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Ambassadors for the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon have been selected! A record number of individuals applied to be Indy Mini Ambassadors in the month of October. The 500 Festival has selected 42 individuals to serve as Ambassadors for this year’s race; one for each year of the 42-year history of the Mini.

 

This year’s Ambassadors have a wide range of stories and personal connections to the Mini-Marathon. From a middle school cross country runner and a pair of college students, to a high school phys. ed. teacher and some passionate walkers, we can’t wait to share stories about this year’s group!

 

2018 Indy Mini Ambassadors:

Christiana	Howton
Monica	Roose
Jennifer	Spangler
Danielle	Shively
Chloe	Nash
Jenny	Pittman
Gabriel	Lingenfelter
April	Woodruff
Stephanie	McClain
Jenilynne	Hall
Ashley	Kimbrell
Pam	Chemelewski
Ryan	McElroy
Elizabeth	Bunton
Alexandria	Bergman
Ann	Kaminski
Emily	Cosgrove
Caitlin	Scanlon
Sarah	Jackman
Christopher	Day
Michelle	Corrigan
Emily	McNally
Brian	Davis
Kerry	Bieschke
Lori	Reckley
Danielle	Shively
Scott	Blake
Emily	Eaton
David	Lawrence
Jay	Robinson
Kyle	LeFeber
Jessie	Hughes O’Leary
Kate	Chargualaf
Melissa	Freeman
Conchita	Linares
Anne	Mejeur
Sheehan	Hubbard
Stephanie	Baker
Kitti	Drake
Paige	Freund
Katie	Dogan
Andrew	Bartolacci

 

If you were accepted as an Indy Mini Ambassador, please check your email for more details to come. If you applied but were not selected for 2018, please try again in 2019! Thank you for your interest!

 

First time participating in the Mini-Marathon? Be sure to meet our Ambassadors at the 500 Festival Miler Series, presented by OrthoIndy for training tips and advice on conquering The Greatest Spectacle in Running.

 

Over 50,000 people put a dent in the pavement of New York City’s five boroughs on Sunday, but all eyes were on one man known by a three-letter moniker.

 

The greatest American marathoner of all time, Meb Keflezighi took his final competitive steps in the TCS New York City Marathon around Noon on Sunday, November 5. As his storied career came to a fitting finish, it’s no accident the 2017 race in New York City was his last. It was Meb’s 26th career marathon, matching the 26.2-mile distance. His 42 years of age also matches 42 kilometers, the metric equivalent to 26.2 miles.

 

Meb’s career highlights include an Olympic medal in 2004, and victories in the New York City and Boston Marathons in 2009 and 2014. But his real impact on the sport cannot be measured by miles, victories, or times.

 

Meb is an inspirational hero in the running world and the face of American distance running. Despite his worldwide impact, his influence has been felt close to home for many in the Midwest as Meb has been the face of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon for the past two years.

 

As the numbers and stories align for Meb’s historic finish, his running coronation in New York City comes exactly six months opposite the first Saturday in May when the Mini is held each year in Indianapolis.

 

In 2015, Meb ran the Mini non-competitively. He started at the back of the pack and passed participants throughout the morning, offering encouragement and stopping for photos throughout the day.

 

In 2016, Meb stood on the track of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to motivate participants through the toughest part of the Mini-Marathon course in “Meb’s Motivational Mile.”

 

His inspiration in the running community doesn’t originate from his speed as a runner, but from his personality and character.

 

“Winning doesn’t always mean getting first place; it means getting the best out of yourself. One of my greatest joys is inspiring other people to perform at their best.”

 

For taking the time to visit Indianapolis, take part in The Greatest Spectacle in Running, and make a mega impact on the Mini, we have three words for the three-lettered legend…

 

Thank you, Meb!

 

#IndyMini

October 30 was officially declared “Mini Monday” in the state of Indiana and the city of Indianapolis! The 500 Festival brought a treadmill to Monument Circle for the event while individuals from OneAmerica, Back on my Feet Indianapolis, B105.7, and even a past 500 Festival Princess tag-teamed a 13.1-mile relay.

 

Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett joined to deliver the official “Mini Monday” proclamation for the city. He even jumped in the relay for the better part of Mile 7! Governor Eric Holcomb’s staff also delivered a state proclamation declaring it “Mini Monday” for the entire Hoosier state.

 

The relay took a team of six individuals just under two hours to complete while the 500 Festival held onsite registrations and Indy Mini giveaways for those passing by on Monument Circle.

 

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is the 500 Festival largest fundraiser. Race registrations benefit the 500 Festival’s free youth and fitness programs, reaching thousands of students across Indiana each year. Registrations also support the 500 Festival Foundation, and numerous other free events and programs like the 500 Festival Princess Program and the 500 Festival Intern Program.

