Fitness

Every November, a huge number of runners hit the streets of New York City to go through a 26.2-mile course that begins in Staten Island and hits each of the Big Apple's five boroughs. The New York City Marathon is an annual tradition that returned in 2021, following a one-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This year's edition of the marathon is set to take place Sunday, and it will be the 51st running of the race. According to Cindy Boren of The Washington Post, there's a field of 50,000 participants expected for the 2022 edition.

The New York City Marathon will air on ESPN2 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. ET and can be streamed live on the ESPN app.

While the field will feature some top runners battling for the lead and looking to potentially set a new event record, others will just race for fun. And then, there will also be some celebrities in the field competing for charities.

So, there will be quite a few famous faces for viewers to keep an eye out for.

Actor Ashton Kutcher will be among the first-time participants in this year's NYC Marathon. The 44-year-old is racing for Thorn, his non-profit charity that aims to defend children from sexual abuse.

"It's not like anything I've done before in my own life," Kutcher said of the marathon, per Joe Holder of GQ. "And really just kind of just a test of my own mettle to ensure that I sort of regain my own personal physical dominance."

Actresses Ellie Kemper and Claire Holt are among the other TV/film stars participating in New York City on Sunday. Kemper is running for The Brotherhood Sister Sol, while Holt is competing for the Boston Children’s Hospital.

Nev Schulman, who is the host of MTV's Catfish, has participated in the New York City Marathon multiple times before. And the 38-year-old NYC native will be back again in 2022, racing for NYRR Team for Kids.

This year, Schulman has his sights set on trying to beat Kutcher, too.

“I mean the truth is, yes, I’m trying to set a new personal record, but I’m really just trying to run faster than Ashton,” Schulman said, per Sarah Jones of HollywoodLife. “Because honestly, this is probably my only chance to beat Ashton Kutcher at something. That’s really the goal if I’m being perfectly honest.”

There will be some former/current pro athletes in the NYC Marathon field as well. Among them is former NFL player Tiki Barber, Olympic cross-country skier Marit Bjorgen, Olympic hockey player Meghan Duggan, former tennis player Monica Puig and IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe.

Briscoe won't be alone, either. Like last year, his wife, Nicole, who is a NASCAR anchor for ESPN, will also be competing in the New York City Marathon.

“We were both saying last year how emotional it was coming up through Brooklyn, with all the crowds cheering and everything, it’s just incredible," Ryan Briscoe said of the NYC Marathon's 2021 return, per Jaclyn Hendricks of the New York Post.

And that was for last year's race, which was limited to 30,000 participants due to COVID-19 protocols. With nearly twice that many competitors this year, the atmosphere in New York City should be even better.

The Bay to Breakers race returned to the streets of San Francisco on Sunday for the first time since 2019 and saw Reid Buchanan and Julia Vasquez win the men's and women's races, respectively.

According to the race's official website, Buchanan posted a time of 36 minutes and 10 seconds, while Vasquez finished in 42 minutes and five seconds.

The top five men's finishers were as follows:

1. Reid Buchanan: 36:10

2. Amanuel Tikue: 36:58

3. Weston Strum: 37:44

4. Taylor Gilland: 38:35

5. Samuel Bennett: 39:09

Meanwhile, the top five women's finishers were:

1. Julia Vasquez: 42:05

2. Maya Weigel: 42:14

3. Dana Giordano: 42:28

4. Clara Peterson: 42:52

5. Anna Tait: 43:34

Buchanan is a native of San Diego, while Vasquez is from San Francisco, marking the first time an American man and woman won the race in the same year since 1981.

Buchanan is the first American male winner since Olympian Ed Eyestone in 1986, while Vasquez is the first American female winner since 1992 Olympic 10,000-meter bronze medalist Lynn Jennings in 1993.

The 29-year-old Buchanan ran collegiately at the University of Kansas before winning a silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2019 Pan American Games.

He also finished ninth in the 10,000 meters at the 2021 United States Olympic trials.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 races were run virtually, but the runners were back in all their glory Sunday.

Per KTVU Fox 2 in San Francisco, more than 10,000 runners were registered for the race, many of whom competed in colorful and over-the-top costumes.

The race began at Embarcadero near San Francisco Bay and progressed through the streets before concluding at the Great Highway near the Pacific Ocean.

