This long-standing event regularly draws more than 5,500 finishers as the first leg of Louisville's Triple Crown of Running. That means you have plenty of people around you — but can also make it pretty crowded. The start of the course is nice and wide, though, so there's time to get sorted out before the first turn. With a date in late February or early March, temperatures can be cold and occasionally there's snow or ice.
Competitive runners: make sure you get one of the 200 seeded bibs and line up appropriately. Few turns, no elevation and cash prizes for the top 5 make for a fast race every year.
Recreational runners: Be prepared for the crowd. They used to put up pace per mile markers in the corral but I don't know if they are still doing that. There's only one water stop so plan accordingly.
There's not a lot of crowd support along the course, although the last few blocks or so are usually well-supported.
They do have a full expo for this race, complete with vendors.
Only the top 5 runners are recognized after the race, so don't bother hanging out to see if you got an AG award. The post-race environment is lack-luster, with some refreshments but no real area to hang out. It would be neat if the nearby Against the Grain did a special brunch or Slugger Field was open. Since it's normally cold, people finish and leave.
Parking: Downtown can get crazy and people will charge you $5-$10 for garage/lot parking, and meters charge on Saturdays. If you're planning on warming up/cooling down a mile or more, park east of I-65. Spot in the NuLu area are usually available (most for free) and would put you conveniently close to several brunch locations.