Bluegrass 10,000 Preview

Don't ask why, but the race organizers seem to be insistent on calling this the "Bluegrass 10,000" instead of the more conventional "10k." However you express it, the annual Fourth of July race in Lexington, KY features ten kilometers on sun-baked pavement for runners to enjoy/hate. This is the 39th installment of the race and it starts at the yawn-inducing time of 7:30 am.
The race stars on E Main Street just pass the cross street of Elm Tree and nearby Thoroughbred Park.

It follows E Main until making a right turn onto N Limestone Street in front of the "Taste of Thai" building.

Limestone may feature a slight incline, which no one can claim is a "hill." The next turn is a left onto W Third Street followed by a left two blocks later onto N Mill Street. Transylvania University will be on the right and Mill Street will take everyone through a very residential area.

Runners will spend five blocks on N Mill before turning left on W Vine Street. Once on W Vine Street, the race stays straight for over 10 blocks; the course circles past the start point and leads runners farther out E Main Street until it becomes Richmond Rd. Runners will make a U-turn at Lakeshore Drive, shortly after passing the Shriners Hospital for Children.

A strip mall will be on the left, along with all the runners faster than you. The course then backtracks on E Main Street pass the start point before ending at N Limestone Street.

And down the stretch they come!

I ran this race in 48 minutes and 39 seconds back in 2011. That was a humid day and I was running on very little sleep. Although I would expect to beat that time under better circumstances, my lack of training could end up making 2015 comparable to 2011. The rest of PTR is welcome to set their goals for our second joint race of the year. I'll see you in Lexington.