| 500 Festival Mini-Marathon | |
|---|---|
 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon logo | |
| Date | First Saturday in May |
| Location | Indianapolis and Speedway, Indiana, United States |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Half marathon and 5K |
| Primary sponsor | OneAmerica Financial Partners (half marathon) Delta Dental (5K) |
| Established | May 27, 1977 |
| Course records | Men: 1:01:44 (2023) Panuel MkungoWomen: 1:07:11 (2022)  Emily Sisson |
| Official site | www |
The 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (also known as the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual road half marathon usually held the first Saturday in May in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is the largest half marathon in the U.S. and the seventh-largest running event in America.[1] As of the 37th running in 2013, it had sold out the entire running field of 35,000 for twelve consecutive years.[2]
Commonly referred to as "Indy Mini", it regularly attracts runners and spectators from all 50 states and several countries. The race includes a men's and women's running division, as well as men's and women's wheelchair entries. The Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K, a shorter version of the Mini utilizing the same start and finish lines, runs the same day.
The Mini-Marathon began in 1977 and became an official 500 Festival event in 1979. The 500 Festival is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. The Mini-Marathon is one of the first events of the month of May at Indy.
The 13.109-mile (21.097 km) course currently starts in downtown Indianapolis, includes city streets then heads west toward Speedway. It features a full loop around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then returns to finish in the downtown area. From 1977 to 1992, the race was held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500 (part of Memorial Day weekend). Starting in 1993, the race was moved to early May, the Saturday three weeks before the race except a few exceptions.
The men's record for the Mini is 1:01:52 set by Nelson Oyugi in 2014. The women's record was set in 2010 by Janet Cherobon with a time of 1:10:59.
From 1994 to 2004, it was known as the Indianapolis Life 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.
In 2020, the race was cancelled for the first time in its history, due to the coronavirus pandemic.[3] Entrants from this year's were given invitations to the 2021 race.
Selected history
2008
The race resulted in the closest finish ever in the history of the event: a tie.[4] Two Kenyan runners, Lamech Mokono and Valentine Orare, were declared co-winners, extending the streak of Kenyan victories to 13. In the women's race, Janet Cherobon successfully defended her title. Tony Íñiguez became a three-time champ in the wheelchair division.
2011
The 2011 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon took place Saturday May 7, 2011. A pair of newcomers brought home the men's and women's titles in the 2011 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis. Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi took the men's race, winning in 1:02.45, while Everlyne Lagat of Kenya captured the women's race with a time of 1:11:29, snapping the four-year win streak of fellow Kenyan Janet Cherobon-Bawcom, who took second. Adam Bleakney of Champaign, Ill., took advantage of the ideal conditions to win the wheelchair race with a blistering time of 49.18. The 2006 winner of the same race, Bleakney, a member of the 2008 U.S. Paralympics teams, was competing in Indianapolis for the first time since his previous win.
Past winners
New course record
| Date | Men's winner | Time | Women's winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 1977 | Frank Shorter (USA) | 1:03:56 | Mary Clifford | 1:31:22 |
| May 26, 1978 | Bill Rodgers (USA) | 1:03:00 | Miki Gorman (USA) | 1:20:56 |
| May 25, 1979 | Dean Behrmann | 1:09:17 | Penny DeMoss | 1:28:40 |
| May 23, 1980 | Eric Wood | 1:08:55 | Shirley Kay Durtschi | 1:19:58 |
| May 22, 1981 | John Roscoe | 1:06:20 | Candy Wojcik | 1:28:30 |
| May 28, 1982 | Greg Van Winkle | 1:07:15 | Marilyn Reinhardt | 1:23:51 |