As seen in the following photos and videos, there was no shortage of participants happy to see Bay to Breakers back to its usual format:

One minute… #baytobreakers pic.twitter.com/swVjbMLzGu

— Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) May 15, 2022

More images from #ATS2022 - the #baytobreakers run going by the Moscone Center on this early Sunday morning. It’s so cool to see all the runners & costumes! Another reason it’s great to be back in person in #SanFrancisco to the #ATS2022 conference! pic.twitter.com/7RCwB8vbhZ

— Jeremy Richards, MD, MA, FACP, ATSF (@jbricha1) May 15, 2022

https://twitter.com/cbarcotv/status/1525864573433090055

We’re here: it’s the one… the only… Hayes Street Hill! #baytobreakers pic.twitter.com/CSIPzVqcKj

— Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) May 15, 2022

Although there is a serious competition element to the race, most were there to have fun and express themselves through their costumes.

Some of the more unique get-ups included Batman, a snowman, Oompa Loompas, a dinosaur, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and even Pennywise the clown from It:

https://twitter.com/JohnSteen/status/1525873861970890753

https://twitter.com/coolgrey/status/1525866248457687040

Good morning #SanFrancisco #baytobreakers #bay2breakers pic.twitter.com/DXZe1kstol

— Mayra (@senoritamayra) May 15, 2022

Bubbles, anyone? #baytobreakers pic.twitter.com/45BRiBIVpF

— Jonathan Bloom (@BloomTV) May 15, 2022

https://twitter.com/JohnSteen/status/1525890102580215808

Bay to Breakers is a true San Francisco institution with the first race taking place in 1912 and being held almost annually since then.

For more than a century, Bay to Breakers has been a fun, exciting event for the city of San Francisco, with many participants donning costumes for the 12-kilometer race. It's a great way to experience the Bay Area along with family and friends. 

Like many events around the world, Bay to Breakers was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic the past two years, with both the 2020 and 2021 editions canceled.

But now, Bay to Breakers is coming back to San Francisco. The 2022 running of the race is set to be held Sunday morning, and it marks a return to normalcy for the annual event.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's Bay to Breakers.

         

2022 Bay to Breakers Information

When: Sunday, May 15

Start Time: 8 a.m. PT

Course Map: Available on CapstoneRaces.com

Road Closures: A list of road closures has been compiled by Capstone Races

      

Preview

The first Bay to Breakers race was held in 1912, with the event created while the people of San Francisco rebuilt the city following the 1906 earthquake. According to the race's website, there were only 121 people who finished that inaugural run.

Over the years, the event has grown. On Sunday, there should be a large number of participants for the run—everybody must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test to be part of the race.

The start line for Bay to Breakers is at Main Street and Howard Street, where the runners will begin their trek through San Francisco. They'll end up at the finish line at Ocean Beach, having seen plenty of sights of the city along the way.

Many runners at this event wear costumes, but not everybody is running solo. Some people choose to participate in the centipede format, meaning they'll be in groups of 13-15 and linked to their teammates by a bungee cord or a similar device. That adds to the fun and uniqueness of this event.

There will still be plenty of runners focused on finishing in the best possible time. The men's race record belongs to Kenya's Sammy Kitwara (33 minutes and 31 seconds in 2009), while the women's mark was set by Kenya's Lineth Chepkurui (38:07 in 2010).

When participants finish the race, there will be a festival waiting for them at Ocean Beach. It will feature food, drinks, live music and more. 

This race has typically been held on the third Sunday in May, and the return of costumed runners in the streets of San Francisco will be a welcome sight—the event was held in a virtual format the previous two years.

"There's always a sense of excitement," said Casey Bailey, a spokesperson for the Capstone Event Group, per James Salazar of the San Francisco Examiner. "People just want to come and run and have fun and be part of the Bay to Breakers spirit."

This weekend, people in the Bay Area are finally getting that opportunity again.

The Philadelphia Marathon is back this weekend for the 27th time after a year off and while its not as well known as the ones held in Boston and New York, its an event steeped in history and tradition.

An estimated 10,000 runners are expected to run the 26.2-mile race through the streets of Philly past its most historic landmarks such as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center.

