Registration opens for 2024 Derby Festival miniMarathon, Marathon in Sept.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky's biggest day of racing is fast approaching, and registration for the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon officially opened on Thursday!

This year's races are scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025. The annual event attracts more than 10,000 runners to Louisville streets every spring.

Runners can find details about the 2025 event and register at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.

"The GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon have become bucket list races, drawing thousands of runners from around the country and the world to Louisville each spring," Kentucky Derby Festival Race Director Chris Martini said in a news release. "We’re opening registration with special early-bird pricing, so this is the perfect opportunity for participants to get the best deal of the season for the 2025 races."

Kevin Nolan, GE Appliances CEO, added, "Our support to the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon is a way to celebrate our city and bring people from all walks of life together here in Louisville, KY, home of our global headquarters.

Early Registration Discount

Starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, participants can lock in the lowest rates of the year during a special three-day promotion. Registration will be $55 for the miniMarathon and $65 for the Marathon. After that, the price increases by $5 every 24 hours until the promotion ends on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Once the limited-time offer wraps up, registration will be $65 for the miniMarathon and $75 for the Marathon.

In addition to the miniMarathon (half marathon) and full Marathon, the Derby Festival also offers a Marathon Relay ($325) for teams of 3 to 5 runners, as well as the virtual miniMarathon & Marathon option ($50) for those who prefer to run at their own pace.

IMAGES | Runners race around Louisville in Kentucky Derby Festival's marathon

New Finish Line for 2025

Both races will start simultaneously at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, on Main Street, near Slugger Field. New for 2025, the Finish Line will return to Preston and Witherspoon streets, just outside of the Waterfront. It will be the first time since 2019 that the race will finish at that location.

The previous finish line was on Adams Street, just outside Lynn Family Stadium, which was home to the Finish Line since 2020.

To accommodate the new finish location, slight route adjustments will be made, but runners in both the miniMarathon and Marathon can still expect a tour of Louisville’s most iconic sights. The course will wind through downtown, the historic Old Louisville neighborhood, Churchill Downs, and parts of the picturesque Olmsted Park System.

For the second year in a row, the full Marathon will showcase Louisville’s South End, featuring a stretch along Southern Parkway and through Iroquois Park.

The courses for both distances are still being finalized and the race map will be released soon.

Race Support

Race Week will again feature the two-day Dick’s Sporting Goods Race Expo and Packet Pick-Up on April 24 and 25 at Freedom Hall, located at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Plus, runners of all experience levels can take part in the free Norton Sports Health Training Program, which will assist participants in getting race-day ready.

2025 marks the 52nd annual miniMarathon and the 24th run of the Marathon. More information is available at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com, along with FAQs to help answer questions about the 2025 event.

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