From start to finish, this was an absolutely amazing race! Louisville is one of my favorite cities, but I have never run a race there. The Urban Bourbon Half Marathon fit nicely into my schedule so I jumped on the chance to run it.

The expo was held at Louisville Slugger Field, with convenient free parking at the venue. The expo was small with just a Fleet Feet booth as well as a small table where additional race swag was sold. I bought two beautiful etched bourbon glasses to help commemorate the experience. Volunteers at the expo were extremely helpful and enthusiastic, which made for a great initial impression. Samples of Jim Beam were available and though I am not a huge bourbon drinker, I really enjoyed the offerings. The long-sleeved race shirt was a beautiful brick-colored dri-fit material. Aside from bourbon, Fleur de Lis was the theme and was nicely patterned on the shirt, featuring highlights of the race itself. I appreciated the ability to exchange my shirt at the expo for a better-fitting size.

One fun feature of this race was the Urban Bourbon Walk, where race finishers can visit up to seven different establishments after the race on Saturday and receive a special Fleur de Lis cloisonné pin. I was able to obtain all seven pins, and have them attached to the ribbon of my race medal as an added memory of this fantastic race experience.

The race started in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse and headed around town in a gradual decline for about 6-1/2 miles until we entered Cherokee Park. I had been forewarned about the hills in the park which would last for around 3 miles, but they honestly weren't as bad as I expected. Once we exited the park, the course was mainly flat until the finish.

The race finished on Liberty Street, just a block or two away from Fourth Street Live!, where the post-race party would be held. This is hands-down the best post-race event I’ve ever experienced! Race participants were treated to food, beer, and samplings of bourbon from around the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Entertainment was provided by the band The Crashers, who had everyone dancing in the streets. The party lasted until 12:30 p.m., which allowed plenty of time to get something to eat, sample some bourbon, and enjoy the band before heading back to my hotel to shower and get to the airport in time for my flight home.

The Urban Bourbon Half Marathon was a fabulous race and I loved everything about it. Held in one of my favorite places, I will definitely run this race again. The swag, the post-race party, and the race itself were second to none. I would highly recommend this race to anyone interested in a fun yet somewhat challenging race!