The loop course starts and finishes next to the floodwall near Schultz Park. The co-ed event involves a half marathon (13.1 miles) for individuals and for two-person and four-person relay teams. On average, nearly 1000 runners from more than a dozen states participate.
Proceeds from the event benefit Family Service Society. Last year's half marathon raised $38,000. Founded in 1927, Family Service Society provides immediate emergency relief to residents of Paducah and McCracken County. Lourdes Hospital is the title sponsor for the race.Also Saturday, the Paducah Homegrown Farmers’ Market organized by the Parks Services Department will be having its grand opening celebration from 7:30 am until 2 pm. The Market is located at North 2nd and Monroe Streets in historic downtown Paducah.
The race route takes runners along Jefferson Street, through several neighborhoods in Paducah’s West End, through Stuart Nelson Park, the Greenway Trail, and Bob Noble Park, around Lang Park in the Fountain Avenue neighborhood, beside galleries in Lower Town, along Madison Street, and finally back on Jefferson to the finish. The course officially closes at 11 am. If runners or walkers still are on the course at that time, they will be asked to move to the sidewalk and obey all traffic signals.
Drivers need to be prepared for delays especially on Park Avenue as traffic will be temporarily stopped to allow runners a safe crossing. The runners approach Park Avenue from High Street and then run along Park Avenue until they head north on County Park Road. The vast majority of runners will be crossing this section of Park Avenue between 7:40 and 9 am. A few miles later, runners will cross Park Avenue a second time at North 26th Street.
Also expect delays on North 3rd and North 4th Streets as runners end the race on Jefferson heading toward the riverfront and must cross those intersections before finishing. There also will be a brief delay at those intersections at the beginning of the race.
Volunteers and coordinated help from several agencies will be at the various intersections. Agencies include the Paducah Police, Fire, Parks, and Engineering-Public Works Departments, McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, Kentucky State Police, Mercy Regional EMS, McCracken County Emergency Management, E-911, the National Guard, the U.S. Coast Guard, VIPS, DES, Civil Air Patrol, and local churches and businesses.
For more information including the course map and frequently asked questions, visit the official race website at www.paducahironmom.com. Also visit the Lourdes Paducah Iron Mom Facebook page for the latest updates. Participants can register for the race on the day of the event.
