Evening Full of Events Will Impact Traffic on Meridian Street
The Monumental Mile will take place on Thursday, June 6, 2019 in downtown Indianapolis. This marks the 6th annual running of the family-friendly event.
Things to Watch:
- Presentation of $160,000 by Beyond Monumental to organizations supporting local public education. Receiving donations are: IPS Education Foundation ($130,000), Teachers’ Treasures ($15,000), and Lawrence Township School Foundation ($10,000), and Pike Township Educational Foundation ($5,000).
- Elite Athletes will chase a $2,000 prize purse, and $1,000 time bonuses of sub 4:00.00 (men) and sub 4:30.00 (women). Athletes of note include:
- Alejandro Garcia – 2x NAIA All-American leads the field with a Mile PR of 4:02
- Hunter Heaton – 3x NCAA Division 1 All-American and Big 12 Runner-Up in Cross Country
- Sydney Meyers – Zionsville Community High School Alumna is a 2x NAA Cross Country Qualifier, and a 3x Mid-American Conference Champion
- Olivia Ballew – 2018 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Champion and 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon qualifier. Ballew won the “open” wave of the Monumental Mile last year setting the event record in 5:21.0.
- Master’s Champions Mike Cole and Lucie Mays-Sulewski will return to defend their titles. This would be the fifth consecutive Monumental Mile Master’s championship for Cole, while Mays-Sulewski has won 3 of the previous 5 titles. Both are current Master’s Division record holders for the event.
- USATF Indiana One Mile Road Championships – USATF Indiana athletes will compete for the state title
- Elementary students from four schools will participate in the Youth Mile as part of Monumental Kids Movement, a health and wellness program started by Beyond Monumental in 2012.
- Presentation of Awards to winning companies in the Apex Monumental Challenge, a corporate wellness program created by Beyond Monumental in partnership with Apex Benefits Group.
Traffic Advisory: The northwest quadrant of Monument Circle, and Meridian Street from 12th to 13th will close starting at 3pm. Meridian Street will be closed to through traffic from 6:25pm through 7:45 p.m. from 11th to 16th, Street to ensure safety at our start line, as well as having reduced lanes from Ohio to 11th street. Please note that northbound Illinois Street and Delaware street, southbound Pennsylvania Street and Capitol Street will not be affected. View the map here.
Schedule
| Time | Wave | Honorary Starter |
| 6:30 p.m. | Open Male | Mike Heard, President of Washington National |
| 6:35 p.m. | Open Female | Honorary Starter, Cori Korn, Executive Director, Lawrence Township School Foundation
Foundation |
| 6:45 p.m. | Masters Male | Honorary Starter, Amber Chittenden, Vice President, Client Engagement, Apex Benefits |
| 6:55 p.m. | Masters Female | Honorary Starter, Stephanie Bailey, Executive Director, Indianapolis Public Schools Education Foundation |
| 7:05 p.m. | Community Mile | Honorary Starter, Sharon Annee, Director of Orthopedics & Neurosciences, Franciscan Health |
| 7:10 p.m. | Monumental Kids Mile | Honorary Starter, Aleesia Johnson, Interim Superintendent, Indianapolis Public Schools |
| 7:20 p.m. | Youth Female | Alicia Van Rensburg, Resource Development Manager, Teachers’ Treasurers |
| 7:30 p.m. | Youth Male | Honorary Starters, Katie Martin, Vice-President, Pike Township Educational Foundation & Shara Gardner, Vice-Principal, Eastbrook Elementary School |
| 7:40 p.m. | Elite Female | Honorary Starters, Julie Burns, Chief Executive Officer, Jump IN for Healthy Kids & Megan McKinney Cooper, Communications Director, Jump IN for Healthy Kids |
| 7:45 p.m. | Elite Male | Honorary Starter, Brad Sugarman, Beyond Monumental Board of Directors |
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm The Monumental Mile after party will take place on Monument Circle featuring live music, food, and family-fun!
The following will take place on the steps of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument on Monument Circle:
7:53 pm – Apex Very Small Business Champion Award Presentation
Presenting the award: Amber Chittenden, Vice President, Client Engagement, Apex Benefits and Jed Cornforth, Beyond Monumental Executive Director
Receiving the award on behalf of Indianapolis City Market, Stevi Stoesz, Executive Director
7:55 pm – Apex Small Business Champion Award Presentation
Presenting the award: Amber Chittenden and Jed Cornforth
Receiving the award on behalf of The International Center, Martin Baier, President & CEO and Peter Kirkwood, Protocol Officer
7:57 pm – Apex Medium Business Champion Award Presentation
Presenting the award: Amber Chittenden and Jed Cornforth
Receiving the award on behalf Delta Faucet is Ariela Mackenzie
7:59 pm – Apex Large Business Champion Awards Presentation
Presenting the award: Amber Chittenden and Jed Cornforth Receiving the award on behalf of CNO Financial Group, Mike Heard, President of Washington National.
Donation Presentations:
7:59 pm – Presenting $5,000 to Pike Township Educational Foundation
8:01 pm – Presenting $10,00 to Lawrence Township School Foundation
8:03 pm – Presenting $15,000 to Teachers’ Treasurers
8:05 pm – Presenting $130,000 to IPS Education Foundation
The Monumental Mile attracts runners of all ages and abilities. The 2019 Monumental Mile has a full slate of races throughout the evening including Youth, Masters, Open and Elite divisions. Of particular note is the Non-Competitive Community Mile, which allows friends and families to participate together regardless of gender or age division.
Event registration is available online through midnight on June 5 and onsite on race day beginning at 5 p.m. on the west side of Monument Circle for $30.
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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 $1,000,000 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