Running News Daily

Anna Rohrer, at 23 weeks pregnant, wins 2nd straight Indy Mini-Marathon

Mishawaka native Annan Rohrer successfully defended her title in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday, but this time around she was 23 weeks pregnant!

Rohrer, a Mishawaka High School and University of Notre Dame graduate, was the women’s champion after finishing the race with a time of 1:15:18. This comes one year after she won the race with a time of 1:11:31.

Given the circumstances of her pregnancy, she told our sister station WTHR she wasn’t sure what to expect in this year’s race.

“I didn’t think I’d run quite the same time last year, but you know, whatever God wills is gonna happen on the day,” she said.

In high school, Rohrer was a two-time state cross country champion and three-time state champion in track in the 3,200. She also won the 1,600 state title as a senior.

At Notre Dame, Rohrer was a four-time first-team Cross Country All-American, a two-time indoor track first-team All-American, and a three-time outdoor track All-American. Rohrer was an Atlantic Coast Conference cross country champion in 2016. She also won ACC titles in the 5,000-meter (indoor and outdoor) in 2017 and was the 10,000-meter outdoor champion in 2017 and 2019.

Rohrer, who now lives in Carmel, tells WTHR this will be her first child.

(05/07/2024) Views: 489 ⚡AMP

Meet the 85-year-old man who’s run every OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

For most people, running just one marathon is a big achievement.

But for 85-year-old Eugene Lausch, running in his 48th mini-marathon Saturday will be just another accomplishment.

The retired lawyer has run more OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathons than nearly everyone in the field. Of the approximate 200,000 runners, Lausch is one of only six who have participated every year since the marathon’s start in 1977.

It’s a hobby that came to him almost by accident.

“I desperately wanted to be an athlete when I was a boy and, like every Hoosier lad, I wanted to be a basketball player, but I don't have good hand-eye coordination,” Lausch said.

And since basketball requires a great deal of hand-eye coordination, he settled on running.

And, obviously, the hobby has stuck around.

As a student at Indiana Central University, now known as the University of Indianapolis, Lausch ran track. He went on to compete in the Indianapolis-Scarborough Peace Games and later coached track at the St. Richard Episcopal School in Indianapolis.

But his passion for marathons began in 1977, after being inspired by Olympian Frank Shorter. In the early seventies, Shorter became the first American runner in decades to win the Olympic marathon.

“That was an inspiration for a lot of people, including me,” Lausch said.

And 48 years later, he’s still going. 

To keep fit, his regime is simple.

“I walk 23 miles a week,” he said. “Also, I do a considerable amount of outside activity and gardening that I think helps keep me fit.”

And even though Lausch is in better shape than most 85-year-olds, it hasn't always been easy.

In 2019, Laush was hit by a car while crossing the street.

“A car, which I never saw, knocked me down and broke my left hip,” Lausch said. “It was determined pretty quickly that my hip was fractured.”

The doctors told Lausch what he was already expecting, that he couldn't participate in the mini-marathon.

His ongoing streak would have been ruined if it were not for community members, including his granddaughter Claudia.

Several of the runners from St. Richard Episcopal School and Claudia pushed Lausch in a homemade cart for a portion of the mini-marathon that year.

“I must say that it's a bummer to have to be hit by a car and have your hip broken, but I was really buoyed up by the outpouring support,” Lausch said. “I think I really figured out what the Mini was all about.

“I don't think I really understood it before that it is less about winning. It's more about taking the assets you have and making the best of your circumstances.”

What was once a disaster turned into one of Lausch’s fondest memories associated with the marathon.

Lausch’s wife, Carolyn, and their two sons used to join him during the marathon. But now, Lausch runs by himself.

“I'm really happy about being able to continue to run, but I ended up not knowing very many people now who run the mini,” he said.

But even though he may not know everyone, people seem to know him. After his accident in 2019, several people came up to him to wish him well, he said.

“That was very heartening. I appreciated it a great deal,” Lausch said.

For now, Lausch will be walking the mini-marathon. He plans to continue to do it until he reaches 50 straight races in 2026.

