Strong Competition and Performance Incentives Lead to Fast Times
A combination of strong competition, fast courses and ideal running conditions led to several athletes taking the first step on their Olympic aspirations by running times fast enough to qualify them for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon. Beyond Monumental further incentivized athletes at this year’s event by adding a $1,000 bonus to any U.S. man or woman to qualify for the event, scheduled for Atlanta in 2020. Between the half marathon and full marathon, a total of 14 American athletes met the mark.
“We work to assemble fields not only of those within range of the Olympic Trials Qualification standards, but also try to add depth behind them,” said Elite Athlete Coordinator, Matt Ebersole, “It creates a competitive situation that pushes the faster runners and pulls the next level to PR’s. We try to learn something each year from our elite runners to make it better the next time for all of our runners.”
“Supporting elite and emerging elite athletes is central to who we are as an organization. Whether someone is trying to win their age group, qualify for the Boston Marathon or U.S. Olympic Team Trials, or simply finish their first half or full marathon, we do everything we can to support athletes pursuing their dreams of running fast,” said Jed Cornforth, Executive Director, Beyond Monumental.
Men
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Qualifiers – Time Standard of 2:19:00
- Aaron Fletcher, Salt Lake City, UT – 2:17:23
- Zack Beavin, Lexington, KY – 2:18:26
- Mike Deren, Louisville, KY – 2:18:29
- Jackson Neff, Chicago, IL – 2:18:47
- Caleb Kerr, Zionsville, IN – 2:18:57
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon Qualifiers – Time Standard 1:04:00
- Brogan Austin, West Des Moines, IA – 1:02:39
- Reed Fischer, Boulder, CO – 1:02:57
Women
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Qualifiers – Time Standard of 2:45:00
- Laurie Knowles, Atlanta, GA – 2:37:50
- Sallie Post, Portland, OR – 2:41:58
- Olivia Ballew, Bloomington, IN – 2:43:13
- Ann Alyanak, Bellbrook, OH – 2:43:36
- Leonora Petrina, Bayport, NY – 2:44:42
- Erin Vergara, Zionsville, IN – 2:44:46
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon Qualifiers – Time Standard 1:13:00
- Allison Cleaver, Brownsburg, IN – 1:12:45
The ideal conditions let to thousands of participants meeting their goals in Indianapolis, with nearly 20% of the marathon field running Boston Marathon qualifying times.
Plans are already underway for next year’s event, set for Saturday, November 9, 2019. Registration for 2019 will open on January 1, 2019 with special Monumental Resolution pricing.
About Beyond Monumental
Beyond Monumental provides the Indianapolis community with a complement of activities built around their premiere event that promotes healthy living & fitness for all ages. Beyond Monumental gives back to the Indianapolis community by supporting youth programming that reinforces healthy lifestyles for young people, with an emphasis on working with urban students and Indianapolis Public Schools, donating more than $1,000,000 in 10 years. The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is a top 20 marathon in the US and is nationally recognized by Runners’ World as one of “Ten Great Marathons for First Timers”. The 12th annual running is scheduled for Nov. 9, 2019. www.beyondmonumental.org