Here's a quick look at what to expect for this year's marathon in the City of Brotherly Love.

       

Event Information

When: Sunday, Nov. 21

Start time: 7 a.m. ET

Course map: Available on PhiladelphiaMarathon.com

Road closures: There will be streets closed around the city all weekend, beginning on Friday. For more information, visit PhiladelphiaMarathon.com.

         

While the Philadelphia Marathon, which was established under its current name in 1994 under then mayor Ed Rendell, normally draws 30,000 runners each year, two thirds fewer will be in attendance this year due to health and safety protocols.

Participants come from around the world and across the nation for the top-ten ranked national marathon.

According to Weather.com, it's projected to be 56 degrees and cloudy as runners begin their trek from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway through University City, Old City and Manayunk.

"That’s perfect as far as I’m concerned," Seth Weiss, head of the Philly Runners club, told Anthony R. Wood of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "On the cold side of perfect, but I prefer cold over hot."

This year's route will be a little bit different due to constructions on the Martin Luther King Junior Drive bridge, and while the race will still bookend near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it won't cross in front of its familiar steps.

Road closures include the Parkway, Spring Garden Street (from Pennsylvania Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway) and 21st Street, 22nd Street and 23rd Street.

No official "Cheer Zones" this year for race fans, but the course sidelines will allow for runner cheering.

The first place winner will run away with $10,000 in prize money, while the second place and third place finishers will pocket $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.

All told, race organizers will award about $32,000 in prize money to the winners.

That sum includes a nice course record bonus of $1,500.

"The city looks amazing," race director Kathleen Titus told Howard Monroe of CBS Philly. "The runners, they’re ready to run."

The New York Marathon is back Sunday, and true to tradition, a litany of celebrities will be among the 33,000 runners in the 26.2-mile race.

Some of the world's best athletes will lace up their sneakers for the marathon's golden celebration, and while some of those running will be out to win the race, most of the celebrities will be jogging their hearts out to support worthwhile causes or to raise money for their favorite charities.

Here are a few names from the star-studded lineup expected to participate in Sunday's event in the City That Never Sleeps.

             

Christy Turlington Burns, Model

Christy Turlington Burns is best known for her work as a model, but she's also a dedicated runner.

The 52-year old ran her first New York City Marathon 10 years ago and will be participating in the event for the ninth time Sunday, when she will run it with her daughter, Grace.

Turlington Burns has participated in all six World Marathon Majors (Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, London and New York) and will be running to support her her nonprofit, Every Mother Counts, which focuses on making pregnancy and childbirth safer for women.

"Running marathons has been one of the ways we educate the public about the challenges women and birthing people face here in the United States and around the world," Turlington Burns told Ben Blanchet of the New York Post.

              

Tyler Cameron, Star of 'The Bachelorette'

Tyler Cameron is no stranger to the New York Marathon.

The 28-year old former Baltimore Ravens signee ran the event back in 2019 and finished with a time of 4:39:54.

This year, he will be running for the Andrea C. Cameron Foundation, named after his late mother.

The foundation provides scholarships to underprivileged students.

"This marathon is bigger than just us crossing the finish line," Cameron told Topher Gauk-Roger of People. "We are raising money and creating opportunities for those who are in need."

Fans will remember that Cameron entered the Bachelorette universe during the show's 15th season with Hannah Brown and was the runner-up.

             

Marcus Mumford, Recording Artist

Marcus Mumford, the lead singer of Mumford & Sons, will be running the New York Marathon for the first time.

The Grammy winner will traverse the 26.2-mile course for Children in Conflict, while bandmate Ben Lovett will be running with him to support the Robin Hood Foundation.

According to its mission statement, Children in Conflict's goal is to create longstanding structures of support for children to recover and help them to rebuild from the effects of conflict.

Mumford and his wife, Carey Mulligan, have been involved with the organization for some time.

"I think we both feel even more passionately now having children — it just heightens everything a little bit," Milligan told Ale Russian of Yahoo News. She continued:

"We both feel so privileged to meet children who are incredible brave and courageous who have endured unspeakable things, but they shouldn't have to be brave. They should go to bed at night the way our children go to bed at night, feeling safe and warm and knowing there's someone looking out for them.

"That's what Children in Conflict does to many of these kids, they're providing that comfort that we are lucky enough to be able to give our own children."