(05/04/2024) Views: 536 ⚡AMP
by Grace Marocco

Still running strong: Michigan woman, 73, ready for Indy Mini, her 109th half-marathon

At 73 years young, Adele Pitt is no stranger to darting through the finish line.

She's gearing up to run her 109th half-marathon in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday, May 4.

"I've run all 50 states and D.C, five continents and a couple islands," she proudly listed.

But the 13.1-mile trek that starts in the heart of downtown Indianapolis is by far her favorite.

"How many people get to run on the Indy 500 track? It's awesome!" Pitt said.

In fact, she loves the "Indy Mini" so much that she's made the trip from her home in Benton Harbor, Michigan, to run almost every year since 2004, only skipping 2018, after she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She skipped that year as she started treatment, but refused to stay down for long.

The diagnosis may have slowed her stride, but never stopped her in her tracks.. 

She was back the next year, not at full strength, but fully confident she'd "run the cancer away," she said.

"I had a good race that year," she said, looking at a picture from 2019. Pitt loves to look back at race day photos and is now compiling them into a scrapbook.

Now in remission, "Back and Better" seems to be one of her mottos. She's ready to lace up her running shoes, and her running dress (yes, it's a thing, she said) – as she does every year. 

"I usually put on a fake tattoo and my mantra is, 'I can, I will, I am and then one foot, one foot, one foot,'" she said. "And that applies to more than just running. It's just one foot at a time, one step at a time."

Still running strong, Adele plans to tackle many more steps, miles and milestones, taking it all in full stride.  

"When I got to my 100th race, there were people that were like, 'Well, are you done now?'" she said, gladly telling them, "No, we are never done! We just keep on going." 

(04/24/2024) Views: 330 ⚡AMP

Indy Mini-Marathon named nation's best half-marathon

The Greatest Spectacle in Running is getting national attention.

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been named the nation's best half-marathon as part of USA TODAY's 2023 10Best Readers' Choice travel awards.

According to USA TODAY, the half-marathon is the fastest-growing race distance in the United States with some 2 million runners participating annually. 

The public had the opportunity to vote on their favorite race and in the end it was the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon that came out on top. 

The marathon, often referred to as the Indy Mini, takes runners through downtown Indianapolis, past historic landmarks and famous sites like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

It's one of the nation's largest half-marathons, bringing some 35,000 runners to the Circle City each year. It's also part of the 500 Festival, which leads up to the iconic Indianapolis 500. 

The Indy Mini beat the RunTheBluegrass Half Marathon in Lexington, which is known for being "America's prettiest half-marathon," and the Hippie Half, which brings people to Gregory, Michigan every summer to camp, run, listen to live music and enjoy a festive atmosphere. 

(04/29/2023) Views: 545 ⚡AMP

Emily Sisson breaks the American Women half marathon record

Fifteen years after she won a national junior title in Indianapolis on the track, Emily Sisson returned here to set an American record in the women’s half-marathon on the road.

Sisson finished in 1 hour, 7 minutes, 11 seconds in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on Saturday.

The 30-year-old runner broke the American record of 1:07:15 set by Sara Hall on Jan. 16.

Sisson was paced throughout by male runner Brian Harvey, who finished in 1:07:12.

It was the first in-person Mini since 2019 after the annual race was twice canceled during the pandemic.

Hall’s time had broken the American record of 1:07:25 set by Notre Dame graduate Molly Huddle in 2018. Sisson twice nearly bettered that – clocking 1:07:30 in 2019 and 1:07:26 in 2020 – and finally secured the record on a breezy morning with temperatures in the low 50s.

Sisson, an NCAA and Big East champion while representing Providence, won the U.S. Olympic Trials at 10,000 meters last year and finished 10th at Tokyo.

In 2007, she won a USA junior title in the 5,000 meters at IUPUI’s Carroll Stadium, just a few blocks from where the Mini finished at Military Park.

Andrew (Kremer) Pomaranski, a Bishop Chatard graduate, finished second to Sisson in 1:13:12.

Pomaranski, 39, a mother of three who now lives in Michigan, broke a 10-year-old personal best. She was 10th in January’s Houston Marathon in 2:33:35, third-fastest ever by a native Hoosier. While at Miami (Ohio) in college, she set an American junior (under-20) record in the steeplechase.

