I was racing the Derby Festival Half Marathon for the first time this year (I had previously paced my wife) and was excited for the experience. My first concern was from my previous experience at the Expo. Last year in order to leave the expo after picking up your number and shirt, you had to weave through almost every vendor, in a crowded space. This year that changed and the ease of packet pickup was amazing. I'm not much for race expos, so being able to park, get my number and shirt, and leave without dealing with crowds was a big plus. However, I do know the Expo has great vendors and deals so it's worth checking out if that's your thing.
Race morning dawned with great weather, which was nice compared to some years (obviously you can't control that). The parking is all street parking. Being local, I am fine with this. I was able to park maybe 1/2 mile from the start line and walk, and it was easy to leave after the race as well.
Getting to the start is easy until you get towards the front corrals, which tend to get crowded. I allowed plenty of time so this wasn't an issue. The race started and running through downtown and West Louisville early on was great. For people from out of town, running past U of L and through Churchill Downs has to be amazing. This course is unique for that, and makes it a race worth checking out. Overall, the volunteers and the course were amazing. The people at aid stations were great too, as were the crowds. The only negatives I would point out:
- The mile markers were off early on, especially the first 5 miles. Using a GPS watch this wasn't a problem, but for someone who didn't have this it could really throw you off if you're shooting for a certain pace.
- The aid stations were spread out a bit more than I would have liked. In a late spring race with the chance for heat, they need to be closer together, never more than 2 miles apart.
- I was closer to the front of the race and the markings entering and leaving Churchill Downs were not clear. I didn't have anyone close in front of me to see where they went and I almost made a wrong turn leaving Churchill Downs. This could have been marked better.
Those 3 things are so small and can be easily fixed. Overall, the race is great and it does seem to try to improve every year. It's a race that keeps growing, but they don't get complacent, they try every year to give a great experience.

This is my favorite of the Louisville Triple Crown races. The course is a loop that runs through some nice areas of Louisville and has a nice mix of small hills and log, flat stretches. This year, the weather was as bad as it could get...about 34 degrees and raining hard. But that didn't take away from the volunteers being out there ready to help. From the start, the course was well marked and the volunteers and aid stations were well-manned. I was impressed so many people were out in that weather helping out. It speaks to the organizers that they were so well prepared. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this race. Packet pickup is easy, parking is plentiful around the course, and the start and finish lines were great. All in all, one of my favorite races every year.

I love this race! I ran it in 2014 and had heard it had great volunteers and organizers. I was not disappointed. From the easy packet pickup in the hotel lobby, where the volunteers seemed truly excited to greet me, all the way to the pizza banquet and awards, the workers made this race great. The start line was a short walk from the hotel, so that made getting to and from the race easy. I ran in a year where there was a 1 hour delay for storms, but the communication was regular and I never felt stressed that I was missing some information.
This is a small race, less than 200 people, and it has a small feel to it. The start line felt like a local 5k, but that allowed me to talk to a couple of organizers beforehand and ask about the course.
Speaking of the course, it's tough but not the hardest thing I've ever ran. There are 6 climbs of over 100 feet, but they are spread out evenly throughout the course. Easley Hill, at the halfway point, is what this course is known for, and it's no joke. I had to stop and walk the last part because it was so steep, but that only cost me a few seconds. Overall, the climbs are tough but the rest of the course it easy to navigate.
There were volunteers at every turn so getting lost was never an issue. Also, since it was such a small race, my wife was able to drive ahead of the race and see me at various points on the course. I had asked for permission before this and the race directors said this was absolutely ok as long as she was aware of runners on the course.
The finish line was really well organized and there were lots of people there cheering on finishers. This was the only part that didn't feel "small" as they made crossing the finish line feel special.
The race T-shirt was awesome and they improve on it every year.
I would recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a smaller marathon to run.