FASTEST ROAD MILE IN INDIANA: SUB-4 MINUTE MILE ATTEMPT AND MASTERS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE LINE

Contact: Sydney Meyers
Marketing & Consumer Experience Manager
Beyond Monumental
sydney@beyondmonumental.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FASTEST ROAD MILE IN INDIANA: SUB-4 MINUTE MILE ATTEMPT AND MASTERS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE LINE

The Indianapolis 5K & Monumental Mile will take place on Saturday, June 24, 2023 in downtown Indianapolis.  This celebrates the 10th annual running of the Monumental Mile and the first-ever Indianapolis 5K. This year’s event also features the USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships with athletes in pursuit of National Titles and Age Group American Records.

Things to Watch:

• Elite Athletes will chase a $2,000 prize purse, and $500 time bonuses of sub-4:00.00 (men) and sub-4:30.00 (women).  Athletes of note include:
  — Iconic sub-4 minute mile attempt: The 2023 Elite Field could see a new course and event record, and the first-ever sub-4 mile if the conditions are right. Headlining the Men’s Elite Field will be 4x NCAA DII record holder and Team New Balance Boston’s Christian Noble, who sports the fastest seed time of 3:53:50. Challenging Noble will be returning 2022 Men’s Elite Champion and sub-4 miler Ben Nagle, former Indiana State athlete and sub-4 miler David Timlin, and Eastern Kentucky athlete, Jackson Siddall.
  — Leading the Women’s Elite Field will be 4x Horizon League Champion Shelby Nolan, 2023 St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville Marathon winner and 2008 Indiana High School XC state champion Sarah Higgens, and NCAA DIII All-American and Ohio Wesleyan graduate Abbey Warth. Warth takes on the elite start line after running away with the title of the 2022 Women’s Open Mile field.
• USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships – USATF Master athletes will compete to crown the fastest Master milers from across the country. Athletes of note include:
  — The 2023 Championships welcome a multitude of 1 Mile American Record (AR) holders – Sabra Harvey (Women’s 65-69 AR), Jeannie Rice (Women’s 70-74 AR), Doug Goodhue (Men’s 70-74 AR), and David Westenberg (Men’s 65-69 indoor).
  — Joyce Hodges-Hite’s finish will set the first-ever 85-89 Women’s American Record for the 1 Mile on Saturday. Based on the depth of the field alone, at least seven American Records could be rewritten. Divisions to watch for are the Women’s 55-59, 75-79, and 85-89 age divisions and the Men’s 50-54, 55-59, 65-69, and 70-74 age divisions. 

• Presentation of $65,000 by Beyond Monumental to organizations supporting local public education. Receiving donations are: IPS Education Foundation, Lawrence Township School Foundation, Pike Township Educational Foundation, and Perry Township School Foundation.
• Presentation of Awards to winning companies in the Monumental Corporate Cup, a corporate wellness program created by Beyond Monumental to support Central Indiana organization’s goals of health & wellness. 

Traffic Advisory: The northwest quadrant of Monument Circle, and Meridian Street between the Circle and Ohio Street will close starting at 5:30 a.m. Pennsylvania Street, St Claire Street, and Meridian Street will be impacted and have rolling road closures from 7:50 a.m. through 11:10 a.m. surrounding the American Legion Mall. The east half of Monument Circle will close for the 5K race from 7:50 a.m. until it is safe to reopen for participants (approx. 8:45 a.m.) Please note that northbound Illinois Street and Delaware street, southbound Pennsylvania Street and Capitol Street will not be affected.

Schedule

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – The Celebration on the Circle will take place on Monument Circle featuring music from Runnertainment, food and drinks, and family-fun!

The following will take place on the bricks of Monument Circle just north of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument (times approximate):

11:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Awards and donation presentations

Monumental Corporate Cup Champions:

• Medium Business Champion Award Recipient – Apex Benefit
• Large Business Champion Awards Recipient – CNO Financial Group
  — Receiving the award on behalf of CNO Financial Group, Elizabeth Kinder, Director, Community Relations

Donation Presentations:

• Lawrence Township Education Foundation
• IPS Foundation

The Indianapolis 5K & Monumental Mile has a race for everyone and attracts runners and walkers of all ages and abilities. The 2023 race has a full slate of races throughout the morning including a 5K, a Doggie Dash, and Youth, Masters, Open and Elite divisions of the 1-Mile. Of particular note is the Non-Competitive Community Mile, which allows friends and families to participate together regardless of age division and encourages strollers and wagons.

Monumental partners – CNO Financial and IU Health – can be available for interview or quote upon request. Our partners support Beyond Monumental’s mission of actively supporting youth health and well-being by providing access to exceptional events and programs centered around the sport of running.

On-site registration is available on race day beginning at 6:30 a.m. on the west side of Monument Circle. For more information, please visit monumentalmile.com.

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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 over $1.5 million in 14 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 16th annual running is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2023. WWW.BEYONDMONUMENTAL.ORG