(05/07/2022) Views: 1,507 ⚡AMP

Betty Deer, 80, has been running in marathons across the country since 1986, the Indianapolis Mini Marathon this Saturday will be her last

The running began 48 years ago in a modest neighborhood in New Palestine. Betty Deer was a 32-year-old mother of two girls, a mother who, if truth be told, hoped a jog after dinner might keep those nagging extra five pounds away.

She set out from her driveway that first evening in 1974 and started jogging. A couple of neighbors spotted her and stopped Betty.

"Hey, we'd like to try running, too," they told her.

At first, they kept it short, about a mile and a half from the end of the street down to Sugar Creek.

"And then we'd get down there and it was like, 'Well now, you've got to figure out how to get back,'" said Betty. "How do we get back that mile and a half?" 

That was Betty Deer at 32. On Saturday, she will run her 34th Mini-Marathon at 80, a race she has finished in the top three in her age division the past 13 years.

It will be a bittersweet day, an end of an era. Betty has run more than 12 full marathons and too many half marathons and shorter distance races to count.

More than 50 medals hang in the den of her Greenfield home. Others are on the desk still wrapped in plastic. Many have been donated to sick kids at Riley Hospital for Children. Some have gone to Goodwill.

But on Saturday, Betty says she will cross the Mini-Marathon finish line one final time. 

"I wouldn't count on it," her husband Larry Deer quickly chimes in. He can hardly believe his wife of 61 years would really give up marathoning. "I don't think so. She might have another in her."

No, Betty says adamantly. When she runs long distances, right hip pain nags at her. The foot pain is there, too, and even the Asics shoes she has sworn by for decades aren't giving her relief.  

"This will be my last," she said. "It really will be my last."

The neighborhood jogs turned to running with co-workers after Betty clocked out at Community Hospital East, where she was a patient representative before going back to school to get a degree in social work.

"One of the ladies there said, 'You know Shirley runs the Mini. Why don't you do that?'" Betty said. "That's how it began."

It was 58 degrees, drizzling and overcast in May 1986. Betty drove to Indianapolis Motor Speedway where buses picked up runners and shuttled them downtown for the start of the race.

This was the 10th Mini-Marathon; the race began in 1977. It was Betty's first. She finished that race with the best time of her 33 runs: One hour and 59 minutes. 

She was hooked.

In the early days of the Mini, Betty ran the entire race.

"It was a mental thing in the beginning. I thought you had to run it," she said. The only time she would walk was to grab a paper cup of water, drink it quickly, and then start running again.

"But now I find out that I do just as well if I walk some of it," she said. On Saturday, she plans to run five minutes, walk 30 seconds, run five minutes, walk 30 seconds the entire race.

Her times have slowed as the years have passed. But it's all relative. Betty remains at the top of her age group. At 64 years old, she finished fourth in her age group, running the Mini in 2:07. Every Mini-Marathon since, she has finished in the top 3.

In 2019, Betty placed first in the 75-79 age group with a time of 2:41:27, beating the next closest competitor by a full six minutes and the fifth place finisher by 32 minutes.

"But I'm not fast. I'm not fast," she said. "See, I don't consider myself a competitive runner."

If not that, then what is she?

As running goes, Betty has been lucky. At 80, she hasn't had to have surgery on her knees or hip. She did have a thyroid issue and a couple of bouts with cataracts.

In the hundreds of races she has competed in, Betty has crossed the finish line every single time, though there was one Mini where she almost didn't.

It was the 10th mile of the race when she broke the third metatarsal bone in her foot.

"I didn't know what to do and I started walking, but it was painful," she said. "And I decided, 'Well, I might as well finish it.' And so I started running and actually it felt better after I started running. And I finished that race."

Betty doesn't have any rituals for the Mini-Marathon, no carb-loaded spaghetti dinners with garlic bread the night before. "It just depends what I feel like eating that night," she said.

In the morning, she usually has half a bagel with a smidge of peanut butter on the way to the race.

Her training consists of some type of workout six days a week. She runs three days, does spin classes and Pilates classes on two days and walks with a neighbor one day.

