March 8, 2019. Louisville, KY. – Runners participating in this year’s Humana Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon will take home a finisher’s medal they helped design. Derby Festival Officials unveiled the 2019 race medal this morning at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The medal features the museum and “The Big Bat” – the world’s largest baseball bat, while the medal ribbon highlights names of landmarks seen along the course. This is the first in a series of four medals to feature a different landmark or iconic symbol of Louisville. The series from 2019 to 2022 is being created based on feedback race officials have gathered from runners.
“Louisville has so many different icons and landmarks, we asked runners which ones were special to them,” said Shanna Ward, Race Director. “Their input helped us select what will be featured on the medals for the next four years to commemorate Kentucky’s largest day of road racing.”
This year’s race is set for Saturday, April 27. It will mark the 46th year for the miniMarathon and 18th year for the Marathon. Over the years, the finisher’s medal has featured everything from the race logo and colors to the city skyline, Twin Spires, as well as a horseshoe, the outline of the state of Kentucky and even the course.
“Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is thrilled to be ‘batting lead-off’ as the first local landmark featured in this exciting series of KDF race medals,” said Anne Jewell, Vice President, Executive Director at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. “For more than 12 years, thousands of KDF runners have passed The Big Bat during their journey around our city, and we’re delighted they’ll be taking us home with them in 2019.”
In addition to the new finisher’s medal, runners will also receive a raglan-style race shirt, featuring the Louisville skyline. Plus, all Marathon runners will receive an orange and blue mini Louisville Slugger bat. They’ll be able to pick up the race shirts and bats when they pick up their packets prior to the race.
“This is the first time there has been a medal series for the running events,” said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “We hope runners will want to participate each year to collect them all!”
Again in 2019, both races will start simultaneously at 7:30 am on Main Street near Slugger Field and will finish at Preston and Witherspoon streets. Registration is open online at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com.
Humana is Title Sponsor of the miniMarathon and Marathon. The Official Race Medical Provider & Training Partner is Norton Sports Health. Official IT Partner: Deloitte. Contributing Sponsors are Churchill Downs, Dean’s Milk, Louisville Water Company, Powerade, and The Courier-Journal. Official Finish Line Nutrition: Meijer. Official Bourbon: Jim Beam®. Official Hotel: The Galt House. Official Pace Team: Dick’s Sporting Goods. Official Pace Car: Bachman Subaru. Official Beer: Goodwood Brewing.
