RunRace USA › Kentucky › Derby Festival Marathon › The course

One route, three synchronized views

The Derby Festival Marathon course

26.2 miles · about 606 modeled feet of climb · roughly 431 to 587 ft elevation

Fly the course

The whole course, built from the best available published route trace and an extruded model of Louisville. Scrub it, change the camera, or let it play. Nothing here is a video: it is drawing the city live.

Route statusCurrent community course trace cross-checked against the published route. best-fidelity trace of the current course; endpoints match the official 2027 map

The route line uses the best published course trace available. Public-domain USGS and USDA aerial photography plus USGS 3DEP elevation are baked into RunRace USA, so the flyover makes no paid map API or third-party runtime requests. Buildings, roads, parks and water use OpenStreetMap, ODbL. This is photographic terrain with modeled architecture, not photogrammetry. Bridge approaches, elevations and facade details are approximations; the organizer's published route remains the reference.

Elevation, mile for mile

Marathon elevation26.2 miles · about 606 ft of climb
380 400 420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580 600 620 Mile 0.0 to 0.2: +0.3% Mile 0.2 to 0.4: +0.4% Mile 0.4 to 0.6: +0.1% Mile 0.6 to 0.8: -0.5% Mile 0.8 to 1.0: -0.2% Mile 1.0 to 1.2: -0.2% Mile 1.2 to 1.4: +0.1% Mile 1.4 to 1.6: -0.1% Mile 1.6 to 1.8: -0.0% Mile 1.8 to 2.0: +0.1% Mile 2.0 to 2.2: +0.3% Mile 2.2 to 2.4: -0.3% Mile 2.4 to 2.6: +0.1% Mile 2.6 to 2.8: -0.0% Mile 2.8 to 3.0: -0.0% Mile 3.0 to 3.2: -0.0% Mile 3.2 to 3.4: -0.5% Mile 3.4 to 3.6: +0.3% Mile 3.6 to 3.8: -0.1% Mile 3.8 to 4.0: +0.0% Mile 4.0 to 4.2: +0.2% Mile 4.2 to 4.4: -0.1% Mile 4.4 to 4.6: -0.4% Mile 4.6 to 4.8: +0.1% Mile 4.8 to 5.0: +0.0% Mile 5.0 to 5.2: -0.1% Mile 5.2 to 5.4: -0.0% Mile 5.4 to 5.6: +0.3% Mile 5.6 to 5.8: +0.1% Mile 5.8 to 6.0: +0.1% Mile 6.0 to 6.2: -0.0% Mile 6.2 to 6.4: +0.1% Mile 6.4 to 6.6: -0.3% Mile 6.6 to 6.8: -0.2% Mile 6.8 to 7.0: +0.2% Mile 7.0 to 7.2: -0.1% Mile 7.2 to 7.4: -0.1% Mile 7.4 to 7.6: +0.1% Mile 7.6 to 7.8: +0.1% Mile 7.8 to 8.0: -0.1% Mile 8.0 to 8.2: +0.0% Mile 8.2 to 8.4: -0.3% Mile 8.4 to 8.6: -0.1% Mile 8.6 to 8.8: -0.0% Mile 8.8 to 9.0: +0.3% Mile 9.0 to 9.2: -0.1% Mile 9.2 to 9.4: -0.0% Mile 9.4 to 9.6: -0.0% Mile 9.6 to 9.8: +0.3% Mile 9.8 to 10.0: -0.2% Mile 10.0 to 10.2: +1.2% Mile 10.2 to 10.4: -0.1% Mile 10.4 to 10.6: -0.4% Mile 10.6 to 10.8: -0.3% Mile 10.8 to 11.0: -0.4% Mile 11.0 to 11.2: +0.6% Mile 11.2 to 11.4: +0.2% Mile 11.4 to 11.6: -0.1% Mile 11.6 to 11.8: +1.0% Mile 11.8 to 12.0: +2.8% Mile 12.0 to 12.2: +2.5% Mile 12.2 to 12.4: +2.1% Mile 12.4 to 12.6: -3.6% Mile 12.6 to 12.8: -2.5% Mile 12.8 to 13.0: +0.2% Mile 13.0 to 13.2: +1.8% Mile 13.2 to 13.4: +2.0% Mile 13.4 to 13.6: +0.6% Mile 13.6 to 13.8: -2.5% Mile 13.8 to 14.0: -0.6% Mile 14.0 to 14.2: +3.6% Mile 14.2 to 14.4: -0.1% Mile 14.4 to 14.6: -3.8% Mile 14.6 to 14.8: +0.4% Mile 14.8 to 15.0: +1.2% Mile 15.0 to 15.2: +0.6% Mile 15.2 to 15.4: +0.2% Mile 15.4 to 15.6: -3.6% Mile 15.6 to 15.8: -1.3% Mile 15.8 to 16.0: -0.2% Mile 16.0 to 16.2: +0.0% Mile 16.2 to 16.4: -0.3% Mile 16.4 to 16.6: -0.1% Mile 16.6 to 16.8: +0.3% Mile 16.8 to 17.0: +0.6% Mile 17.0 to 17.2: +0.2% Mile 17.2 to 17.4: -1.8% Mile 17.4 to 17.6: +0.0% Mile 17.6 to 17.8: -0.3% Mile 17.8 to 18.0: +0.1% Mile 18.0 to 18.2: +0.1% Mile 18.2 to 18.4: +0.2% Mile 18.4 to 18.6: -0.0% Mile 18.6 to 18.8: +0.1% Mile 18.8 to 19.0: -0.2% Mile 19.0 to 19.2: +0.0% Mile 19.2 to 19.4: -0.1% Mile 19.4 to 19.6: -0.0% Mile 19.6 to 19.8: -0.2% Mile 19.8 to 20.0: +0.0% Mile 20.0 to 20.2: +0.1% Mile 20.2 to 20.4: -0.0% Mile 20.4 to 20.6: +0.1% Mile 20.6 to 20.8: -0.1% Mile 20.8 to 21.0: -0.1% Mile 21.0 to 21.2: +0.1% Mile 21.2 to 21.4: +0.4% Mile 21.4 to 21.6: +0.1% Mile 21.6 to 21.8: +0.2% Mile 21.8 to 22.0: -0.1% Mile 22.0 to 22.2: -0.2% Mile 22.2 to 22.4: +0.1% Mile 22.4 to 22.6: -0.1% Mile 22.6 to 22.8: -0.6% Mile 22.8 to 23.0: -0.8% Mile 23.0 to 23.2: -1.0% Mile 23.2 to 23.4: +0.5% Mile 23.4 to 23.6: -0.3% Mile 23.6 to 23.8: -0.1% Mile 23.8 to 24.0: +0.2% Mile 24.0 to 24.2: +0.1% Mile 24.2 to 24.4: -0.0% Mile 24.4 to 24.6: +0.2% Mile 24.6 to 24.8: -0.5% Mile 24.8 to 25.0: +0.4% Mile 25.0 to 25.2: -0.2% Mile 25.2 to 25.4: +0.4% Mile 25.4 to 25.6: -0.2% Mile 25.6 to 25.8: +0.5% Mile 25.8 to 26.0: +2.0% Mile 26.0 to 26.2: -0.7% 5 10 15 20 25 mile +120 ft +48 ft
steep up up flat down steep down

