Event Description
The Bourbon Trail™ Relay promises to be the best of its kind, uniting the founders of The Bourbon Chase and the Ville to Ville Craft Brew Relay with one common purpose - deliver an unparalleled running experience for our participants!
In partnership with the Kentucky Distillers' Association and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the Bourbon Trail™ Relay celebrates the best the Bluegrass State has to offer, treating runners to gorgeous horse farms, rolling countryside, and world-famous distilleries.
The event consists of two separate, one-day running relays held on consecutive days, each with a unique course and different bourbon distilleries. Teams can run either day or both.
The Events
Friday, November 4th - Oak & Amber Course - Bardstown area
Saturday, November 5th - Bluegrass Course - Central Kentucky area
Each day, the first group of teams starts the relay around 5:00 am. Over the next few hours, waves of additional teams depart on their adventure, staggered by estimated running pace. Each team consists of three to six runners who split 12 legs ranging from 3 - 9 miles. Each team provides their own race vehicle to drop off and pick up runners at designated transition areas along the course route. Teams arrive at the finish line between 3:00-8:00 pm for a celebration including music, food, and - of course - Kentucky bourbon. Final course routes and participating distilleries will be announced in the summer of 2022.
Team Fees
The event fee, covering standard race goodies like race shirt and finishing medal, also includes distinctively Kentucky treats such as a welcome reception and a bourbon tasting at the finish line celebration, is $775 per team for one day and $1,450 per team for both days. All team captains are required to pay a deposit of $275 per event at initial registration and have the option to pay the entire fee. Teams that pay only the deposit must pay the remainder of the event fee by midnight on August 4, 2022. Teams with unpaid fees on August 5, 2022, will forfeit their spot in the race and their non-refundable deposit. Team rosters must be finalized by October 1, 2022. Please be aware that KY Sales Tax and a 5% processing fee are added to online payments.
Team Volunteers
Team volunteers are not required for local teams. Teams that do provide a volunteer will be given a $50 credit towards official merchandise or future Bourbon Trail™ Relay events.
Age Requirements
All runners must be 21 years old or older to participate.
Team Name & Members
Be creative and classy! Your team name appears in many public places, so make sure it would make your momma proud. (Teams with names that are deemed inappropriate by relay management will be asked to submit new names.) You will submit your team name during registration, but it can be changed until September 4, 2022. All team members will be required to join your team online and will be invited to join by their team captain.
Team Categories
Ultra Male (3 runners, 1-3 males)
Ultra Female (3 runners, all female)
Open Co-ed (minimum of 2 females)
Open Male ( all-male team or all males plus 1 female)
Open Female (all females)
Masters Male (all-male team or all males plus 1 female, all members 40+)
Masters Female (all females, all members 40+)
Masters Co-ed (minimum of 2 females, all members 40+)
*Team categories will be chosen during registration, but they can be changed until race weekend.
Team Captain
Each team will have a team captain that will be responsible for registering the team and meeting all team deadlines. We will provide regular race information and updates for the team captain on our website and through monthly email newsletters. Team captainship can be transferred at any point to another person. Captain transfers should be made by emailing info@bourbonrelay.com.
Team Pace
In order to make it to the post-race party before nightfall, an average team pace of 11:00 minutes per mile or faster is required to participate. Not everyone on the team has to run at this pace, but your total average must not be slower. If you have slower team members, you also need equally faster ones to keep your team on track. Team captains estimate a team pace when they register their team with an average min/mile pace for all runners on the entire course. Final team pace estimates are due on September 15, 2022. Online pace calculators will be available to assist captains in this estimate.
Cancellation/Weather
This is a rain or shine event. The race director has the right to change the course or change the event in case of inclement weather or road restrictions.
