‘Competition will be fierce’ in 48th Bluegrass 10,000 in Lexington on Fourth of July

The Bluegrass 10,000 road race returns to downtown Lexington for its 48 ^th annual edition on the Fourth of July, and local running groups are gearing up for a fast pace.

The 10-kilometer race gets underway at 7:30 a.m., shortly after the start of the wheelchair division at 7:25 a.m. Thursday’s festivities downtown also include a 1-mile Fun Run, a parade and, later in the evening, a fireworks spectacular.

The 10K (6.2-mile) race begins at Main Street and Limestone. Friends and family are welcome to come downtown and watch the race from the sidewalk. They can also cheer along virtually and watch the race results on the RaceJoy app.

The awards ceremony will take place in the Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza.

The team competition, an addition to the Bluegrass 10,000 in recent years, has attracted an elite group of runners to this year’s race, according to Griffin VanMeter of Yes for Parks Lexington, Inc.

“While the competition will be fierce among these elite teams, their primary goal extends beyond the racecourse,” VanMeter said in a news release. “They are united in their unwavering commitment to fostering a running culture in Lexington, advocating for a public track facility, and promoting wellness throughout our community.”

Five-time winner Antonio Marchi, who won last year’s race in 30 minutes, 47.4 seconds, is expected to defend his title. Bowling Green State University cross country and track and field athlete and West Liberty native Kailee Perry was the female winner with a time of 37:01.6 in 2023.

Last year, the race attracted 2,193 registrants.

The course records belong to Marcus Nenow, whose time of 29:14 has stood since 1983 and Katy Kunc, who set the women’s mark of 33:33 in 2021.

Marchi races for The Antelope Children team along with three-time champion Zack Beavin.

“We look forward to winning the team race, and love the spirit of friendly competition,” Beavin said in Wednesday’s news release. “We hope it strengthens the sense of community among participants in the BG10K and expands the interest in running across the region.”

Riley Marshall, general manager of John’s Run/Walk Shop in Lexington, also weighed in on the gamesmanship among the numerous participating teams.

“For us, it’s not about winning or losing tomorrow. It’s about always supporting an open and inclusive team that anyone can be a part of, and showing everyone in Lexington that they will always have someone to run or walk with at John’s. We look forward to having a great race with our whole team tomorrow!”

Rain could invade Thursday’s proceedings. The weather forecast calls for a 60-70 percent chance of thunderstorms at race time, accompanied by temperatures in the mid-70s. Thursday’s high is expected to be 83 with rain predicted throughout the day, possibly drying up in time for fireworks.