Best half marathon! I ran this as my first half in 2017 and again on my wedding day in 2018. This race has everything done right. Race management is REALLY good about letting you know when price changes will occur, packet pickup, and anything else you need to know prior to start.

The expo is so nice. The normal running vendors are there in case you need to pick up gear, fuel, etc- or want to try new products. Jim Beam also has a booth where you can order your souvenir bourbon bottle with the race logo and your name/time on it. They also offer complimentary bourbon sampling to kick off the bourbon feel! Pickup was really easy, the shirts are so nice, and you can either get your after party race band at pickup or after the run.

The course is one of my favorites. It's relatively flat (ish) going through Louisville until miles 6-8, which are in Cherokee Park. It's a love/hate part of the course, but in the fall it is SO worth the hills in Cherokee. After that, you head back downtown for the finish and after party. The aid stations are well manned and provide so much spirit and energy.

Once crossing the finish, you get a beautiful bourbon themed metal, race snacks and head to 4th Street Live! for the after party. I haven't found a race yet that has this type of atmosphere. Live music, food, pizza, burgoo, drink samples, and just an overall good time. If you can get to it early or dont mind waiting, following this race with a Jim Beam flight tour is a must. It is really cool to learn the history of bourbon, why it's so special to Kentucky, and of course try a few bourbon samples. There are other distilleries and breweries within walking distance of the finish that are also nice to check out to round out the race experience.

This is truly the race to beat. Hope to see ya in 2019!