Contacts: Sydney Meyers Michael Romor
Marketing & Consumer Experience Manager External Communications Manager
Beyond Monumental CNO Financial Group
sydney@beyondmonumental.org michael.romor@CNOinc.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Record-Breaking Sellout Headlines the 2025 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Welcoming 17,500 Runners from All 50 States and 22 Countries
The 18th annual event returns to Indianapolis for its 13 consecutive sell-outs.
INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 5, 2025 – The sold-out CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K returns to downtown Indianapolis for its 18th running on Saturday, Nov. 8, celebrating a record-setting year with a new start line on West Street and the largest marathon field in event history.
The 13th consecutive sellout welcomes 17,500 participants from all 50 states and more than 20 countries, representing the continued growth of one of the nation’s premier fall races and reinforcing Indianapolis’s reputation as a world-class running destination.
Race weekend begins with the Monumental Health & Fitness Expo on Thursday, November 6, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Friday, November 7, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Indiana Convention Center, Halls B & C. The Expo, free and open to the public, features official 2025 co-branded Brooks Running merchandise, interactive sponsor activations, and more than 40 health and wellness vendors.
This year’s race weekend celebrates the 10th anniversary of CNO Financial Group’s title sponsorship, a decade-long partnership built on shared commitment to health, wellness, and community.
Media parking is available throughout the Monumental Health & Fitness Expo and on Race Day. For credentials, parking details, and access to the hospitality and media room, please contact Sydney Meyers (sydney@beyondmonumental.org, 317-460-7169).
Race Weekend & Course Maps can be found here:
Notable Elite Athletes Scheduled to Compete
Full Marathon:
Men:
- Austin Nolan: Evansville, IN – 2024 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon Champion and NCAA Division II All-American
- Joseph Whelan: Webster, NY – Two-time US Olympic Team Trials – Marathon Qualifier and two-time Austin Marathon Champion
- Luis Orta: Miami, FL – Represented Venezuela in the 2016 Summer Olympics – Marathon and currently holds two Venezuelan Records (Half Marathon & 10K)
- Andrew Bowman: Ferndale, MI – 4th Place at the 2023 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon and Qualified for the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, two-time Detroit Free Press Marathon Champion (2024-2025), and 2024 Pittsburgh Marathon Champion
Women:
- Anna Benedettini: Virginia Beach, VA – 2024 US Olympic Team Trials – Marathon Qualifier and NCAA Division I All-American
- Gabby Hentemann: Dallas, TX – NCAA Division I All-American and Big 12 Conference Champion (10,000m)
- Lucy Dobbs: Indianapolis, IN – 2024 US Olympic Team Trials Marathon Qualifier and 3rd place at the 2023 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
- Alyssa McElheny: Belding, MI – 2025 Toledo Glass City Marathon Champion and NCAA All-American (3,000m steeplechase)
Half Marathon:
Men:
- Zach Panning: Washington, MI – Fort Wayne, IN native, 6th Place at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon, 10th at 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (2:09:16), and 13th at 2023 World Athletics Championship Marathon.
- Skylar Stidam: Bloomington, IN – 5th Place at the 2025 USATF 5K Road Running Championships and 12th at 2025 USATF 20K Road Running Championships
- Brandon Olden: Denver CO – 5-time Siena University Record Holder and 2025 IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Champion.
- Reid Buchanan: Kansas City, MO – Two-time Team USA World Cross Country Team Member and 2019 Pan American Games Silver Medalist (10,000m)
Women:
- Carrie Ellwood: Boulder, CO – 2025 USATF Cross Country Champion and 2025 USATF 25K Road Running Champion and American Record Holder (1:22:27).
- Molly Grabill: Lafayette, CO – 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon Finisher, 6-time NCAA All-American, and 2021 & 2019 CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon Champion
- Kasandra Parker: Waverly, IA – 7-time NCAA Division III National Champion and two-time Division III National Record Holder (5,000m & 10,000m)
- Olivia Pratt: Ferndale, MI – 3-time US Olympic Trials Qualifier and 3-time NCAA Division I All-American from Butler University
- Anne-Marie Blaney: Rochester Hills, MI – 2024 US Olympic Team Trials – Marathon Finisher, 2022 Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Half Marathon Champion, and 2019 World Athletics Cross Country Championships.
