Kentucky Derby Festival unveils marathon medals adorned with a rose in honor of Derby 150

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Kentucky Derby Festival unveiled the 2024 marathon medals Thursday.

KDF teamed up with Churchill Downs to design the Finisher's Medal, which features a red rose front and center against a black background with gold accents, highlighting the Kentucky Derby's signature color palette.

"This year, we worked very closely with them," said Chris Martini, KDF race director. "... All of our runners get to run through Churchill Downs, so while the horses are running for the roses, all of our marathon and half marathon runners will get to run for a rose as well."

Both races will be run entirely on the south side of the Ohio River for the first time since 2019. They'll begin on Main Street near Louisville Slugger Field before heading south on 4th Street to Churchill Downs. They'll run a lap around the historic racetrack just one week before the running of the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Half-marathoners will then begin their northern return toward downtown Louisville to finish at Lynn Family Stadium. Marathoners will continue south onto Southern Parkway and race through Iroquois Park before returning downtown.

"Our race has a special history and longstanding tradition with Iroquois Park and the neighborhoods along Southern Parkway," Matt Gibson, president and CEO of Kentucky Derby Festival, said in a news release in December. "We know running through this area is something our runners have missed, and we are excited to return the Marathon to its South Louisville roots in the spring."

You can see the full race map below:

2024 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon and miniMarathon Map — Both races will be run entirely on the south side of the Ohio River for the first time since 2019. *(Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Derby Festival)*

And, for the first time, participants will receive a rose after crossing the finish line. KDF teamed up with Churchill Downs to the design the medal, commemorating Kentucky's largest day of road racing and celebrating the historic 150th Kentucky Derby. The Finisher's Medal features a red rose front and center against a black background with gold accents, highlighting the Kentucky Derby's signature color palette.

Race registration is open online. Current rates are $75 for the miniMarathon and $85 for the Marathon. In addition to the miniMarathon (half marathon) and the full Marathon, the Derby Festival is also offering a Marathon Relay ($325) for teams of three to five runners, as well as the virtual miniMarathon & Marathon ($50) for those who prefer to run at their own pace. More information is available at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.

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