of the Jewish Sports Medicine Healthy Lifestyle Training Program is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Bellarmine University’s Frazier Hall. This free 16-week program is intended to benefit runners training for the Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon Presented By Walmart on April 24, 2010. The program will give runners an opportunity to talk with professionals regarding nutrition, training tips, injury prevention and education.

The Training Program meeting will include distribution of a free training packet and technical shirt for the first 600 attendees; introduction of the race doctor, athletic trainers and nutritionists; an overview of the miniMarathon and Marathon; guest speakers and a question-and-answer session. Runners may register for the Training Program online at www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com. A pre-meeting run schedule, which includes weekly Saturday morning runs, may also be found on the race website. The deadline to sign up for the Training Program is Jan. 31. The Training Program is sponsored by Jewish Sports Medicine with contributing sponsor Swag’s Sport Shoes and 102.3 The Max.

Early registration for the 2010 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & miniMarathon presented by Walmart continues through January 31st. Current registrations are up over 200% from this same time last year!

Sorry to miss you

The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon Presented by Walmart was to travel to the Akron Marathon over the past weekend. However, due to some circumstances beyond our control, we were not able to make the event this weekend. I am sure everyone had a great time and the weather cooperated. Our next event is scheduled for October 9 - 11, 2009 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. We will be in booth number 572. Come See Us!!!