Notable Race Weekend Stories
- For the 13th straight year, the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon has sold out, welcoming 17,500 participants from every U.S. state and more than 20 nations — and setting the stage for a record-breaking number of marathon finishers.
- The Monumental Speaker Series returns Friday, Nov. 7, featuring professional runners, health experts, and training tips to inspire participants before race day.
- Elite fields will chase new event records (Half: 1:02:25 Men, 1:08:26 Women; Full: 2:15:41 Men, 2:31:49 Women).
- A Guinness World Record attempt will take place in the Half Marathon as Alec Arambula (MI) seeks to beat the current record for Fastest Half Marathon with Cerebral Palsy (2:09:27).
- The field includes seven returning champions, including Austin Nolan (2024 Men’s Marathon Champion), Lindsey Bradley (2024 Women’s Half Marathon Champion), and Molly Grabill (two-time Women’s Half Marathon Champion).
- Beyond Monumental and the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon partner with local organizations and nonprofits to help raise awareness and funds for their mission through the Run for a Cause program. Over 240 participants have aligned with a charity like Team World Vision, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, International Justice Mission, and more to raise funds and awareness as they train for the race.
Race Morning Schedule of Events
7:30 AM – Opening Ceremony Begins. Featured speakers and honorary starters include:
- Carlton Ray, Founder, Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
- Vop Osili, President, Indianapolis City-County Council
- Rocco Tarasi, Chief Marketing Officer, CNO Financial Group
- Brad Leatherbarrow, Event Marketing, Brooks Running
- Dr. John Baldea, Race Medical Director & IU Health Physician
- Gary C. Bhojwani, CEO, CNO Financial Group
8:00 AM – Official Start of CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon and Half Marathon
8:40 AM – Official start of CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental 5K
8:55 AM / 8:57 AM – Anticipated Male/Female 5K Winner
9:03 AM / 9:10 AM – Anticipated Male/Female Half Marathon Winner
10:15 AM / 10:35 AM – Anticipated Male/Female Marathon Winner
Marathoners have 7 hours to complete the race. Closed roads will open as soon as possible.
Interview Opportunities will be available with Beyond Monumental, CNO Financial Group, and IU Health representatives, based on the times, dates and locations listed below:
MONUMENTAL HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO – HALL B & C: NOVEMBER 6-7
Nov. 6, 2025 (4:00 pm – 7:00 pm) | Nov. 7, 2025 (11:00 am – 8:00 pm)
- Jed Cornforth, President & CEO, Beyond Monumental (available upon request)
- Elizabeth Kinder, Director, Community Relations, CNO Financial Group (available upon request)
- IU Health Representatives (available upon request)
RACE DAY, NOVEMBER 8 – STARTING LINE/FINISH LINE:
- Jed Cornforth, President & CEO, Beyond Monumental
- Gary C. Bhojwani, Chief Executive Officer, CNO Financial Group
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. - Dr. John Baldea, Race Medical Director & IU Health Physician
6:30 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Please contact Sydney Meyers (sydney@beyondmonumental.org, 317-460-7169) for interview arrangements.
For live updates and information on race day, follow @IndyMonumental.
####
About Beyond Monumental
Beyond Monumental, the 501(c)3 non-profit responsible for the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, 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 $1.6 million since inception. 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 18th annual running is scheduled for Nov. 8, 2025. For more information, please visit beyondmonumental.org.
About CNO Financial Group
CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CNO) secures the future of middle-income America. CNO provides life and health insurance, annuities, financial services and workforce benefits solutions through our family of brands, including Bankers Life, Colonial Penn, Optavise and Washington National. Our customers work hard to save for the future, and we help protect their health, income and retirement needs with 3.3 million policies and $38.3 billion in total assets. Our 3,300 associates, 4,900 exclusive agents and more than 6,500 independent partner agents guide individuals, families and businesses through a lifetime of financial decisions. For more information, visit CNOinc.com.