2009 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon sells out with 35,000 entries
Posted Sunday, 28 December, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS (December 27, 2008) – The 500 Festival announced today the 33rd running of the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has sold out with 35,000 entries. The event is schedule for May 2, 2009. Participants from all 50 states and 9 countries have registered. Entries postmarked on or before December 26, 2008, will be accepted.
Registration remains open for the Finish Line 500 Festival 5K at www.500festival.com which is on record registration pace. The 5K field of 4,000 is approximately 50 percent full. Registration is available online at www.500festival.com.
The Mini is the nation’s largest half marathon with 35,000 runners and walkers. As one of the nation’s premier running events, it is larger in participant base even than the legendary Boston Marathon. The Mini-Marathon has continued to grow since its inception in 1977 and a field of 800 participants. This is the eighth consecutive year the event has sold out.
“When you consider that nearly 40,000 people participate in the Mini and 5k, one would be hard-pressed to find a more valuable health and fitness initiative in our state. It gets people moving,” said Kirk Hendrix, President & CEO of the 500 Festival. “The Mini Marathon is not only a terrific value, but great fun…and we see that in the consistent sell-outs. And, as part of our plan to continually deliver superior participant satisfaction, this year we will introduce a single-use timing device which eliminates participants’ needs to stop at the finish line and have their timing chip removed. The 500 Festival is one of the few major running events across the United States that utilizes the newest technology,” said Hendrix.
The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon’s popularity is boosted by corporate supporters and partners such as OneAmerica, Finish Line, Marsh Supermarkets, St. Francis Hospitals, Subway, Brooks, WISH TV, Cumulus Radio and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 500 Festival will allow registration transfers for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon beginning in January. Rules and regulations will be posted to www.500festival.com at that time.
To volunteer for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon or other 500 Festival events, register online at www.500festival.com or call (317) 614-6112 for more information.
500 Festival Training Series, presented by OrthoIndy
Runners and walkers are now shifting gears to training for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Registration is also open for the Mini-Marathon’s official training program, the 500 Festival Training Series, presented by OrthoIndy. Returning for its ninth year the Training Series provides runners and walkers the opportunity to gauge their training progression for the Mini-Marathon. Training Series dates include: Feb. 7 (5K; 8:30 a.m.), March 7 (10K; 8 a.m.) and April 4 (15K; 8 a.m.). Registration is also available online at www.500festival.com. All Training Series events will start and end at the Indiana State Museum located in White River State Park.
The mission of the 500 Festival is to produce events and programs that celebrate the success of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Indiana and their guests. These events and programs, produced largely by volunteers, enhance the image of our city and state by showcasing our cultural, educational, and social benefits to the world.
The 500 Festival, a not-for-profit volunteer organization, was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the greatest race in the world. Over the past 52 years, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation.
Last year, nearly 500,000 Hoosiers and visitors participated in nearly 50 Festival events and programs throughout the month of May. Whether they were athletes running the Mini, fourth grade students participating in the Education Program, families enjoying the state's largest festival for kids or spectators being dazzled by one of the nation's premier parades, they were there, celebrating the legacy.
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