500 Festival Mini-Marathon

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, which takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the largest half marathon in the United States, and the seventh-largest running event in America. As of the 35th running in 2011, it had sold out the entire running field of 35,000 for nine consecutive years.

Commonly known as "The Mini," it attracts runners and spectators from all over the United States and the entire world. In 2011, participants came in from all fifty states and nine countries. The race includes a men’s and women’s running division, as well as men's and women's wheelchair entries. The Finish Line 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, a not-for-profit volunteer organization, was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. Over the past 55 years, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation. The Mini-Marathon is one of the first events of the month-long celebration, running the day before IndyCar Series practice opens at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 13.1-mile (21.1 km) course currently starts in downtown Indianapolis, includes city streets and a full loop around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then returns to finish in the downtown area. From 1977-1992, the race was held the Friday before the Indianapolis 500 (part of Memorial Day weekend). Starting in 1993, the race was moved to the first weekend in May.

The men's record for the Mini is 1:01.54 set in 2002 by Gabriel Muchiri. The women's record was set in 2003 by Albina Ivanova with a time of 1:11.24.

Selected history

2008

The race resulted in the closest finish ever in the history of the event: a tie. 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, defending champ Janet Cherobon made it two wins in a row. Tony Iniguez 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

Date	Men's winner	Time	Women's winner	Time
May 27, 1977	Frank Shorter	1:03:56	Mary Clifford	1:31:22
May 26, 1978	Bill Rodgers	1:03:00	Miki Gorman	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 8, 1993	Joseph Keino	1:03:10	Trina Painter	1:12:19
May 7, 1994	John Kipkoskei	1:03:14	Roseli Machado	1:13:42
May 6, 1995	Rolando Vera	1:02:07	Tatyana Pozdnyakova	1:13:35
May 4, 1996	Andrew Masai	1:02:57	Valentina Yegorova	1:13:00
May 3, 1997	Patrick Kiptum	1:01:56	Valentina Yegorova	1:13:50
May 2, 1998	Joseph Kariuki	1:02:32	Selina Chirchir	1:14:32
May 1, 1999	Daniel Kihara	1:03:48	Lyudmila Petrova	1:14:12
May 6, 2000	Philip Kemei	1:04:19	Lidiya Grigoryeva	1:12:23
May 5, 2001	Simon Rono	1:02:36	Yelena Paramonova	1:11:36
May 4, 2002	Gabriel Muchiri	1:01:54	Jackline Torori	1:15:14
May 3, 2003	Joseph Kariuki	1:03:43	Albina Ivanova	1:11:24
May 8, 2004	Reuben Chebii	1:04:56	Albina Ivanova	1:12:36
May 7, 2005	Wesley Ochoro	1:03:31	Albina Ivanova	1:13:35
May 6, 2006	Ben Kimondiu	1:03:22	Lucie Mays-Sulewski	1:19:12
May 5, 2007	Joseph Chirlee	1:04:00	Janet Cherobon	1:16:00
May 3, 2008	Lamech Mokono Valentine Orare	1:02:53	Janet Cherobon	1:14:53
May 2, 2009	Festus Langat	1:03:55	Janet Cherobon	1:12:22
May 8, 2010	Festus Langat	1:02:51	Janet Cherobon	1:10:59
May 7, 2011	Ridouane Harroufi	1:02:46	Everlyne Lagat	1:11:29
May 5, 2012	George Towett	1:05:08	Lilian Mariita	1:15:23
May 4, 2013	Alene Reta	1:03:58	Sarah Kiptoo	1:12:26

Mini-Marathon Alumni Club

Fourteen athletes have participated in the Mini every year of its existence. Those runners are:

• Jerry Bates
• Eugene Lausch
• Michael Vollmer
• Bil Carter
• Leonard Outcalt
• John Webb
• Terry Hannigan
• Lee Perkinson
• Melvin White
• John Hostetter
• Michael Priest
• Bill Wilham
• Jim Kirkwood
• Alva Such

Previous names

• Indianapolis Life 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (1994–2004)

See also

• Indianapolis
• Indianapolis 500
• Marathon

External links

• Official Site
• Timeline of the Indianapolis Mini Marathon at Indianapolis Star, February 9, 2007