Marathon Derby Festival

Kentucky Derby Festival

An iconic event in Louisville, this race marks the kickoff of the festivities surrounding the famous Kentucky Derby. The start is set in downtown, just steps from the Ohio River, sending the pack through the city’s historic thoroughfares.

The course offers an overall flat, approachable profile, while featuring one highly symbolic section: crossing the legendary Churchill Downs, where runners run alongside the track before heading back out toward residential neighborhoods. The route also weaves through the tree-lined paths of Iroquois Park, offering a short hillier section before beginning the return to the finish line at Waterfront Park. Offered as a marathon and a half marathon, the event takes place at the end of April.