Betty saves her long runs for Sundays. To prepare for the Mini this year, she ran eight miles on Sundays in January, nine miles in February, 10 miles in March and 11 or 12 miles in April.

This week leading up to the Mini, she ran nine miles on Sunday, took a spin class and a Pilates class Monday and ran three miles Tuesday. She will rest until Saturday.

Now to run her final Mini-Marathon.

"The thing I've enjoyed most is running with my friends," Betty said. "If I'd stop running with them that would be devastating to me. So I'm going to keep running, just not to this level."

(05/06/2022) Views: 1,111 ⚡AMP
by Dana Husinger Benbow

The USATF Half Marathon Championships hosted by the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon are the fourth stop on the 2022 USATF Running Circuit

With $40,000 of prize money on the line and course conditions ideal for fast times, Olympians Leonard Korir and Emily Sisson headline the men’s and women’s field for Saturday’s USATF Half Marathon Championships in downtown Indianapolis, in what promises to be an exciting morning of racing. 

Korir (Colorado Springs, Colorado/USATF Colorado) leads a talented men’s field to the start line in Indianapolis. The two-time USATF Half Marathon champion is having a strong start to his 2022 season, with a runner-up effort at the USATF 15 km Championships and a fourth-place finish at the USATF Cross Country Championships, which puts him atop of the USATF Running Circuit overall standings with 19 points, four points ahead of Shadrack Kipchirchir, who is not racing Saturday. 

Korir will be joined up front by Futsum Zienasellassie (Flagstaff, Arizona/USATF Arizona), who finished sixth at the USATF 15 km Championships and ninth at the USATF Cross Country Championships. Zienasellassie beat Korir at the 2021 USATF Half Marathon Championships, placing fifth to Korir’s seventh. 

At the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run early last month, Zienasellassie placed an impressive fourth against strong competition, finishing four seconds up on fifth place Reid Buchanan, as well as besting sixth place finisher Lawi Lalang.

Both Buchanan (San Diego, California/USATF Southern California) and Lalang (Colorado Springs, Colorado/USATF Colorado) are entered in Saturday’s contest and will vie for top three finishes. Jacob Thomson (Flagstaff, Arizona/USATF Arizona), who placed tenth at the USATF 15 km Championships, leads the rest of the field, which includes notable road race standouts Noah Droddy (Boulder, Colorado), Sid Vaughn (Flagstaff, Arizona), and Caleb Kerr (Zionsville, Indiana/USATF Indiana). Leading the women’s field, Sisson (Flagstaff, Arizona/USATF New England) seeks to continue her dominance on the roads.

The Providence-based standout has had a quiet start to her 2022, only racing once. That one race though was one to remember, winning the USATF 15 km Championships by nearly two minutes. Sisson currently sits tied for third in the USATF Running Circuit standings with 15 points, only behind Emily Infeld and Emily Durgin, who have 20 and 19 points respectively. 

Behind Sisson, notable veteran Allie Kieffer (West Islip, New York/USATF New York) resumes her racing in the United States. Kieffer has raced twice in 2022, once in Great Britain and again in Italy. Her performance at the Roma Ostia Half Marathon in early March was impressive, as she finished fourth in 1:09:17 on the fast Italian course. Kieffer placed fourth in the 2021 USATF Half Marathon Championships in 1:10:44 and will look to improve on that performance on Saturday. 

Another top three contender is Tayler Tuttle (Boulder, Colorado/USATF Colorado). Tuttle placed eighth at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run last month, while finishing tenth at the USATF 15 km Championships. A top three performance in Indianapolis would move Tuttle into top five on the USATF Running Circuit. 

Other key entries include Jane Bareikis (Crestwood, Illinois/USATF Illinois), who has run 1:14 for the half marathon distance twice this year, along with Madison Offstein (Chicago, Illinois/USATF Illinois).

(05/05/2022) Views: 1,125 ⚡AMP

For the second year in a row, 500 Festival Mini-Marathon cancels in-person race

For the second year in a row, there will be no runners or walkers gathering downtown for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

Organizers announced Monday that the Mini and Delta Dental 5K, scheduled for May 8, will instead become virtual races because of the pandemic. Registered participants will receive more details regarding options.