 

Interested in conquering 13.1 miles in next year’s #IndyMini?

Register Here

Want to save money on your 2018 Indy Mini registration? Of course you do. But it’s not always easy to understand how this whole price increase thing works. Bottom line: speed means savings. The faster you get your registration commitment in the books, the more you’re going to save.

 

A lot of people are on the fence when it comes to signing up early. You don’t know what your spring schedule will look like. Maybe you don’t know who will join you this year, or what kind of shape you’ll actually be in when it’s time to take on the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.

 

Sometimes, you never know what price to expect when you do finally make the leap. And that’s why we’re here to help put the confusion to rest.

 

Plenty of runners and walkers hold off on the registration process until they feel more certain about their commitment. And that’s fine! Don’t RSVP to the party before checking your schedule. But if you’re free, grabbing your spot now could save you a lot of money in the long run. Just ask the nearly 10,000 participants who register a year in advance for the $60 rate! So find a partner – if that helps you commit sooner – or sign up for the 500 Festival 5K to get the same Mini-Marathon fun with fewer miles, and if you’re Mini-ready come May, you can upgrade!

 

The price increase schedule for 2018 looks like this:

Date	Price
May 4 – May 11	$60
Sep. 18 – Oct. 31	$65
Nov. 1 – Dec. 31	$72
Jan. 1 – Feb. 28	$79
March 1 – Apr. 30	$89
Expo	$100

 

Committing now for $65 beats a late decision the week of the Mini for $100. And if you’re one of our Indiana residents who join every year anyway, why wait?!

The savings are even more rewarding if you’re conquering one of the challenges. For the Mega Mini and Mini Maniac challenges, signing up now could save you as much as $39! For The Greatest Spectacle Challenge, you could save up to $44!

The next price increase is November 1. Be sure to check out the challenges, find your running or walking partners and make those commitments by October 31 to save!

Register for the 2018 Indy Mini

Download the Indy Mini Training Playlist

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With our eyes now set on the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, many of our dedicated participants are getting back in training mode. What’s one thing every training run needs? Tunes!

 

In honor of the ’18 Indy Mini, you can now download our Spotify playlist (free to sign up) consisting of 18 songs selected by the 18 full-time staff members at the 500 Festival who produce the Indy Mini.

#IndyMini

Train. Inspire. Recruit. 

 

Want to get awesome perks like FREE registrations and a VIP Upgrade for talking about your favorite race and helping rookie Mini-Marathoners? Applications for the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Ambassador Program are officially open!

 

From now until October 31, you can apply to be an Ambassador for The Greatest Spectacle in Running. All you have to do is submit a short explanation of why you love the Indy Mini. It’s that easy!

 

Indy Mini Ambassadors are some of the most loyal participants of our race. A mix of runners and walkers, Ambassadors train, inspire, recruit, and help others get excited about the Indy Mini as they introduce them to the fun of running and walking throughout the spring. If the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is your favorite race, apply to be an Ambassador and get some amazing gear and benefits while doing it.

 

Click Here to Apply

 

 

Everyone in Indiana knows someone who has completed the 13.1-mile challenge that is the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Here are 10 celebrities you might not have known conquered The Greatest Spectacle in Running.

Gary Brackett

Brackett played eight NFL seasons at linebacker with the Indianapolis Colts from 2003-2011. He was the defensive leader during the majority of the Peyton Manning era, including the Colts’ 2007 Super Bowl win.

JR Hildebrand

The 2011 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, Hildebrand clocked the fastest time on this list among non-running celebrities. A blazing fast 1:33 earned him 834th place in a sold out Mini-Marathon field (35,000) in 2008.

Frank Shorter

Olympic gold medalist and world-renowned runner Frank Shorter won the inaugural Mini-Marathon in 1977. Shorter’s presence at the first-ever Mini dramatically increased the size of the field. He was one of running’s biggest stars in the 70s. After winning gold in the 1972 Olympics, Shorter was credited with starting the running boom that swept the nation in the 70s. He often returns to Indy to spectate and provide commentary for local television broadcasts.

Bill Rodgers

A former American record holder for the marathon distance, Rodgers is best known for his four victories in the Boston Marathon. He took first place in the second Mini-Marathon in 1978.

Beth & Doug Boles

The first family of the Indy 500, Doug and Beth Boles once tag-teamed the Indy Mini while wearing bib number 500. Spending a lot of time at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is nothing new to the Boles family. Traveling to IMS on foot from downtown certainly was.

John Green

The New York Times bestselling author conquered the Indy Mini in 2017. An Indianapolis native and the author of “Looking for Alaska,” “Paper Towns,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” and many other books, Green even shared his Indy Mini experience on his YouTube channel following last spring’s race.

