NEW FINISH LINE PLANNED FOR 2025 EVENT
August 27, 2024, Louisville, KY. – Ready, set, go! The countdown is on to secure a spot for Kentucky’s largest day of road racing. Registration for the GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon officially opens next week on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 9 a.m. The annual race is set for Saturday, April 26, 2025, and 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,” said Chris Martini, Kentucky Derby Festival Race Director. “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. Our partnership with KDF is powered by more than 300 GE Appliances employees who run, walk, dance, volunteer and cheerlead every participant. This is our opportunity to celebrate our community and demonstrate our commitment to this city.”
Early Registration Savings
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. But don’t wait too long to register – prices increase 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.
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, marking the first time since 2019 that the race has finished in this location. The course previously finished on Adams Street, just outside Lynn Family Stadium, which was home to the Finish Line since 2020.
“Participants will be able to celebrate their finish in the heart of Louisville’s scenic and spacious Waterfront ,” Martini said. “Runners can look forward to the same vibrant atmosphere and cherished traditions that make this event special.”
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 (home of the Kentucky Derby), 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.
GE Appliances is the Title Sponsor of the miniMarathon and Marathon. Official Race Medical Provider & Training Partner: Norton Sports Health. Contributing Sponsors are Churchill Downs, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Water Company, Powerade and TEN20 Craft Brewery. Official Nutrition Partner: Publix. Official Bourbon Retail Partner: Evergreen Liquors. Official Refuel Partner: Prairie Farms. Official Pace Team Sponsor: Ken Combs Running Store. Official Hotel: The Galt House. Official Timing Sponsor: Rumpke Waste & Recycling.
