LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reunion is planned for those who participated in inaugural race
If you, or someone you know, ran in the first Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF) miniMarathon in 1974, Deloitte and the KDF are looking for you.
A lunchtime reunion and celebration for all participants of that inaugural race 50 years ago is planned for Friday, April 28, one day before this year's race at Freedom Hall in Louisville.
Deloitte and KDF need your help to find as many runners as possible. There were 301 runners in that first race. This year, 10,000 are expected to run.
Deloitte client relationship executive Jordan Harris said those 301 runners, as well as those who organized the first race, were visionaries.
“We want to bring them together and say ‘thank you’ for what they started 50 years ago,” Harris said. “Today, Louisville is a hotbed of distance running events, with people coming from throughout North America to participate in the GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon. And Louisville now hosts a variety of distance runs throughout the year. That race 50 years ago was the catalyst.”
Deloitte is the official IT sponsor of the GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon.
“The GE Appliances miniMarathon and Marathon are a highlight of every Kentucky Derby Festival,” Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO, said. “The race has evolved from a home-grown event in which a few hundred runners competed to a 10,000-plus racer event and one of the top in the country. We are excited to reunite with those who got it started.”
Anyone who ran in the first race is encouraged to click here for more information about the reunion. Or call 502-741-0969.
“Like any reunion, we hope attendees will simply come and enjoy memories of that day,” Harris said. “Bring some old pictures or souvenirs if you have them. And share stories about what it was like running the streets of Louisville 50 years ago. And if you want to embellish your time for that race, feel free. Embellishments are welcome. On this day, it’s not about how you finished. It’s about how you started something great.”
Deloitte and the Kentucky Derby Festival have already found a few of the original runners. With help from the public, they hope to contact many more.
The GE Appliances Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon is set for Saturday, April 29, 2023. Runners can click here to sign up while spots are open.
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