A news release from the 500 Festival said after input from health officials, medical experts and community leaders, a determination was made to amend the traditional format.  

“Right now, the most important thing all of us can do is to support our local and state health officials and hospitals, as well as focus our efforts on positive community outcomes,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “We will continue to work on the remaining 500 Festival month of May activities and look forward to participating in the events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway culminating with the Indy 500.”

The virtual experience is to include:

>> A package including distance-specific finisher gear and runner’s service items delivered to participants.

>> Digital bibs, finisher certificates and access to a participant-only Facebook group

.>> A new Indy Mini app that serves as a center for GPS tracking, race results, announcements and real-time spectator tracking.

>> An interactive and virtual health and fitness expo.

The Mini is the largest fundraiser for the 500 Festival, reaching children through youth education and health programming.

(03/02/2021) Views: 1,105 ⚡AMP
by David Woods

The 500 Festival Launches Virtually

The  500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500®, today announces the launch of their Virtual Race Series. The series consists of five new virtual races that will be completed from July through October 2020. Each virtual race will have a special auto racing theme and a unique distance.

In addition, virtual race participants may count these race miles toward their  Indianapolis 500 Mile Challenge or Freedom 100 Mile Challenge goal. 

The 500 Festival’s 2020 Virtual Race Series is as follows:

July – Brickyard 4.00-Miler, benefiting the 500 Festival,  August – Snake Pit 6-Miler, benefiting the 500 Festival,  September – Labor Day 3-Miler, benefiting the 500 Festival, October – Harvest GP 5-Miler, benefiting the 500 Festival, October – IndyCar Championship 10-Miler, benefiting the 500 Festival.

“We are excited to launch this series of five virtual races over the next five months,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “In addition to race registrations supporting the 500 Festival’s youth programs and events, these virtual races provide participants with new motivation and encouragement to get active and log their miles during such an unprecedented year.”

All races within the 500 Festival’s 2020 Virtual Race Series can be completed whenever and wherever participants decide. Simply pick the day, time and location you want to complete your race. Participants can complete their race mileage in a number of ways including running, walking, wheelchair, swimming, cycling, fitness classes and more. Virtual races can be completed in one day or distance can be spread out across multiple days to ensure maximum flexibility for a safe and healthy experience.

(07/09/2020) Views: 1,381 ⚡AMP

A word from the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon "Our event has been cancelled"

The 500 Festival is suspending all planned, in-person events scheduled through May 9, 2020. The suspension of these events is in accordance with the CDC’s updated guidance to cancel, postpone or provide virtual options for all large events for the next 8 weeks in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The 500 Festival is doing everything possible to minimize the economic impact and ramifications that will be experienced as a result of canceling these in-person events.

The following 500 Festival in-person events will need to be conducted as virtual events.

OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K (May 2) – All 2020 Indy Mini events will move to virtual races. Individuals registered for this year’s races will receive details on how to participate virtually and still earn their 2020 shirt and medal. Other options, including lending a hand in support of the 500 Festival’s free programs for kids or rolling registration over to next year, will be communicated to participants in the coming days. The in-person events will NOT take place.

To the registered participants of the 2020 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K, we know that many of you have logged countless hours of training and have made numerous commitments to experience the thrill of crossing the finish line. We don’t take your commitments lightly and want you to know that we have exhausted all possible solutions to provide the Indy Mini experience that you’ve come to expect over the last 43 years.

We have also been cognizant of the resources that help us produce this community event which includes thousands of volunteers, medical personnel, IMPD, the Indiana National Guard, Homeland Security, Indianapolis Motor Speedway staff, corporate partners and many others. Given our current situation and out of respect for the ever-changing needs of those resource partners as well as the health and safety of our participants, it has become clear that moving our 2020 races to virtual runs is the best possible choice.

In addition to the participant options, we are also committed to providing you with an on-track running and walking experience at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway at a to-be-determined date later this year.

