A record-breaking 42 #IndyMini Ambassadors are training, recruiting and inspiring others in preparation for the 42nd running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. We’re sharing their stories through a series of blog posts; 2018 Ambassador Features. Here is one of their stories.
Jay’s Story
In high school I was a distance runner, but running wasn’t a priority when I transitioned into college. Years later, a friend who had run the Indy Mini a couple times got me to sign up for the 2005 race. Looking back at my high school glory days, I thought that running 13.1 miles would be easy. Wrong! I was out of shape and it hurt. Nevertheless, running the Mini-Marathon inspired me to get back into running more often. I lost the college weight I had gained and found my love for running again. This year, I’ll be running my 14th Mini-Marathon. It has improved more than my physical abilities; training and exercise make me feel better and has become my outlet for burning off steam and energy after work.
Jay’s #IndyMini Experience
I have run countless half marathons, quite a few marathons and now, I’m getting started in ultramarathons. But what sets the Indy Mini apart is the feeling of race morning. With 30,000+ people packed downtown and a buzz in the air, months of training is corralled into a chute full of people who are ready to reach their goals. The city embraces the race and the crowd is eager to support the participants throughout the 13.1 miles ahead. Adults and children line the streets with creative signs, it’s impossible to not have adrenaline flowing before and during the race. The approach over the New York Street bridge and the sound from the cheering crowd signals that the end is near, it’s my motivation to find a final kick toward the finish line.
Jay’s Advice
Run the mile you’re in. It’s normal to get tired when you start thinking about how many miles you have left and that can be daunting. It brings anxiety and stress that will cause you to lose the joy of the day. Instead, focus on the shorter steps that will get you to the finish. Maybe that means just giving yourself a pat on the back for every mile you knock off. Maybe it means running for four minutes and then walking a minute. Maybe a simple plan of running pit stop to pit stop works best for you. Breaking the race down into shorter segments will help mentally as well as allow you to enjoy the day with all your new 30,000+ friends.
Feeling inspired by Jay’s story? If you’re interested in participating in the 2018 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, click here.
Jay, along with our other Ambassadors, will be sharing he training experience and motivation leading up to the race. Follow along and share your experience using #IndyMini on social media!