500 Festival Mini-Marathon

The 2009 Indy 500 Mini-Marathon is on May 2, 2009. This means there are less then 70 days until race day! This race is praised to be the largest half marathon in the United States and the fifth largest marathon event in the USA.

There is an expo that is Thurs and Fri before the race at the Indian Convention Center. The best part is you do not have to be a racer to attend this event; it is open to the public which is fantastic! This is a nice opportunity to meet other racers and many times there are guest appearances by those well known running celebrities.

After the race there is a after race party at the Military Park. This is a chance for the racers, family and friends to unwind and enjoy live bands, wonderful food, beverages. This is another event where the public is welcome and this party can go on until 2 am so be sure to switch from your running shoes to your night out on the town shoes! It is hard to believe but there are over 90,000 people that attend this event! This is huge!!!!

In the past the Mini-Marathon has been sold out several months before the event and this year was no exception.

To register online please go to: http://www.500festival.com/marathon/EntryFeesandInformation.asp

You will be asked to enter your pace calculation. There are some registration requirements such as all registrations must be done online Monday thru Friday, you can't pick up packets on race day, each application is for one participant, no refunds on entry fees, the race must be completed within four hours, and there is a $25 returned check fee.

The corral system is used for the mimi-marathon because of the organization it offers and the lack of congestion it causes for racers. It is so important that you are honest about your ability because that determines what corral you are placed in and estimates your finish time. If you can't maintain an 18 minute per mile pace you will board the trail bus. Participants are not permitted on the course prior to 7:30 am race day and if you are found on the course for any reason prior to this time, you can get disqualified. All racers are to wear their bib in order to be permitted to enter the speedway. Keep in mind, you are not permitted to use any kinds of skates (in-line or roller), skateboards, bikes of any kind, strollers, pets, or any motorized vehicles

With such a grand event, there are street closings and restrictions so please make sure you visit the following site for that information: http://www.500festival.com/marathon/MiniStreetClosings.asp

For all of you that are attending this event, Have a great time!

For all of you that are racing, wishing you the best and Happy Racing!

information for this submission was drawn from: http://www.500festival.com