       

Abby Wambach, USWNT Soccer Player

Abby Wambach is another newcomer to the marathon.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist will be running to support the JLH Fund.

Founded by NBA champion Jrue Holiday and his wife, Lauren, the JLH fund's mission is to advance Black communities by boldly creating change when and where it's needed most.

Holiday, who is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist and FIFA Women's World Cup champion, will be running with Wambach, Kate Markgraf and Leslie Osborne.

"I was never shocked at myself that I could play 90 minutes of soccer," Wambach told Seth Rubinroit of NBC Sports. "What will be shocking to me is that I can run for four hours straight and not stop. Running is a very personal thing. It's not me against you. It's me against myself. It's me against my yesterday."

The largest marathon in the world is back. For the first time in two years, runners will traverse the streets of New York City and take in all the Big Apple has to offer. And this year's event will be even more special.

After the NYC Marathon was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, it returns Sunday for its 50th running. The field has been limited to 33,000, but it should still be an entertaining race that lives up to the hype.

"When I think about this year, I will be excited, I'll be energized," NYC Marathon race director Ted Metellus said, per Jake Seiner of the Associated Press. "But I also realize how much it means to everybody else in the city."

Here's everything you need to know heading into the return of the New York City Marathon.

                    

2021 New York City Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Nov. 7

Start Time: 8 a.m. ET

TV Coverage: 8:30-11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2

Starting location: Staten Island

Course map: Available on NYRR.org

                 

Runners who participate in the NYC Marathon get to see a ton of the city's landmarks, with the 26.2-mile course taking them through a handful of boroughs. After starting in Staten Island, they will trek through Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan, where they will reach the finish line at Central Park.

While the event gets underway at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday, that's not when every runner takes off. First, the professional wheelchair division racers will get started, followed by the handcycle category and select athletes with disabilities (8:22 a.m. ET), the professional women's open division (8:40 a.m. ET) and the professional men's open division (9:05 a.m. ET).

At that point, the rest of the field will begin in five waves at the following times (all ET): 9:10 a.m., 9:55 a.m., 10:40 a.m., 11:20 a.m. and noon.

With the NYC Marathon being such a big event, there will be street, road and bridge closures throughout the day. A full list of those can be found at CentralPark.com.

The smaller field of runners isn't the only change made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants have to show either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test from within 48 hours of the race.

It's been a while since a record time was set at the NYC Marathon. The men's mark is held by Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai, who finished in two hours, five minutes and five seconds in 2011. The women's record of 2:22:31 was set by Kenya's Margaret Okayo in 2003.

Among the notable runners in this year's field is 27-year-old American Molly Seidel, who won the bronze medal in the women's marathon at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year.

"I'm looking forward to the crowds, getting to have that energy again," Seidel said, per Seiner. "And I don't know, I mean, this is my dream job, every time I get to go out and do a marathon."

Seidel won't be the only Olympic medalist in the field, though, as several others will be competing. That includes Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir, who won gold in the women's marathon in Tokyo. On the men's side, one of the top competitors will be Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, a four-time Olympic medalist.

And it wouldn't be the NYC Marathon without celebrities in the field. Among the famous participants are former NFL running back Tiki Barber, a group of U.S. women's national soccer alumnae (Abby Wambach, Lauren Holiday, Kate Markgraf and Leslie Osborne), Marcus Mumford and Ben Lovett of the band Mumford & Sons and Nev Schulman.

A talented field of runners is set to participate in the 2021 Chicago Marathon. And after not having the event last year because of complications involving the coronavirus pandemic, it will be exciting to have the event back in the Windy City on Sunday morning.

That doesn't mean things are completely back to normal, though. The 43rd running of the Chicago Marathon is going to have some COVID-19 protocols in place to keep the runners safe. Everybody taking part in the race has to show proof of vaccination or a negative test result, while face coverings are required at indoor event venues.

Because of the policies, the Chicago Marathon is able to be held for the first time in two years. The 26.2-mile race will start and finish in Grant Park, as more than 35,000 runners will navigate the city's streets in front of spectators and go through numerous neighborhoods in between.

Here's everything else you need to know about this year's marathon.

