Lexington, KY - More than 170 teams of runners will take turns striding across Kentucky's scenic Bourbon Trail on October 9-10, cheering each other on across a 200-mile course in the first running of the Bourbon Chase.
The more than 2,000 runners are expected to compete in the overnight relay, some with interesting themes, some reuniting with old friends, and all celebrating at the finish line in Lexington's Triangle Park. It is a chance for runners to compete, see some of Kentucky's beautiful countryside and have fun, according to race planners.
"Yes, it's fun," said Mike Kuntz, organizer of the race. "But it means more than that; it means business."
Business for the distilleries, hotels, restaurants and other tourist destinations.
He said the event is a way to bring in a new group of visitors - a group that likes to work hard and play hard - and "introduce them to what we have to offer here."
"It will be a complete Kentucky celebration, from the beer to the barbecue," Kuntz said.
The event is expected to bring about 4,000 people to the finish line area at Triangle Park, where there will be food, music and a festive atmosphere. After announcing it last fall, Kuntz traveled the country to promote the event at other races, such as the Bay to Breakers in San Francisco. Being able to hand out mini-bottles of bourbon at a pre-race expo helped get people's attention and make an impression.
It is being marketed as a race where runners can see "the Kentucky you've been dreaming of." And with the route along the Bourbon Trail, Kuntz said, "that is exactly what they are going to see."
"We worked it pretty hard, but people are excited to come here," Kuntz said.
Before he started selling the idea to runners, he first had to sell the idea to the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau (LCVB) and Kentucky Distillers' Association.
The CVB contributed $20,000 to the event in addition to helping with marketing, recruiting volunteers, helping to organize the finish line celebration at Triangle Park and providing visitor information to the runners. Lord said the LCVB doesn't help finance many events, but Kuntz's presentation was effective.
"We were impressed not only with (Kuntz's) passion, but also that he had put himself in a position to commit to this full time for a year," Lord said.
Lord was still skeptical that the Bourbon Chase would attract the 150 teams at a $1,200 per team entry fee.
"When he said he was going to cap it at 150, 12-person teams, I thought 'Great - good luck,'" Lord said.
But Kuntz ended up accepting entries from 173 teams representing 40 states.
Lord said he was surprised by the number of women's teams. Many teams are also being supported by companies or other organizations. Jim Beam is sponsoring the Bourbon Trailblazers, a team from Bourbon County using the event to help raise money for a scholarship fund.
Distilleries along the trail are planning some type of event for the day. Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distiller's Association, said each will be different but "it's kind of a surprise."
Here is how the race works: Teams of six to 12 runners each are divided into flights based on their estimated finished time. Beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, October 9, teams will start out from the Jim Beam distillery at Clermont.
During the next 12 hours, every 15 minutes a new set of teams will begin their journey down the trail. Runners will take turns running legs varying from three to seven miles. Each team will provide two support vans to drop off and pick up runners at exchange points along the route. The trail meanders through Bardstown, Lebanon, Stanford, Danville, Harrodsburg, Frankfort and Midway and ends in Lexington.
Runners are expected to cross the finish line between 3:30 and 8 p.m.
Kuntz, whose, background includes time as the track and cross country coach at the University of Louisville and in special events and planning, said he got the idea for the Bourbon Chase after being invited to take part in the Hood to Coast relay race from Oregon's Mount Hood to the Pacific shore. That event has grown to about 1,000 teams.
Kuntz said many runners who are coming from out of state will likely arrive on Wednesday or Thursday and stay until Monday. As the event grows and people see how many things there are to see and enjoy in Kentucky, he said the stays will likely lengthen to a full week.
Gregory said the Bourbon Chase idea came along at a good time. The collective marketing efforts of the distillers have been very successful in recent years. National Geographic Traveler has named the Bourbon Trail one of its "Drives of a Lifetime - The World's Greatest Scenic Routes" in the magazine's September issue.
"It's hitting bourbon while it's on a roll," Gregory said.
On the web: See the route, sign up to volunteer and get more information at www.bourbonchase.com.