Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon

 

Sept. 4, 2008– LOUISVILLE, KY   – Online registration will open TOMORROW, Sept. 5 for the 2009 Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon, which will be run next year on Saturday, April 25. The eighth annual Marathon and 36^th annual miniMarathon will start simultaneously at 7:30 a.m. near Iroquois Park. The 2008 races attracted a record 12,000 registrants, which was the previously announced cap for number of entrants. Registration will once again close after the first 12,000 runners, so participants are urged to sign up early.

 

Race registration fees are $35 for the 13.1-mile mini and $60 for the 26.2-mile Marathon if entered online or postmarked by Jan. 31, 2009. From Feb. 1 to April 15, entry fees are $60 for the mini and $85 for the Marathon; late entry fees at the Race Expo (April 23 and 24) are $70 and $100 (if registration is still open). Runners may register at www.derbyfestivalmarathon.com. The 2009 Race Expo and Running Wild Pasta Dinner will be held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, South Wing, for the first time. Runners will need to bring their confirmation email from the Kentucky Derby Festival and a valid photo ID.

 

“We’re committed to keeping the mini and Marathon among the top racing events in the country,” said Mike Berry, Derby Festival President and CEO. “The races have increased registration in each of the past five years and we reached the cap of 12,000 runners in 2008 more than three weeks before race weekend. We don’t want anyone to miss out, so we recommend that runners sign up early to guarantee a spot in the field.”

 

The race route will once again include a lap around the infield at historic Churchill Downs; Marathon runners will also complete a short loop in Southern Indiana before returning to downtown Louisville at about Mile 24. Also featured on the race website is information on travel and accommodations, team challenge divisions, relay teams, charity fund-raising and the Race Expo.

 

Contributing sponsors of the 2009 Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon are: Bluegrass Family Health, Churchill Downs, The Courier-Journal and Powerade; supporting sponsors are Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine a service of Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Healthcare, UPS and the Louisville Water Company.