This guide, created by Norton Sports Health experts and doctors is packed with everything you need to help you go from beginner to race ready.

Get tips for starting your training, nutritional information, cross-training suggestions, and more! Plus, get a week-by-week Training Schedule for both miniMarathon and Marathon lengths, to make sure you’re able to build up to your chosen distance. 

Download the Official 2025 Training Manual

Get the One-Page miniMarathon Training Schedule

Get the One-Page Marathon Training Schedule

Training Program Schedule

All official training runs take place on Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM and supplemental training workouts happen on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM. Training run locations will change week to week, so you’ll get to be familiar with different parts of the race course!

The first Training Run happens on Saturday, January 11 at 8:00 AM. 

Find the Training Program locations week to week below:

• 1/11/25 – Swags Sport Shoes South
• 1/18/25 – Beckley Creek Park, PwC Pavilion
• 1/25/25 – Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center
• 2/1/25 – Seneca Park, 3101 Rock Creek Drive
• 2/8/25 – NO GROUP RUN – Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler
• 2/15/25 – Swags Sport Shoes South
• 2/22/25 – Beckley Creek Park, PwC Pavilion
• 3/1/25 – NO GROUP RUN – Whiskey Row 5K
• 3/8/25 – Swags Sport Shoes South
• 3/15/25 – NO GROUP RUN – Derby City 10K
• 3/22/25 – Seneca Park, 3101 Rock Creek Drive
• 3/29/25 – NO GROUP RUN – Louisville 10 Mile
• 4/5/25 – Big Four Station Pavilion, Jeffersonville, IN
• 4/12/25 – Swags Sport Shoes South
• 4/19/25 – Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center

** Wednesday evening runs take place from January 15 through April 16. They start at 6:00 PM at the Norton Sports Health Performance & Wellness Center 

What is the Norton Sports Health Training Program?

The Norton Sports Health Training Program is a FREE  15-week program designed to help runners prepare to complete the Derby Festival miniMarathon or Marathon. The training program offers a week-by-week suggested mileage schedule, along with nutrition, cross-training ideas, and health and safety tips.

When and where are the weekly group training runs?

Training runs are held on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings each week from January-April, at different locations around Louisville. Specific details will be posted on our website & in the Facebook Group once times, dates and locations are finalized.

What if a Training Run gets canceled or delayed for weather?

You can also find the latest information on the Norton Sports Health KDF Training Program Facebook Group, or you can sign up for text reminders and updates! Just Text ‘nortonrun’ to 37492. (caps do not matter, but no space between words does.)

I have never participated in an organized road race event before. Can I really train to run or walk my first marathon or half marathon?

Many of our runners and walkers have never participated in an organized road race before, and that’s okay. Most people, even with no prior experience, can finish a full or half-marathon provided they follow a sanctioned & structured training program start to finish. It’s more a matter of being able to commit to following the program each week, than to have previous experience running.

I feel like I might be very slow compared to others, what if I can’t keep up with the rest of the group?

Don’t worry about your speed. You will be in good company as some of our runners intend to walk portions of each event.  Our group is large enough that you will always be around people in your speed range. The weekly training runs are a great community where no runner or walker is left behind.

I don’t know about running gear, diet, training techniques, or body maintenance, will there be information given on these topics?

Absolutely! Many of our participants will be relative beginners at running and/or walking, so don’t feel like you are the only one.

For those new to the sport, we highly recommend attending the Norton Sports Health Training Program Kick-Off  Orientation on Thursday, Jan 9 at the Kentucky Derby Museum. Norton Sports Health doctors and other sports training professionals will cover a variety of topics.

With the training program, you’ll also receive a one-page quick reference training plan from Norton Sports Health, which will be available at the kick-off. You’ll also have access to a free downloadable training manual available for download on our website. The one-page quick reference plan and digital training manual are designed to help walkers and runners of all levels train safely, while enjoying their time preparing for their first half or full marathon. The manual includes tips for safe walking and running, injury prevention, cross-training and nutrition. Plus, there are complete training calendars to help you stay on track.

I won’t be able to join the program until late, or I won’t be able to attend all the training runs, is that okay?

You can join the training program after the official kick-off in January, however we strongly encourage that you start your training from that first week and doing your best to keep up with the training runs on your own schedule. This will ensure you’re adequately trained to complete your race.