| May 27, 1983 | Gary Romesser | 1:05:52 | Marilyn Reinhardt | 1:23:55 |
| May 25, 1984 | Gary Romesser | 1:09:11 | Diane Bussa | 1:18:59 |
| May 24, 1985 | Gary Romesser | 1:07:06 | Lori Veal | 1:19:20 |
| May 23, 1986 | John Wellerding | 1:05:48 | Karen McQuilken | 1:18:02 |
| May 22, 1987 | James Nolan | 1:08:12 | Karen McQuilken | 1:19:32 |
| May 27, 1988 | Gary Romesser | 1:08:33 | Laura Didion | 1:20:27 |
| May 26, 1989 | Don Johns | 1:07:31 | Judy Bogenschutz | 1:17:59 |
| May 25, 1990 | Keith Hanson | 1:04:13 | Ruth Ozmun | 1:18:17 |
| May 24, 1991 | Gary Romesser | 1:08:24 | Chris Cooper | 1:21:17 |
| May 22, 1992 | Andy Herr | 1:07:44 | Becky Reinhold | 1:20:30 |
| May 7, 1993 | Joseph Keino (KEN) | 1:03:10 | Trina Painter (USA) | 1:12:19 |
| May 7, 1994 | John Kipkoskei (KEN) | 1:03:14 |  Roseli Machado (BRA) | 1:13:42 |
| May 6, 1995 |  Rolando Vera (ECU) | 1:02:07 |  Tatyana Pozdnyakova (UKR) | 1:13:35 |
| May 4, 1996 | Andrew Masai (KEN) | 1:02:57 |  Valentina Yegorova (RUS) | 1:13:00 |
| May 3, 1997 | Patrick Kiptum (KEN) | 1:01:56 | Valentina Yegorova (RUS) | 1:13:50 |
| May 2, 1998 | Joseph Kariuki (KEN) | 1:02:32 | Selina Chirchir (KEN) | 1:14:32 |
| May 1, 1999 | Daniel Kihara (KEN) | 1:03:48 | Lyudmila Petrova (RUS) | 1:14:12 |
| May 6, 2000 | Philip Kemei (KEN) | 1:04:19 | Lidiya Grigoryeva (RUS) | 1:12:23 |
| May 5, 2001 | Simon Rono (KEN) | 1:02:36 | Yelena Paramonova (RUS) | 1:11:36 |
| May 4, 2002 | Gabriel Muchiri (KEN) | 1:01:54 | Jackline Torori (KEN) | 1:15:14 |
| May 3, 2003 | Joseph Kariuki (KEN) | 1:03:43 | Albina Ivanova (RUS) | 1:11:24 |
| May 8, 2004 | Reuben Chebii (KEN) | 1:04:56 | Albina Ivanova (RUS) | 1:12:36 |
| May 7, 2005 | Wesley Ochoro (KEN) | 1:03:31 | Albina Ivanova (RUS) | 1:13:35 |
| May 6, 2006 | Ben Kimondiu (KEN) | 1:03:22 | Lucie Mays-Sulewski | 1:19:12 |
| May 5, 2007 | Joseph Chirlee (KEN) | 1:04:00 | Janet Cherobon (KEN) | 1:16:00 |
| May 3, 2008 | Lamech Mokono (KEN) Valentine Orare (KEN) | 1:02:53 | Janet Cherobon (KEN) | 1:14:53 |
| May 2, 2009 | Festus Langat (KEN) | 1:03:55 | Janet Cherobon (KEN) | 1:12:22 |
| May 8, 2010 | Festus Langat (KEN) | 1:02:51 | Janet Cherobon (KEN) | 1:10:59 |
| May 7, 2011 |  Ridouane Harroufi (MAR) | 1:02:46 | Everlyne Lagat (KEN) | 1:11:29 |
| May 5, 2012[5] | George Towett (KEN) | 1:05:08 | Lilian Mariita (KEN) | 1:15:23 |
| May 4, 2013 |  Alene Reta (ETH) | 1:03:58 | Sarah Kiptoo (KEN) | 1:12:26 |
| May 3, 2014 | Nelson Oyugi (KEN) | 1:01:53 | Lilian Mariita (KEN) | 1:12:04 |
| May 2, 2015 | Elisa Barno (KEN) | 1:02:31 | Sarah Kiptoo (KEN) | 1:13:09 |
| May 7, 2016 | MacDonard Ondara (KEN) | 1:02:03 | Ogla Kimaiyo (KEN) | 1:11:43 |
| May 6, 2017 | John Murugu (KEN) | 1:04:53 | Margaret Maina (KEN) | 1:15:51 |
| May 5, 2018 |  Daniel Mesfun (ERI) | 1:03:27 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Dayna Pidhoresky (CAN) | 1:12:47 |
| May 4, 2019 | Panuel Mkungo (KEN) | 1:03:26 | Ivy Kibet (KEN) | 1:12:11 |
| May 2, 2020 | Not run due to COVID-19.[3] | |||
| May 7, 2022 | Leonard Korir (USA) | 1:02:35 | Emily Sisson (USA) | 1:07:11[6] |
See also
References
- ↑ "Largest Races". Running USA. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ↑ "OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Sells Out for 12th Consecutive Year". 500Festival.com. 2013-04-01. Archived from the original on 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2013-07-17.
- 1 2 Woods, David. "Mini Marathon canceled for first time in 43 years". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
- ↑ "2008 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon sells out with 35,000 entries". Microchips record closest finish ever in Mini. 2008-05-03. Archived from the original on 2013-06-16. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ↑ Woods, David (5 May 2012). "500 Mini-Marathon: Kenyan is 1st finisher; officials issue yellow flag". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ↑ OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon 2022 top finishers, results IndyStar
External links
- Official website
- "Timeline of the Indianapolis Mini Marathon" at Indianapolis Star, February 9, 2007