Monumental Marathon breaks participation record just days before race
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The CNO Financial Group Indianapolis Monumental Marathon has the most participants in the race’s history with 19,000 runners this year.
Local and long-time runner Jessie Davis, who won the marathon in 2015, said he plans to do it again on Saturday in hopes of advancing to the Olympics in 2020.
“I actually made the Olympic Trials and I ended up getting in, but it was a pretty incredible experience,” said Davis. “It’s a great race.”
There are many runners like Davis who are competing for a special reason.
Runners either signed up for the 5K, half or full marathon. The Monumental Marathon was sold out just days before the main event on Saturday.
“It starts right at the corner of Washington and Capitol, head south right past Lucas Oil and we continue throughout the city up to Broad Ripple and kind of back down showcasing all the highlights and the monuments throughout the city along the way,” said Jed Cornforth, executive director of Beyond Monumental.
The event has made a positive impact on Runners Forum, a local business where runners have been buying shoes, energy drinks, snacks and apparel.
“We also have a lot of people that are coming in now for socks to prevent blisters and with the race day forecast being cold, it’s going to be a lot of people looking for apparel and advice on how to dress so that they’re comfortable throughout the duration of their event,” said Tom BonDurant, co-owner of Runners Forum.
“As long as it’s dry and it’s not that windy I think cold is fine,” said Davis. “I’d take that over the heat any day.”
Monumental Marathon organizers said runners are coming from all over the nation and are looking forward to a good race.
“It’s still growing, it’s really well organized and I expect it to be one of the best marathons in the country in the next decade or so,” said Davis.