The Run The Ridge 5K, 10K, and 25K Trail Run is a culturally and historically significant event as runners will be traveling some of the same dirt roads and beautiful overlooks that Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe, and his beloved Uncle Pen did. This will be a fun but challenging event with steep inclines and declines to navigate going up to the top of the Ridge and coming back down. The scenic course winds “high in the hills of ‘ol Kentucky,” as Monroe put it. The race will start and finish at the celebrated Bill Monroe Homeplace and will feature plenty of great bluegrass music, including live bluegrass on the course.

Run the Ridge coincides with two other Bill Monroe Foundation events, “Pickin’ on the Porch” and “Camping and Jamming.” A live bluegrass band will perform free-of-charge Saturday evening on the Homeplace porch. Runners are encouraged to stay and enjoy the show. Dinner at 5:00, music at 6:00. Bluegrass pickers and enthusiasts will be camping throughout the weekend. Jam sessions typically occur around campfires. Runners are encouraged to pull up a chair and jam or just sit back listen. . For runners, primitive camping is free, $10 with electricity. It all makes for a beautiful, autumn weekend on Jerusalem Ridge.

Register by September 25, 2026, and receive a special race t-shirt.

Registration

5K is $25

10K is $35

25K is $55

(*** There is a four hours and 30 minutes cutoff)

Awards

All finishers will receive a special finishers medal to celebrate their accomplishment.

Awards will also be given to the Top 3 Male & Female Finishers in both the 5K, 10K and, 25K Distances.

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Distances

5K

10K

15.5 mi