Special Finisher Medal Commemorates 50TH miniMarathon
January 31, 2023. Louisville, KY. – For runners, it’s all about the bling after crossing the finish line! Today the Derby Festival released images of the finisher medals for the GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon. Kentucky’s largest road race will celebrate a major milestone this year, as the miniMarathon marks its 50th run.
“Seeing participants cross the finish line is one of the highlights of every Derby Festival.” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President & CEO. “Whether it’s the miniMarathon, Marathon or Relay, achieving that goal deserves recognition. We want our finisher medals to stand out and showcase that accomplishment.”
The design for this year’s medal is unique for each race – the mini, the Marathon and the Marathon Relay. Each of the medals feature an outline of the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon logo in black nickel. In a nod to the 50th run, the miniMarathon medal spotlights a large number 50 front and center that’s trimmed in metallic silver and gold. The Marathon and Relay medals focus on the distance of 26.2 miles in the design.
The annual spring race began with the miniMarathon and just 301 runners in 1974. Since then, it has grown to add the Marathon and now attracts an average of 10-12,000 runners to Louisville every spring.
Finisher medals were first introduced to the miniMarathon in the late 90s. Over the years, the finisher medal has featured everything from the race logo and colors to the city skyline, Louisville landmarks, as well as a horseshoe, and the outline of the state of Kentucky.
The GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon is set for Saturday, April 29, 2023. The in-person races will start simultaneously at 7 a.m. on Main Street near Slugger Field and then finish on Adams Street, just outside of the Lynn Family Stadium, the Official Finish Line for both the mini and Marathon.
While 2023 marks the 50th annual miniMarathon, it also signifies the 22nd annual Marathon. This year’s races are capped at 10,000 runners total and are over 50% full. Runners are encouraged to register early to guarantee their spot. Registration is open at DerbyFestivalMarathon.com. (In honor of the medal release, participants can use code MEDAL23 to save 15% on registration thru 2/5/23.)
GE Appliances is the Title Sponsor of the miniMarathon and Marathon. Official Race Medical Provider & Training Partner: Norton Sports Health. Official IT Partner: Deloitte. Contributing Sponsors are Baird, Churchill Downs, Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Water Company, Powerade and TEN20 Craft Brewery. Official Finish Line Sponsor: Louisville City FC/Racing Louisville FC. Official Bourbon Retail Partner: Evergreen Liquors. Official Pace Team: Dick’s Sporting Goods. Official Refuel Partner: Prairie Farms. Official Hotel: The Galt House.