     

2021 Chicago Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Oct. 10

Start Time: 7:30 a.m. ET

Course Map: Available on ChicagoMarathon.com

Road Closures: A full list of road closures is available at ChicagoMarathon.com.

      

The Chicago Marathon has featured top competitors for many years. This iteration of the event will be no different.

Galen Rupp was the last American man to win the Chicago Marathon in 2017. However, he didn't finish the 2019 edition of the event because of injury.

After winning at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and competing at the Tokyo Games earlier this year, Rupp is seeking redemption on Sunday.

"Definitely I want to come in here and win, first and foremost," Rupp said, per Cindy Kuzma of Runner's World. "And I think if we can get a great time in there, that'd be a nice added bonus."

When Rupp won this race in 2017, he finished in two hours, nine minutes and 20 seconds. That wasn't the men's record for the event, though, which was set in 2013 by Kenya's Dennis Kimetto, who had a time of 2:03:45.

On the women's side, the record belongs to Kenya's Brigid Kosgei, who won the race in both 2018 and 2019. She finished in 2:14:04 in 2019. However, she won't be competing this year after she ran the London Marathon last week.

So that means there will be a new women's champion in Chicago this year. And one likely top contender is American Sara Hall, who has a chance to set a record of her own during the marathon.

No American woman has completed a marathon in a time faster than 2:19:36, a mark that was set by Deena Kastor at the 2006 London Marathon. If Hall can beat that time on Sunday in Chicago, perhaps she'll also be victorious at the event for the first time.

"When I thought about where I wanted to chase the American record, I thought it would be more exciting to do it at home, in the U.S., and Chicago is such an epic race," Hall said, per NBC 5 News in Chicago.

There also won't be a repeat champion on the men's side. Kenya's Lawrence Cherono isn't running the race after winning with a time of 2:05:45 in 2019.

Although the most recent champions won't be competing, there are likely to be some impressive times posted by those who are taking part. So this Chicago Marathon should be as exciting and competitive as it has been in previous years.  

After the 2020 San Francisco Marathon was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, things are back to normal in 2021. Well, closer to normal.

There will be an organized marathon taking place, although it's a bit later than usual. Normally, the San Francisco Marathon is held in July, but this year's race was pushed back to September. And not everybody will be running the marathon course, as there is a virtual option for participants.

Also, there will be some areas of the course that will require runners to wear masks because of COVID-19 restrictions on property owned by national parks, which will be marked with signs.

Still, the San Francisco Marathon is back, and that's better than not having it at all. And it should be a fun and exciting weekend for those who are running and for the spectators who go to cheer them on.

Here's everything you need to know about this year's marathon weekend.

       

2021 San Francisco Marathon Information

When: Sunday, Sept. 19

Start Time: 5:40 a.m. PT

Starting location: The waterfront at Mission Street and The Embarcadero

Course maps: Available on TheSFMarathon.com

       

While not all participating runners will be going through the streets of San Francisco at the same time on Sunday morning, there will be enough for the event to cause some road closures in the city. The marathon has also put together some suggested detours to help those driving around San Francisco that day.

All of that information can be found at the marathon's official website.

While the full marathon is the main attraction and will be taking place early Sunday morning, there are plenty of other races and events taking place this weekend. And the festivities will actually get underway Saturday.

There will be a 5K fun run taking place Saturday morning at 9 a.m. PT. The 3.1-mile race takes place within the Presidio and will feature plenty of great sights, including the bay, Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge. For those looking to do a shorter race, this is always a fun event.

Everything else will be taking place Sunday. After the full marathon gets underway, there will also be two half marathons, a 10K and a 5K. This gives people of various skill levels the opportunity to get involved in the event and take in everything San Francisco has to offer while on a run.

For those signing up for a virtual race, it can be completed any time between Friday at noon PT and Monday at noon PT. Participants will download the Virtual San Francisco Marathon app to participate.

Those who run the virtual race can then use the app to see how they stack up against other participants.

At the conclusion of the races, there will be some more noticeable differences. There won't be a beer garden or sponsor activities, and results will only be available online. According to the event's website, the post-race festival will be "limited to essential elements only: finish chute, medical support, pickup of challenge medals, shirt exchange and race day information."

