INDIANAPOLIS – Beyond Monumental has announced that it’s flagship event, the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K has converted to a virtual race and will cancel the in-person experience in 2020 in the interest of public health. The annual event draws nearly 20,000 participants from across 50 states and multiple countries.
“Over the past several months, we have been working with city officials, local authorities, medical providers, volunteers, participants and community partners to navigate all of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and their guidance led to our ultimate decision,” said Jed Cornforth, executive director of Beyond Monumental. “We are fortunate to have a significant support system in place, and we feel a deep responsibility to keep everyone involved as safe and healthy as possible. We remain fully committed to our mission of improving health and wellness through running events and programs and will continue to work as hard as ever toward that purpose.”
The virtual experience will allow participants to still complete the race while observing social distancing. Participants register, receive a race package in the mail, run the prescribed distance at the location of their choice and submit their results online. Each distance has a variety of benefits, listed here.
Participants who are already registered the in-person event will now have the option to switch to virtual participation, defer the entry to 2021, donate their entry, or request a refund. Many answers to questions about registration, VIP experiences, and the virtual experience can be found on the events FAQ page.
Options are still being explored for an in-person experience for Beyond Monumental’s Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben event, currently scheduled for Saturday, October 3.
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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 $1.3 million in 11 years. The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is a top 15 marathon in the US and is nationally recognized by Runners’ World as one of “Ten Great Marathons for First Timers”. The virtual event experience is scheduled for November 2020. www.beyondmonumental.org