The Kentucky Derby mini and full Marathons were held this morning in downtown Louisville, Ky. These races are part of the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival that leads up to the 151st Kentucky Derby. Participants from both local areas and out of state gathered to run in this now-popular event, attracting as many as 10,000 runners of all ages, runners and wheelchair athletes alike. The mini-marathon covers 13.1 miles, while the full marathon extends to 26.2 miles. Runners in the mini-marathon have four hours to complete the course, whereas full-marathon runners have six hours, with a stopping point at nine miles for runners to rehydrate themselves.
The race is just one of 70 events hosted by the Kentucky Derby Festival in anticipation of the historic Kentucky Derby, which is run on the first Saturday in May. This event attracts thousands of spectators from around the world to celebrate in the rich tradition of horse racing, pageantry, and southern hospitality, a part of Louisville’s history and legacy.
The Kentucky Derby mini and marathon is ranked among the top 100 races by USA Track and Field. The race is certified by the USATF ( a national governing body that sets standards and certifications for race courses), making it a Boston Marathon qualifier, and is known as the “flattest” Boston qualifier for those aiming to compete in this world-class event. The next Boston Marathon will take place on April 20, 2026.
Race History
According to the Kentucky Derby Festival, the race started as a small local road race 50 years ago. Growing in popularity, the number of participants increased to 3,500 by 1979, and by 2024, up to 10,000 came to run. The course has seen many changes throughout the race’s history, with runners traversing through old historic neighborhoods, city landmarks, and passing through historic Churchill Downs itself. Those who come to run in the mini and marathon return to run the race yearly, favoring the track course, the people of the city who come to cheer them on, how well the race is organized, and the warm welcome they experience from the people of Louisville before, during, and after the race.
7th grader “Gabriel” ran this year’s race with his father beating him by one minute. Still somewhat out of breath, Gabriel said, “My pace was at 6:53, my time was at 1:30:09.”
Shelbi Bishop ran her first half marathon this year in 2:33:13. Reflecting on her experience in the race, she stated, “I’m glad I chose the KDF as my first half marathon because everyone in the crowd kept cheering all the runners on, and it made me feel even more proud of myself than I already am.”
This year’s winners of the 2025 mini and marathon are:
Men’s wheelchair winner: Matthew Porterfield, of Knoxville, TN, with a winning time of 59:46.23. Matt won the previous races in 2024, 2023, and 2022.
Women’s wheelchair winner: Hannah Babalola, of Chicago, with a winning time of 1:01:17.93.
Men’s mini-Marathon winner: Corbin Harris, of Campbellsville, with a time of 1:08:13.67.
Women’s mini-Marathon winner: Jess Backherms, of Indianapolis, with a time of 1:18:12.87.
Men’s Marathon winner: Jacob Kocis of Vermont, with a time of 2:23:33.10.
Photo by Chris Denny
BallonFest 2025
Saturday evening (after being postponed because of a weather delay), the L&N Federal Credit Union Great BalloonFest: Great Balloon Race got underway at Bowman Field Airport in Louisville. A large crowd showed up to see the launch of the balloons as they took off one by one in the bright sunshine and clear skies that had replaced the rain and overcast skies. Adults and children alike applauded and cheered as the colorful balloons were released into the air, with the sound of the burners shooting flames and heat upward into the balloon being heard as they flew overhead.
According to the KDF website, the race is set up as follows: “The Great Balloon Race is a Hare & Hound Race. This type of race is when all the balloons launch from the same site (Bowman Field). One balloon takes off first and is the Hare balloon. The other balloons are called the Hounds, and they will launch at a predetermined time after the Hare (usually 5 to 10 minutes after). The Hare lands at a suitable site and lays out a large fabric X, usually about 50 feet in diameter. The Hound balloons attempt to drop their markers as close to the center of the X as possible. The closest marker achieves the highest score.”
The Kroger balloon, piloted by Bill Smith, won this year’s race over the defending winner from last year, the Mirazon balloon piloted by Jerry Copas. Bill’s marker was the closest to the target out of the other teams.
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