(03/18/2020) Views: 1,359 ⚡AMP

Brazilian racing driver Tony Kanaan will be running in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 2

Tony Kanaan's last season in IndyCar will include a race of a different kind.

The 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion will run in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 2.

“I’m excited to join in on the celebrations by running in America’s best half marathon - the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon," Kanaan said. "Not only is it a great way to stay physically fit, but gives me another opportunity to connect with fans.

I’ve already recruited my wife, Lauren, and several friends to join me on May 2. I hope that fans will feel inspired and commit to join me at this Indy Mini!”

Kanaan finished the Mini in 2016, posting a time of 1:43:29 and ran as the race's charity pacesetter in 2017. The 500 Festival donates money to a charity for each runner who beats the pacesetter's time.

He has announced that the 2020 IndyCar season will be his last and will compete in five oval races, including the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

(03/10/2020) Views: 1,618 ⚡AMP

OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has once again been named Best Half Marathon in America by The BibRave 100

The race was also named in the Top 10 Best Weekend Experience category, while the Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K was named one of America's Top 25 races, 10 miles or less. The 500 Festival presented the accolades during an awards ceremony for The Running Event in Austin, Texas.

“The entire OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon team is ecstatic that our half marathon has been named best in the nation for the second consecutive year,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival.

“What makes this accolade even more special is that it is voted on by participants. With so many great half marathons in this country, we are elated that ours stood out as the favorite among runners, walkers, and wheelchair participants."

Rankings in the list are based on runner nominations, running industry surveys, and online voting.

Voters indicated the Mini's lap around Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a major highlight. The 2020 Indy Mini is scheduled for Saturday, May 2. 

(12/13/2019) Views: 1,679 ⚡AMP
by Reed Parker

The 500 Festival, today announced that registration is open for the 2020 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500, today announced that registration is open for the 2020 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, as well as the Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K. Set for Saturday, May 2, the 2020 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon will mark the race’s 44th running.

Named one of “America’s Most Iconic Races” by Runners World, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world. Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500.

The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 500 course entertainers.

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is a long-standing tradition for Indianapolis to kick off the month-long celebration of May, leading up to the Indianapolis 500.

New for 2020, participants will be able to experience two iconic sporting venues during their race weekend! The 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Expo will be located at field level inside Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts and Indy Eleven. 

In addition to packet pickup and essential race-day resources, the Mini-Marathon Expo is filled with vendors from the health and fitness community, with a mix of local and national brands.

 

(09/12/2019) Views: 2,109 ⚡AMP

Panuel Mkungo from Kenya won the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Clocking 1:03:26

It was a wet and soggy Saturday for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

The race began in front of the JW Mariott downtown, and more than 35,000 people participated in the event.

"I think it really is the perfect combination of Hoosier hospitality. There's 500 entertainers all around the route, it's the lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it's just the month of May in Indianapolis, people love it, there's an electricity in the air," event organizer Sabrina List said.

It started with a 5K at 7 a.m., and then the first wave of the mini began at 7:30.

Panuel Mkungo from Kenya won the mini with a time of 1:03:26. The female first place finisher was Ivy Kibet from Colorado Springs with a time of 1:12:10.

"I am very happy today. I want to thank my family and my friends for this beautiful race.

I just want to say thank you for the management of this race, it's a beautiful course and I am happy for running in this city in Indiana. It is my first time being here," Mkungo said.

The 500 Festival continues through the month of May with the Breakfast at the Brickyard on May 18 and then the parade May 25.

(05/04/2019) Views: 2,269 ⚡AMP

Kory Kennedy outruns his challenges by training for 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Batman suit

It may require a double-take but your eyes are not deceiving you if you’ve seen Batman running around Kokomo.

A man wearing the Dark Knight’s outfit has been running around the city for the past few months. Kory Kennedy says he started wearing the suit to stay warm while training during the winter months but has kept wearing it because of the reaction he gets.

“They love Batman,” said Kennedy. “This is actually what I want. To make people have a better day and have things go better with them when they see me dressed up as Batman.”

Kennedy gets stopped by kids and adults, giving out high fives, selfies and hugs.

But the training is serious work for Kennedy as he prepares for races throughout the year. He’s been in more 10Ks and half-marathons than he can count and usually finishes near the top of the field.