Tony Kanaan

One of IndyCar’s most beloved drivers and an Indianapolis favorite, T.K. ran the Indy Mini in 2016 in just 1:43.29. The 500 Festival brought back his time the following year, making him the official Pacesetter in 2017. For every participant who beat Tony’s time, $1 was donated to an Indianapolis charity. The 500 Festival tacked on 15 extra minutes in hopes of raising more money, and $4,040 was donated following the race.

Olivia Newton-John

The famous singer/actress spent May in Indianapolis in 2014. She walked the Indy Mini with her nephew, Emerson Newton-John, a driver in the Indy Lights Series. The aunt-nephew duo donned blue and pink for both breast cancer and prostate cancer awareness as they walked 13.1 miles.

Meb Keflezighi

One of the Mini’s most beloved participants and the greatest American runner of this generation, Keflezighi has been part of the Indy Mini experience each of the last two races. In 2016, Meb started at the back of the pack before passing and encouraging individuals throughout the race. In 2017, Meb didn’t run but was stationary at Turn 3 of IMS while motivating participants in Meb’s Motivational Mile. The Olympic medalist, Boston Marathon winner and New York City Marathon winner will run in the TCS New York City Marathon next month.

Andrew Luck

The Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback joined a number of May festivities in 2016. He didn’t run 13.1 miles, but No. 12 did join the celebration for 3.1 miles in the 500 Festival 5K.

 

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Want to be like one of these celebs and take part in the history and tradition of the Indy Mini? Click here to see what all the hype is about surrounding the nation’s premier half marathon in Indianapolis.

 

Seven months is a long time to prepare. Here are seven reasons why that added time can be beneficial and help make training easier next spring.

1) Build a Base Before Winter

Once winter hits, it’s decision time. You can get in the gym and hit the treadmill, but committing to the goal now – while you can still take advantage of some cool running weather – is a great way to get started.

2)  Gradual Increases

The most common half marathon training plans usually consist of a 12-week focus. If you’re starting at zero, that’s more than a mile increase each week. Starting 7 months out – nearly 30 weeks – almost triples the time you have to increase distance.

3) Creating the Running Habit

Starting a plan, and finishing it, is difficult. We’ve all jumped into a training program and flaked out before accomplishing our goal. Give yourself more wiggle room to get that habit started.

4) More Rest!

With more gradual increases comes more flexibility for rest days. And let’s face it; you’re going to need those days in the winter.

5) Holiday Indulgence

The holiday season is not the most motivational time for half marathon training – unless it’s a couch-lounging, sweatpants-wearing, binge-watching marathon. Time and time again, potential half marathoners don’t get things started until after the holidays, the turkey, and the football. They’ve dug a hole to start their training. Simply put – get started now, continue through the holidays, and when the turkey has been digested, you won’t be starting from scratch.

6) New Year’s Resolutions

We’ll all have big plans for 2018 when January 1 rolls around. And by February 1, life will likely throw a metaphorical wrench in those plans. By starting now, January 1 would nearly signal the halfway mark in your training.

7) Race Day Ready

There will always be plenty of people who can hyper train, show up, and knock out a half marathon. If you’re not one of them, commit now and develop long-lasting habits to get yourself race day ready.

And have fun!

commit Now!

Members of the 500 Festival staff and the producers of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon will travel to Chicago over the weekend to experience the second largest full marathon in the nation, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. With more than 40,000 finishers in recent years, Chicago claims more participants than any race with the exception of the TCS New York City Marathon.

 

Our staff members are excited to experience Chicago’s race and witness hundreds of Indiana’s own take on 26.2 miles. Be sure to reach out on social media and let us know if you’re in the Windy City conquering the largest full marathon in the Midwest! Follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates all weekend from our neighbors to the north.

 

Then, make us your next challenge in spring 2018!

 

Register for the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon

Proposals. Tattoos. And yes – even more running. No matter how, when, or with whom you celebrate, doing it your way is important.

 

Finishing a race is like reaching the end zone, but there are no flags for excessive celebration. If dodging tacklers in a field of 100 yards is cause for a dance, then what about dodging participants over the course of 23,000+ football fields?

 

Thousands finish the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon each year. And those thousands know how to celebrate. We usually catch the proposals at the finish, but we miss a lot of other great stories. So we asked our participants how they’ve basked in the glory of their big accomplishment in recent years. How did you celebrate?

 

Erin visited one of Indianapolis’ most delicious stops for donuts. You earned one, Erin.

 

Danielle supported a good cause at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A two-for-one day at the track!

 

About as pedestrian as it gets for Brienne, but certainly three essentials; hugs, food, and sleep.

 

Erica did what all visitors should do when in town for race weekend; experience our beautiful city!

 

And then there’s Derek.

 

Tell us how you celebrated and you could be featured! Comment below or leave a comment on social media. Whether your celebration was crazy or common, let us know!

#IndyMini