How Runners Describe Our Keeneland Course

Spoken directly from the horses’ mouths!

“You will not see this many beautiful sights all on one course, anywhere. My suggestion is to turn off your Garmin and enjoy the beautiful scenery that central Kentucky has to offer. This is a great course for a training race or for those hardcore hill chasers. You get the experience of a race and a great workout from all the hills.  Don’t be surprised if your pace is a minute per mile slower or more.” - Britteni Kane Clay. Age group: F25-30. Average race pace: 8-9 minutes/mile

“The Keeneland course is amazing. The scenery is unbeatable – the course offers a run that you can’t get anywhere else! While the hills are challenging, they would peak my interest if I was looking for a fun training race. Probably won’t be a course to set a PR on. Overall, I LOVE IT!!” - Kymberly Gowin. Age group: F35-39. Average race pace: 8:00 – 8:30 minutes/mile

“Hilly but gorgeous. When you come out of Keeneland and start down the first turn, the scene in front of you takes your breath away. The horses on the track, the morning sounds and smells – it is great. (And I work for a horse farm that sells horses at Keeneland – I have probably been in that very same place in my car 100 times, but to experience it at a more leisurely is just magic.)” - Cyndi Hanes. Age group: F50-54. Average race pace: 10 minutes/mile

“I love starting and ending on Keeneland’s grounds. It’s neat to be on the grounds then as you turn onto Rice Road, you see the race track (and both times I’ve run it, horses have actually been working out.) Potential runners need to know that the hills come early and really don’t let up. That being said the beauty more than makes up for it. You work up a long hill and when you get to the top, the views of the countryside are amazing. You feel that you can see forever.

I’ve run with groups that have walked up all of the hills and were still able to maintain a 12:15 pace. I suggest the RunTheBlueGrass Relay Option for newer runners, but either way, just know that it is a challenging course.

My overall thought is that RunTheBluegrass is an event versus just another half-marathon. If runners will put in the work to prepare themselves it will be a great race for them.”

“RunTheBluegrass is a runner’s dream tour through the loveliest Bluegrass scenery one will ever see. The hills are indeed challenging, but the absolute beauty of the route – which starts at Kentucky’s famed Keeneland racecourse and winds through Lexington’s signature horse farm country on a tree-lined loop – keeps you focused on the fabulous countryside. As a newer runner, training on this course makes me feel as though I can do anything. I can’t wait to run my race here in 2012!” - Lisa Broome. Age group: F40-44. Average race pace: 9:00 minutes/mile

“The RunTheBluegrass route is breathtaking! If you want to experience some of the most beautiful Bluegrass scenery while being challenged by some spirited hills, this is your race! The race organizers go above and beyond in planning not only the course but the entire event with so many “surprises” awaiting runners. I CANNOT wait to run this race!”

- Kim Schuh. Age group: F40-44. Average race pace: 9:30 minutes/mile

“I have been a runner for more than 40 years and this is a course I would run again and again. This course is technical and challenging but if you plan your race, and race your plan, you will do well. You could not find a more beautiful course anywhere. It will pull you along with it’s beauty, scenery and charm, every turn of the road brings a new site to be enjoyed. Beyond a doubt it will test your sole and soul with it’s elevation changes. If you are planning to run just one half marathon this year, this is your race. If you’re planning to run a new PR, not so much.” - Keith Cunningham. Age group: M55-59. Average race pace: sub 9 minutes/mile. **Disclaimer: in Keith’s own words, “I HATE hills, but that is because of my titanium leg.”

“2012′s course runs through the prettiest roads the Bluegrass State has to offer – out behind Keeneland‘s iconic grounds. The tree-lined roads are narrow and hilly, run past beautiful horse farms, amazing homes and unbelievable barns. The horses watch you – and I think if they could, they would run with us. We even passed some curious cows, too!  The hills made the course challenging, but the quaint and beautiful scenery make the hills worth it.

I live in a hilly area, so hills do not bother me at all. I actually love them. I look forward to running this course as a race instead of a run. It will be fun.” - Jeri Stracner. Age group: F50-54. Average race pace: 9-10 minutes/mile

“Definitely a challenging course that requires hill training. This isn’t a course for the weak at heart. Not a course that most would try a PR on. However, this is one of the prettiest routes I have run. It covers many roads from Bluegrass Cycling Club’s ‘Horsey Hundred’ as well as the Bluegrass Driving Tour roads. This route shows the true Bluegrass: horses training at Keeneland, beautiful horse farms, creek and railroad crossings, and even a few chicken coups! As a novice runner I loved the challenge and can’t wait until the actual race! Until then, I will most definitely be hill training!”

- Rhonda Vice. Age group: F30-34. Average race pace: 10 minutes/mile

To ask questions or for personal feedback on our race, “like” RunTheBluegrass on Facebook or follow @RunTheBlueGrass on twitter. Or email us, of course. We’re here to help – and we answer questions like we like to run, as fast as possible!