The fact that he can run at all is remarkable. When Kennedy was 8 years old, he was involved in a serious car accident that left him with a brain injury, muscle damage and legally blind.

He has no vision in his right eye and partial vision in his left.

“God wasn’t ready for me yet. He said it’s not time for you to come up yet, you’ll still be alive,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy started running in middle school and did track and cross country in high school. In May, he plans to run in his third OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

He says he hasn’t decided if he will wear the Batman outfit. It might be too warm.

However, in March he wore the suit as he ran in Carmel’s Lucky Clover Run and finished first in a field of nearly 800 runners.

 

(05/02/2019) Views: 2,004 ⚡AMP
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The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been named Best Half Marathon in America in 2018

The half marathon category received the most nominations for this year’s edition of The BibRave 100. Voters cited the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon’s lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a highlight.

In addition, the race weekend experience also received top marks. One voter said, “It highlights what makes Indianapolis great, and this race screams ‘Hoosier Hospitality.’” 

Named one of “America’s Most Iconic Races” by Runners World, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world.

Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 100 course entertainment acts. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is the 500 Festival’s largest fundraiser. Race registrations help support the 500 Festival’s free youth programs and events.  

A definitive List of the Best Races in America. The #IndyMini  also earned awards for Exceptional Race Management and Awesome Medals and Bling. In addition, the 500 Festival 5K was listed among the nation’s top 15 5K races.

The 500 Festival was presented with these honors during an awards ceremony held at The Running Event, a conference and retail trade show for the running industry taking place in Austin, Texas.  

(12/12/2018) Views: 1,521 ⚡AMP

Registration Opens for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon 2019

The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500®, today announced that registration has opened for the 2019 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Set for Saturday, May 4, the 2019 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon will mark the race’s 43rd running. Named one of “America’s Most Iconic Races” by Runners World, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world. Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 100 course entertainment acts. Now through October 31, participants can lock in the race’s lowest rate of $65. Prices will increase starting Nov. 1. “The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has become an incredible tradition to kick start the month of May in Indianapolis, and no city does a better job of hosting massive events than Indy,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “This 13.1-mile course has so much history and iconic allure with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but it’s the people and volunteers who come together to provide entertainment throughout the course, massive cheering sections and pit stations that make all the difference. We’re excited for the next edition of The Greatest Spectacle in Running.” (10/09/2018) Views: 1,735 ⚡AMP

Five family members coming together to run the One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon

"One day (four years ago) we were up with my grandparents in Michigan and I just decided I wanted to go out for a run," said 14-year-old Gabe Lingenfelter.  28 races later, he hasn't stopped. He never lacks for encouragement. Kris, his mom, is a serious runner too, as is his grandfather. He's been running the mini marathon for years. You might say it's in the family DNA. When the Lingenfelters showed up for the OneAmerica 500 Mini three years ago, they showed up three generations strong. "The first year that Gabe and my dad and I all ran it, it was really neat. We had a sign that said three generations of mini runners and that was kind of a special thing to see, my dad there running it with my son," said Kris. This year, they add more family members to the race. Kris' 11-year-old daughter Bella made a pact to run the mini with her grandmother. "Last year we did the 5K together, and this year when she said she wanted to do the mini," Bella said. "I decided I would do it with her as well." If you're keeping track, that makes five family members coming together for the One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon. "I don't know too many 14 and 11 year olds who want to go out and run 13 miles with their mom and grandparents," Kris said. "They're quite special kids." And they're building a bond that goes far beyond the first Saturday in May. (04/30/2018) Views: 2,141 ⚡AMP
by John Stehr/ 13 WTHR

Olympian Alexi Pappas to Run 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

Alexi Pappas, a Greek-American who holds dual citizenship, is a 2016 Olympian and the Greek national record holder in the 10,000 meters with a personal best of 31:36 set at the Rio Olympics. The 500 Festival, a nonprofit organization providing life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the legacy of the Indianapolis 500, today announces that professional runner and Olympian Alexi Pappas will run the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon on May 5, 2018. (01/30/2018) Views: 1,582 ⚡AMP