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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