The San Francisco Marathon has a long history, as the event was first held in 1977. The course has undergone changes over the years, with the most notable coming in 2002, when the full marathon added a run across the Golden Gate Bridge to the course route.

Since then, the men's record belongs to Francois Lhuissier of France (2 hours, 25 minutes and 15 seconds) and the women's mark is owned by Anna Bretan of the United States (2:42:26), both of whom set their records in 2013.

Don't get too used to the San Francisco Marathon taking place in September, though, as next year's race has already been announced for July 24, 2022. 

Triathlete Chris Nikic will be awarded the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the 2021 ESPYs in July.

Last November, Nikic became the first competitor with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon. 

"Wow, what an honor to receive the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance and to be included with such an amazing group of people," Nikic said. "As a Special Olympics ambassador, I represent millions of athletes around the world who can now believe that inclusion is real for all of them. Thank you for me, but more importantly for the Down syndrome community and my fellow Special Olympics athletes."

Nikic completed the 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run in 16 hours, 46 minutes and 9 seconds. Ironman competitors are given a limit of 17 hours to complete the event.

Down syndrome is a developmental disability that occurs when a child is born with an extra copy of their 21st chromosome. 

The Jimmy V Award was named after former NC State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano and is given to "a deserving member of the sporting world who has overcome great obstacles through perseverance and determination."

Valvano died of cancer at age 46 in 1993. A little more than a month before his death, Valvano gave a speech at the 1993 ESPYs where he implored people to "don't give up...don't ever give up."

ESPN has been awarding the Jimmy V award since 2007. 

In 2020, the Kentucky Derby was much different than usual. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the race was postponed to early September, and there were no fans in attendance at Churchill Downs. Also, it ended up being the second event on the Triple Crown schedule, as the Belmont Stakes still occurred in June.

Another difference compared to last year's event is that there was no Kentucky Derby Festival, which also meant there was no marathon. The race is typically held one week before the Kentucky Derby, and while the 26.2-mile marathon has only been taking place since 2002, there has been a 13-1-mile "mini" marathon that has been held since 1974.

This year, the event is back, but there will be some changes, considering it's being held during the pandemic. The "mini" marathon is going to take place over four days, beginning on Thursday and running through Sunday. However, the marathon will only be occurring on Saturday.

For those who don't want to run an in-person version of the race, there will also be a virtual format, allowing for more people to safely participate.

Here's everything else you need to know about this year's Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon.

      

Course Map

Curious about the elevation of this year’s course? Find the info on the updated map!

For more information about the 2021 course and our Safety Protocols for this year: https://t.co/h6mWXu0tIO pic.twitter.com/QAVpt6rEYA

— Derby Festival mini/Marathon (@KDFMarathon) March 5, 2021

           

Preview

If the course looks a bit different this year, that's because it's been modified to better allow for social distancing. So while the races will keep the same distances, the runners will be traveling around the Louisville area in different ways.

The start and finish line will be at Lynn Family Stadium, which is the case for both the marathon and "mini" marathon.

The start times are also going to be staggered, so there will be fewer runners in each area of the course at a time. Runners' start times were given to them in confirmation emails or can be found on RunSignUp.

While there's not going to be as much course support as in previous years, there will be self-serve water stations and time tracking, as well as support at the start/finish line.

It'll also be required that runners maintain a certain pace as part of the social-distancing protocols for the races. In the marathon, that means they'll need to be on a pace of 15 minutes per mile. And for the "mini" marathon, runners will need to keep a pace of 13 minutes, 45 seconds per mile.

Things will be a bit different, but the events will at least be taking place, unlike in 2020.

"We're just excited to be able to do something," Kentucky Derby Festival spokeswoman Aimee Boyd said, per Sean Baute of WAVE 3 News. "... When we were looking to do the race this year over multiple days, we knew we couldn't close all those downtown streets for four days in a row. This year's course is actually using walking paths and bike lanes, and trying to limit any street closures or impact on folks around those areas."

The marathon isn't the only Kentucky Derby Festival tradition that will be back this year, as there are plenty of other events taking place. A full list of those can be found at the festival's official site.

In past years, there have typically been close to 3,000 participants in the KDF Marathon, with participants coming from all over the United States and other countries. It hasn't been announced how many runners there will be in this year's race, but there should be plenty of people with interest after missing out last year.