About this race
Run Under The Stars™ Paducah is a 10-hour overnight endurance run held at Carson Park Fairgrounds in Paducah, Kentucky. Runners begin at 8 p.m. Central and continue until 6 a.m., using the same course to achieve distances ranging from a half marathon to a marathon or a first ultra. The format allows participants to run, jog, walk, rest, stop, and start again as desired, with chip timing providing a continuous record of distance covered.
The course is a lit half-mile oval on a dirt horse track surfaced with finely crushed limestone, offering a terrain free of traffic, hills, roots, hard pavement, or direct sun. This loop configuration ensures vehicles, tents, aid, and companions remain nearby throughout the night. The aid station provides snacks, fruit, pretzels, chips, soda, PB&J sandwiches, grilled cheese, and bacon. Families are welcome, and participants receive a shirt and custom medal, with top finishers earning custom awards. The event has been held annually since 2007; cumulative statistics show 121,501 laps completed, 60,750.5 miles covered, 1,153 unique runners, a top male performance of 72 miles, and a top female performance of 66 miles.