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This weekend, runners and walkers from across our city, state and country should have come together on Washington Street – stretching from the JW Marriott to the Arts Garden, all awaiting their moment to run under the giant American flag and begin their journey on foot the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway and back.

Although the Mini didn’t take place as planned this weekend, many still hit the pavement to log their miles. Many took a moment – as we often do on race day – to think about how far they’ve come since their race and some chose to write about it on a friend’s social media thread prompting the reflection.

Below is what came to mind. I’d love to hear memories from your first Indy Mini…

I signed up for the 2003 Mini with the hope that the idea of running alongside 35,000 people would motivate me to run regularly and lose a few pounds. I was doing step aerobics classes and, somehow figured if I could do two hours of step, I could do two hours of running and gently put off “real” training for a little closer to the race – running a few miles here and a few there, one 8-miler along the way.

I remember the people and the sights more than anything on race day – the elephants at the Zoo watching us go by, the belly dancers on White River Parkway, the cloggers before Allison Transmission… and the track! Why the **** do people think it’s FUN to run around that thing? But as a lover of experiences, it was pretty cool. And who drinks beer during something as long as a half marathon (I’d soon learn that it, too, was fun).

I remember barely being able to lift my feet off the ground and stumbling across the railroad tracks on 10th Street. The smell of popcorn ready to pop brings me back to race day and the stretch down White River Parkway. And I’ll never not know that it’s a mile from the turn onto New York to West Street. In fact, that’s where I got passed by a speed-walker – man, did she look fresh and did I feel humbled!

I remember laying on the grass in Military Park, exhausted, swearing off any future runs longer than a lap around my neighborhood. And then, the next day, signing up for 2004 where I took a similar approach to training.

With gyms and other workouts on hold during this time of responsible social distancing, many people are taking up Running as a way to get in some fitness (and sanity). Maybe you are one of them, maybe you know someone who is starting to Run more.

As a Running Club we certainly want to encourage folks to enjoy the benefits of our beloved sport like we do. But, we also want to encourage a responsible transition to help avoid injury and build up in a smart way to capitalize on this new adventure.

Attached are two progressions for transitioning to being a runner.

1. Intermediate – For relative newcomers starting from walking 20-30 minutes several times per week.
2. Advanced – For those who usually workout in other fashions (weights, high intensity intervals, spin class, etc.) that have a good base of fitness but can’t do those things right now.
3. We also have our Beginner Program that we started last year – starting with Walking then to Running 40-minutes over a 12-week span (maybe up to a 5k race?)

Where ever you are on your journey, please let us know how it’s going. And once we can gather again for group Club Runs, we’d love to see you join us!

Any questions, please feel free to write to our Medical Liaison, Brian Schuetter, PT with St. Vincent Sports Performance at medical@indyrunners.org.

Thanks so much and be safe out there!

Have you noticed that nearly every Friday, an email magically arrives in your inbox noting a prescribed distance and a recommended route for the next day’s Indy Runners club run?

We know that running with the club isn’t always possible, so we mapped out four of of our favorites starting and finishing at the River House Apartments, 6311 Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46220:

THE MONON:
https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2926031149
The Monon Trail is now over 27 miles long, a little over a marathon, from Indianapolis north through Carmel and Westfield. From River House in Broad Ripple, head north to 75th Street (3mi), to 86th Street (6mi), 96th (8mi) or even up to 146th Street (18) round trip.

WILLIAM’S CREEK / PENN LOOP:
https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2926015297
This route is ideal for adding a couple miles of hills to your workout and will cover 8-8.5 miles. Run north on the Monon, turn left (west) on 86th Street, then left (south) on Pennsylvania just before you reach Meridian Street. Run on Penn until it Ts at Arden. Turn left (east) on Arden and run along the river until the road nearly dead-ends. Turn left (north) and then right (east) on 70th Street.

You can get back on the Monon near the Art Center at 67th Street or may choose to extend the route a bit and run south along College to Fresh Thyme Market.

This route can be run in either direction. If you’re looking for additional hills, you’ll find them around Washington & 70th.

Watch for cars along Penn and at intersections throughout the run.

BUTLER UNIVERSITY & TOWPATH LOOP:
https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2926026451
From River House, head south on the Monon to 52nd Street. Turn right (west) running on the sidewalk. Cross with the lights at College Avenue and again at Meridian Street before you reach the north side of Butler’s campus. Turn left (south) onto Boulevard Place. Hinkle Fieldhouse will be on your right. Stop in there or the Health & Recreation Complex (HRC) for a drink of water or a restroom.

Continue past the HRC, turning right (west) before the campus parking garage and pass through Holcomb Gardens. Cross the pedestrian bridge onto the crushed-limestone towpath. Turn right and head northeast. The towpath will bring you back to Broad Ripple.

This route is a total of 6.5 miles and may be shortened by continuing along 52nd Street directly to the towpath.

Near 52nd and the towpath, you’ll soon find the Indy Runners-sponsored drinking fountain.

DOWNTOWN LONG RUN: https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/2926045174
Don’t let the name fool you. This 19-mile run, too, begins and ends at River House Apartments. Head south-ish on the towpath past Butler and Newfields/Indianapolis Museum of Art. At 30th Street, jog to your right and catch the light just past Riverside High School. Head south along White River Trail through Riverside Park and past the former Bush Stadium until you reach a large pedestrian bridge near 10th Street.

Cross the bridge and cross 10th Street at the light. Turn right (west) and run a couple blocks to the west side of the VA hospital. Turn left (south) before the bridge over White River and follow the path across New York and into White River State Park. From here, you can find your way onto the Canal Walk. Exit the Canal Walk at the USS Indianapolis Memorial and onto Walnut Street.

You’ll see the brown pavers of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail. Follow the Cultural Trail past the library, south through American Legion Mall, west on North Street, along Mass Ave to 10th Street. Turn right on 10th and look for the Monon Trail on your left. Run on the Monon until you return to Broad Ripple.

If you’re like me, you might find yourself going out for a run or walk just to balance out the weight of the news headlines. You may even wonder if there’s anything one person can do to counter them, even just a bit.

Indy Runners & Walkers member and volunteer Alison Brown was inspired to try.

This coming weekend, she’ll join women around the world in walking or running 21.1K (13.1 miles) and donating 21.1 Euros to support the International Alliance of Women (IAW) and Project 21.1. Look for her at North Central High School’s Great North Run.

Through the project, the IAW encouraged participants to share their running or walking stories “through the lens of Peace, Climate Change, Human Rights, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Education, etc.” We’d love to hear your running story in the comments below.  

Alison has had an impact locally though Indy Runners as a member and volunteer, as well as globally though IAW as a delegate to the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights and as Secretary General of the IAW, among many other roles.

She came to Indianapolis with her husband Siegmund, who joined Indy Runners in 2009. Alison soon discovered that waiting at the finish line for someone doing a half or full marathon was pretty boring and quickly decided to join the club. She could often be found doing 5- and 8-Ks as he raced longer.

Although Siegmund is no longer with us, you can still find Alison serving and empowering others at races and at Butler Basketball games.