UK Happenings

UK Alumni Association Hosting Virtual 5K on Derby Day

graphic of a jockey silks that says First Saturday in May Virtual 5K

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 15, 2020) The first Saturday in May is a holiday for many Kentuckians and Kentuckians at heart, the date circled on calendars for months.   

With the Kentucky Derby postponed this year, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association is hosting the “First Saturday in May Virtual 5K” on Saturday, May 2 and inviting alumni, friends and students to run, walk, roll or crawl a 5K (3.1 miles) on the day formerly known as Derby Day.

Participation in the First Saturday in May Virtual 5K is free, and everyone who signs up will receive a virtual runner's bib and a certificate of participation that can be downloaded and printed. Participants who also make a donation of any amount to the University of Kentucky’s Basic Needs and Persistence Fund will receive a physical certificate and special gift from the UK Alumni Association.

The virtual run can be completed at any location and any time during the open event date. Simply choose your location then run, walk, jog or even hop on the treadmill to complete the 5K at your own pace. Submit a picture of you in your best University of Kentucky or Derby gear (or both) for a chance to be featured on the UK Alumni Association social media accounts. You can submit photos to ukalumni@uky.edu or by using the hashtag #FirstSaturdayinMayVirtual5K on social media.

This event is being organized to promote a healthy and active lifestyle while practicing responsible social distancing. For information on the CDC’s guidance related to COVID-19 best practices, click here.

Register for the event at www.ukalumni.net/FirstSaturdayinMayVirtual5K. For information, contact Hannah Simms at 859-257-7174 or email at hannah.simms@uky.edu.

The UK Alumni Association is committed to fostering lifelong engagement among alumni, friends, the association and the university. For more information about the UK Alumni Association, visit www.ukalumni.net or call 800-269-2586.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.