This Marathon profile covers 26.2 miles, ranges from roughly 431 to 587 feet, and contains about 606 feet of modeled climb.

  • , mile 11.04 to 12.36: 120 feet up, 1.7% average.
  • , mile 12.8 to 13.32: 48 feet up, 1.7% average.

Click anywhere on the profile to move the flyover to that point. Changing distance in the player changes the profile and plan map with it.

The course on a map

1 5 10 13 15 20 25 26
Marathon route26.2 miles
course the two climbs start/finish

Gold is the selected modeled course; route provenance is stated beside the flyover.

The climbs that shape the day

Climb 1

Mile 11.04 to 12.36

120 feet of modeled rise · 1.7% average.

Climb 2

Mile 12.8 to 13.32

48 feet of modeled rise · 1.7% average.

Mile by mile

Every row uses the same modeled route and elevation surface as the player. Net change shows the shape of that mile; the common sparkline scale makes hard and easy sections comparable.

MileShapeModeled netWhat happens
1+1 ftPNC Tower (National City Tower)
2-1 ft
3+4 ft
4-4 ft
5-2 ft
6+6 ft
70 ft
8-2 ft
90 ftChurchill Downs Twin Spires Grandstand
10-1 ft
11+6 ft
12+56 ft
13-3 ft
14+14 ft
15-2 ft
16-58 ft
17+6 ft
18-21 ft
19+3 ft
20-3 ft
21-1 ft
22+9 ft
23-10 ftLouisville Slugger Field
24-11 ft
250 ft
26+36 ft

The city model is race-specific

Get your bearings with these local landmarks along the course. Their map positions and recorded dimensions guide the 3D models; small architectural details remain approximate.

KFC Yum! Center

Near mile 0.4

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 40 meters.

PNC Tower (National City Tower)

Near mile 0.6

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 156 meters.

Humana Building

Near mile 0.6

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 127 meters.

Muhammad Ali Center

Near mile 0.7

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 28 meters.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (Big Bat)

Near mile 0.9

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 20 meters.

Churchill Downs Twin Spires Grandstand

Near mile 8.5

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 18 meters.

400 West Market (Aegon Center)

Near mile 21.8

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 167 meters.

Louisville Slugger Field

Near mile 26.1

Built into the flyover as a race-specific local landmark. The model rises about 16 meters.

Route provenance

Current community course trace cross-checked against the published route. best-fidelity trace of the current course; endpoints match the official 2027 map

Course lines can change between editions. Confirm late adjustments on the official race site →

Know the line. Run the line.

Register for the 2027 Derby Festival Marathon →on RunSignUp

Course geometry provenance is stated beside the player; elevation profiles always use the same route loaded there. City geometry is OpenStreetMap, ODbL. Aerial imagery is from USGS and USDA; other images carry their own source credits. Weather figures use Open-Meteo reanalysis for April 20-28 across 2016-2025 at the start line. Schedule, prices and expo hours were checked in 2026-08-31 and are the fields most likely to move: confirm them on derbyfestivalmarathon.com before you book anything. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it fast.