Thousands of runners celebrate personal victories at KDF miniMarathon, Marathon
Thousands of runners gathered in Louisville for the annual Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon/Marathon, each driven by personal motivations, whether it was setting a personal record or running in honor of a loved one.
Excitement rippled through the crowd as participants from near and far joined the event, with some coming from as far as Cleveland and others returning home to Louisville just for the race.
"I'm from here, born and raised. I lived in Connecticut, but came home just for this. Me and him are racing having a good time," one runner said.
Another participant shared, "I haven't trained at all but I am here to show my love to the city."
For some, Saturday marked their first marathon experience. "First marathon, first marathon!" a runner exclaimed.
Meanwhile, Sandy Tucker celebrated her 44th participation in the event, even after undergoing open-heart surgery a few months ago.
"The love of it, the joy of it, it just energizes you, you just feel it," Tucker said.
Runners expressed various reasons for participating, with some dressing up for fun and others running with a purpose.
One runner dedicated her race to her father, saying, "He's in the ICU at Norton Hospital, and I'm doing this one for him."
The KDF miniMarathon is a highly anticipated event in the local running community, marking the start of the Derby season.
"Happy Derby!" a participant cheered, capturing the festive spirit of the day.