Kentucky Derby marathoners are “juiced,” author says
The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon & miniMarathon is among the footraces featured in a new paperback, Great Races, Incredible Places: 100+ Fantastic runs Around the World, to be published in April.
In the “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” section of the book, author Kimi Puntillo says “southern hospitality and horse-racing are hallmarks” of both the Kentucky Derby on May 2 and the footraces on April 25.
She says hot-air balloons will fill the sky at the start of the marathon, which takes runners on a scenic romp through Iroquois and Cherokee parks, downtown Louisville and the Churchill Downs racetrack where the Derby will be run a week later.
Puntillo says “runners juiced as Thoroughbred horses rounding a turn at Churchill Downs race toward the famous track, its often-photographed twin spires in sight.”
Did she say “juiced?”
That can mean the runners are really excited, or on steroids, or drunk, according to definitions on Google.
She meant excited, I’m sure. We all know that athletes never use steroids and never abuse alcohol – at least, until after the race.
