Foreword｜The fifth time at home, the first time after work
This game means a lot to me.
This is my first derby marathon since working;
This is also my 5th Derby Marathon at home in Louisville;
It’s also my 50th marathon completion!
Five years of PhD transition to first year of work,
It feels like all the chapters of my life are connected on the track.
This year’s Derby Marathon is a little different. The organizers have also arranged a Derby Festival 5K before the race.
I couldn't hold it back and signed up directly.
So, in one weekend, I ran two races and got three medals!
Chapter 1｜Derby Festival 5K: Friday night run warm-up
After an overnight flight, I came back from the WQA conference in Long Beach, Los Angeles.
Just after landing, Friday night is the Derby Marathon’s new 5km race this year.
Before the game, a sudden heavy rain delayed the event for half an hour.
After the rain stopped, the air became very clean and a little cool.
The sky in Louisville is beautiful after it rains, and the clouds are very impressive.
Especially with the dusk filter, it looks even more majestic.
The 5-kilometer course starts in the city, runs up the Big Four Bridge, crosses the Ohio River into Indiana, and then loops back to the starting point.
The wind on the bridge was not strong, but the clouds were very low, and the city skyline lit up quietly in the distance.
This was my first time running an interstate race in the evening, which was quite interesting.
When I was running to Indiana, my mom called me.
I video-recorded with her while I was running. It was 5 kilometers, so I could take my time.
As we neared the finish line, I met my Indian friend Ranga.
I recommended him to sign up for this race, and in the end we crossed the line together, although I was still a little bit faster.
The crowd near the finish was lively and loose.
I also met Kyle Walker from the running podcast Back of the Pack at the event.
Wearing a colorful headscarf and hanging medals, he stood out among the crowd.
The night gradually darkened, and the sky was dyed deep orange by the sunset.
I held up my recent 5K medal, the edges of its gears catching the afterglow.
This small race is a warm-up. The next day, I will usher in my 50th marathon.
Chapter 2｜Through the city: Bourbon Street, red brick houses and racetrack
The next day is the main race. The company formed a "squad", a relay team, and several colleagues who ran half marathons.
Everyone gathered at the starting point and took a group photo. The weather was overcast but cool, perfect for running.
The route this time is almost the same as in 2024, starting from Downtown and heading west along Main Street, passing Old Louisville and the University of Louisville campus.
Stretch through Churchill Downs Racetrack to Iroquois Park, then retrace your steps back to the city center.
You start by passing Whiskey Row, lined with old-fashioned red brick bourbon distilleries. The copper-colored sign of Old Forester is particularly eye-catching, and you can smell a bit of wine in the air.
Further ahead is the golden statue of David, and then the huge bat standing at the entrance of the Louisville Slugger Museum, which has a strong sense of landmark.
I started a few minutes late and there were quite a lot of people in front of me, but it didn’t take long to catch up with Siqi.
Then I passed Ryan. This year he brought the new Pocket 3 and took pictures while running. Every year he has new equipment, which has become a tradition.
The route then turns into Old Louisville, lined with nineteenth-century Victorian houses with thinly patterned window frames.
I met Jackie and Scott in this section, said hello briefly, and then moved on.
Further ahead is the University of Louisville campus. When I came back this time, I was already an alumnus. The familiar red columns, lawn and stadium have not changed much.
From here on, the runners' pace widens and the track becomes wider.
Then came the highlight, Churchill Downs. This is the main venue of the Kentucky Derby. As the track passes through the outer ring, you can see the iconic twin-spire roof.
The air was mixed with the smell of earth and grass, and the footsteps of training horses could be heard in the distance.
After leaving the racecourse, the half marathon and full marathon races began to diverge. The one that turns back on the left is half way, and the one that continues south on the right is the whole way.
There were far fewer runners and the track was quieter.
Chapter 3｜Running at home, full of friends
Not long after, we entered Iroquois Park. This section has a lot of slopes, but the woods are dense, the air is good, and my steps are brisk.
Halfway through the race, I saw the company’s relay team.
I passed Allison, a dynamic HR person who runs the soccer team. She saw me, held up the baton, smiled at me, and shouted: "Go ZZ!"
The home ground is like that, full of familiar faces.
Not long after leaving the park, I met Annie again, a Korean girl who works in the industrial design group. Her English pronunciation is very clean, and she sounds like she grew up in the United States.
Unfortunately, we just got acquainted, and she left her job one month after the competition. After just a few chats, I always felt it was a pity.
Returning to the University of Louisville, I saw Seth, the runner of the air-conditioning project team, waiting to take over and run the relay section.
I think Alli and Annie should have bought me enough time, and it wouldn't be that easy for Seth to surpass me!
Then I met Mani, an Indian friend. Thieves can escape. We used to work on a floor in Luda.
He shouted as he ran: "Arsen, keep going!" We high-fived.
Next came Cindy, who, like my American mother, was always at the track yelling for me to cheer me on. Every time I see her, she is very kind.
Before I knew it it was almost 20 miles.
At the turnaround point of mile 24, I saw Teacher Yang Li. His pace was steady and his expression was relaxed. I thought he was going to break four again this time.
Then before the finish line, I was overtaken by Seth. I wanted to struggle, but he was too fast and I could only watch him run further and further away.
On the last stretch of the road, there were more spectators on both sides of the street. I met Jackie and Scott again, running side by side towards the final switchback.
We waved to each other, didn’t say much, and just stuck to our guns.
The arch at the end is getting closer. I raised my hands and rushed over. The timing board was fixed at 4 hours and 18 minutes, and the actual time was about 4 hours and 5 minutes.
The fifth home game, the 50th marathon game, comes to an end.
Postscript｜Scene 50 · Half a Hundred Road
The moment I crossed the finish line, my colleagues in the company were already waiting for me.
I high-fived them one by one, and the atmosphere was quite good.
Colleagues who had not run away also came, holding handwritten signs and shouting.
Then they came up with a surprise:
A small cake that says "Congratulations on your 50th Marathon!"
Fifty marathons, I’ve really run a lot.
Everyone ended up eating pizza together. When I got to the store, I remembered that I still had a third medal that I didn’t get.
That is the "5K + Full Marathon" combination award, which is also considered a little easter egg this time.
After getting the medal, I went back to the pizza shop, which was a nice break from the queue.
The pizza is topped with ham, shiny and delicious.
Colleagues chatted while eating, and enthusiastically introduced to passers-by: "Today is this buddy's 50th marathon!"
An American lady next to me smiled and said: "I need to buy u a drink!"
When we walked out of the restaurant, the sky in Lucheng also cleared up.
Another year of Kentucky Derby Marathon,
This time I changed my identity, which can be regarded as my graduation from TMD.
Fifty marathons, a half-hundred number, can be considered a bit of a confidence to brag about.
I ran through more and more cities, and time ran behind me.
In my thirties, I am still on the road.
One hundred games? Don’t dare to talk nonsense; the future? It will definitely run again!
Of course, it’s time for me to do “more” responsibility for this little family.
After all, I started making money too!
- End -
Words, photos, and layout by Arsenan