Posted: November 21, 2005

Athletics: Runners to Gallop Around Historic Churchill Downs at 2006 Meijer Derby Festival Races

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - (Nov. 18, 2005) - The Kentucky Derby Festival has announced an exciting change to the course for the 2006 Meijer Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon, set for Saturday, April 29. At the 8.5-mile mark of the route, runners will enter Gate 3 at historic Churchill Downs and run approximately eight-tenths of a mile around the racetrack's infield before exiting through Gate 2 onto Central Avenue.

"This will be the first time that runners have actually been able to enter Churchill Downs and run around the most famous racetrack in the world," said Mike Berry, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. "We think both local and out-of-town runners will be excited about this new addition to the races. We're grateful to Churchill Downs for allowing us to use their facility on the opening day of their Spring Meet. This is a great way to help showcase the city during the most beautiful time of the year."

Berry said the route change is a way to enhance the course and make it more appealing, especially to runners from outside Kentucky.

"We have faced some pretty stiff competition from spring races in Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Nashville, and we believe that adding Churchill Downs to the course will make the Meijer races more of travel destination for runners looking to add another marathon or half-marathon to their resume," said Berry. "We hope runners will rest up after they finish and return to Churchill that weekend to watch the four-footed racers."

Runners will enter Gate 3 at Fourth and Oakdale and run through the tunnel onto a circular asphalt surface inside the track's infield. They will run approximately eight-tenths of a mile in the infield before exiting through the tunnel onto Central Avenue. To account for the added mileage to the course, the simultaneous start of the races will move from New Cut Road to Southern Parkway near Iroquois Middle School. The rest of the miniMarathon course will remain unchanged from there, but there likely will be a change to the Marathon course at approximately Mile 22.

The Meijer Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon will start at 7:30am on Saturday, April 29, 2006. This will be the 33rd consecutive year for the running of the miniMarathon and the fifth year for the Marathon. Meijer returns as the title sponsor of the event, along with contributing sponsors Bluegrass Family Health and Powerade. Visit the race website at: DerbyFestivalMarathon.com

Contact: Aimee Boyd, Kentucky Derby Festival, (502) 584-6383

Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111

(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org.