Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

( 61 reviews )
98% of reviewers recommend this race
  • Indianapolis,
    Indiana,
    United States
  • November
  • 3 miles/5K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon, 26.2 miles/Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Melissa

Indiana, United States
42 13
2014
"A Monumental 26.2"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Melissa 's thoughts:

SWAG:
Here's the deal - the official race shirts are pretty similar each year, so I had an idea of what to expect; grey and white, with either red or blue to signify which distance you participated in. I ordered a men's shirt, as I typically do at races, and found it to be too big. So my tip to you ladies - even if you normally get the men's shirt, go for the ladies cut! They'll fit, I promise. And they offered an exchange table if your shirt didn't fit, making it easy to switch it out for another shirt. For the medal; this year started a new initiative for the race, where the medal is one of four that will connect to make a design. While the medal was cool, it definitely looks like there's a chunk missing if you aren't aware of the four year plan for these medals. Very nice quality, just a little strange to look at with only one piece!

AID STATIONS:
This is my one major gripe about the race - the aid stations from about the half forward were lacking for anyone that was mid-to-back of the pack. By the time I reached the aid station where fruit, candy, and gels were promised (19 or 20, I believe), there were only a few Snickers left. While I was grateful for the treat to change up my fuel (and extra grateful that I had packed my own sugar and fuel!), I was annoyed that the course would be open for another 2 or so hours, and nobody out there would get those items either. Another issue I had with some of the earlier aid stations was that they were trying to fill water as runners were coming through, so you had to stop and wait to get a drink. While I wasn't racing (just going for a completion in my first full!), I can see how frustrating that would've been for someone trying to BQ or set a new PR. Volunteers were great and plentiful throughout the race, and they were still cheerful for those of us near the back!

COURSE SCENERY:
Not a complaint from me! The spectators greatly decrease on the full course after you leave the city, but it's still lots of great scenery and there is a lot to see. They also make a point to go past a ton of great Indy landmarks (like the IMA and cemetery), so you won't get bored even if there aren't spectators out!

EXPO:
The expo was awesome. There were a ton of great vendors, and even on the second day towards the end of the expo when we went, there was plenty of activity and merchandise left. One of my favorite part was the featured speakers. It was great to hear what they had to say, and having the opportunity to meet Jeff Galloway was fantastic!

ELEVATION:
On the full course, there are some slight inclines and one "bigger" climb. It's certainly a mostly flat course, just beware that you do climb a bit here and there.

PARKING:
Easy! They offer prepaid parking options through the race website, or you can take your chances at parking in downtown Indy. Either way, easy to find a spot if you get there early!

RACE MANAGEMENT:
Outside of my aid station complaints, I don't have any real problems with the management on this race. It's clear they know how to put on a great event, manage it well, and make sure it's enjoyable for all the runners.

Overall, I would do this race again - with one stipulation, and that's a date change! The weather for us was a feels like temperature in the teens and winds at 20mph coming from the North (meaning for the full, you ran into the wind for the first 14 or so miles). Indiana weather is unpredictable, and next year the race will be a full week later (on November 7th). Because of that, I'll likely skip this race and go for something that has a better chance at being a bit warmer. Never say never, though!

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