In 1936, Louis Meyer won the Indianapolis 500. He sped back to Victory Circle to celebrate and cooled off the only way he knew how… with a bottle of fresh buttermilk.
The milk bottle has since become a staple of victory at the Indianapolis 500 the same way wearing the wreath and kissing the bricks (and the 500 Festival Queen) cement a driver’s place in history. Drinking the milk from Victory Circle is one of the most iconic moments in all of sports.
More than 80 years later, the tradition has grown and developed a phrase almost as popular as the tradition itself – “Winners Drink Milk.”
Regardless of speed and ability, defeating 13.1 miles in May is a victory. And there’s no better way to celebrate victory in May.
Along with this symbolic medal, the 2018 hardware also carries a signature from one of the greatest American distance runners of all time – Meb Keflezighi. Keflezighi will return to the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon for the third and (possibly) final time in 2018 after retiring from the marathon distance at the TCS New York City Marathon in early November. Click here to read about Meb’s passion for the Mini-Marathon and his return to Indy.
The front of the medal highlights the Borg-Warner Trophy and the date of this year’s race on a raised silver medallion.
On the back of the medal, a nutrition label accents the unique Indy Mini participant facts, including the number of inches, feet, and steps in the Mini-Marathon. These facts pay tribute to the ingredients for victory, including the training, strength, endurance, and greatness that goes into every participant’s Indy Mini story.
This year’s medal is the first double-sided medal in the 42-year history of the Mini-Marathon. It’s also the second largest medal the race has ever produced, finishing runner-up to only the Borg-Warner Trophy medal in 2016.
To say we’re excited about this year’s design is a major understatement. We hope our participants are inspired by the significance of one of the most unique medal designs the Indy Mini has ever seen.
<<< Click here to view the full-size 2018 medal >>>
Not a fan…. Looks cheap, like something I’d get at a local 5k, not at the biggest mini in the world.
Hi, Rob! Please keep in mind that the photos you’ve seen are prototypes. The final version will feature dropped in white enamel with additional clear coating on top, making it look like a real milk bottle. We’ll be posting more photos of prototypes over the coming weeks, so please stay tuned! Or, if you get a chance, feel free to stop by our office to check out the medal in person. They look great!
I like the medal–completely unexpected, but still incorporating one of the enduring traditions of the Indy 500! There are only so many ways to depict a race car or the pagoda, so for those of us who’ve done A LOT of minis, this medal will be a nice break from the usual.
Sorry, you are so excited about this medal. Compared to the other 10 that I have, I like it the least. I think the white is very unattractive.
Hi Pam! Keep in mind this is a photo of a prototype. The color of the medal isn’t final. The final version will feature dropped in white enamel with additional clear coating on top, making it look like a real milk bottle. We’ll be posting more photos of prototypes over the coming weeks, so please stay tuned! Or, if you get a chance, feel free to stop by our office to check out the medal in person to get a better sense of its size and weight! Hope to see you at the #IndyMini!
I absolutely LOVE this medal. I am SOOOO sad that I can not attend the race this year, due to prior family commitments around the same time ( graduations ) I love that it is signed by MEB! I ran my very first Half the same year Med began to run the MINI and LOVED his motivational mile. I Love the “Facts” on the back! I feel it is a Great design!!
Cool!
Not really a fan of the new medal
This is a totally awsome design.
I love everything about it. Especially
The nutrition information.EPIC!!
#watchme
Yuck! Don’t like anything about it!
Hi Carole! Keep in mind that you’re seeing photos of a prototype and this isn’t the final version (we’re still making tweaks). We’re always looking for feedback for our medal designs for this year and years to come. Feel free to reach out with any suggestions at raceinfo @500festival.com. Hope to see you at the 2018 #IndyMini!
How about having Frank Shorters name on it. Along with Meb’s
I love where this medal is headed and everything about it makes me want to sign up! Nice job!!!
Not a fan of the milk bottle either & I doubt the finished look will change that. Why not a winner’s wreath or bricks? Hopefully in a future race…
Not excited about the design. Would prefer just the circular medallion instead of the whole large bottle. This obsession with the size of the medal is actually a negative for me. I liked the smaller ones of the past. Both the medals and the t-shirt designs are not as appealing as those in the past.
I like the metal and honestly would never complain. The ingredients on the back is cool. I run for the experience not the swag.
I personally like the Milk Bottle. Been to plenty of 500s and think it’s a neat idea. Seeing that Meb was coming back got me interested in doing the mini. My first ever mini was in 2016 and I’ve been following Meb ever since. When I saw Thanksgiving weekend if you were one of the 1000 to sign up you would get a replica of the Milk Bottle Medal. I signed up that weekend and look forward to getting both Milk Bottles!