I don't remember why I chose Indianapolis as my second marathon. Maybe I had gotten a coupon for registration or maybe it was just the cheapest race of the ones I had researched for my 50 states.
The Race: Indianapolis Marathon, Indianapolis, IN, October 2008
My Training Plan: I used the Hal Higdon Novice 2 Marathon training plan. My longest run during training was a 20 miler. During this marathon training, I started taking ice baths for runs that were 18 miles or longer and realized that (despite how much I hate ice baths) they really help for recovery.
Weather: The weather was perfect. It was in the upper 30s to start, but quickly warmed up. I was able to take off my throw-away shirt by about mile 3, and didn't feel like I needed it again after that. It was sunny, so the sun kept you warm, but the temperature wasn't too high, so you didn't get too hot. The end of the race, once I cooled down, was a little cool (probably upper 50s or lower 60s)
Running Attire: Purple LIZ tank top over a short sleeved shirt and a throw-away long-sleeved shirt over it. Mizuno shorts with a pocket to hold food.
Who I ran with: I was all by myself for this race. I did talk to some runners along the way, but I didn't meet anyone during the run that I stuck with for any length of time.
The Course: This was a great course! The race was nice and small, with a maximum of 6,000 people between the marathon, half marathon, and 5k. The course was beautiful and mostly flat. The scenery was wonderful, and it goes through two parks. It was right around the time the leaves had changed colors, and there were many places along the course that you got a great view of some beautiful fall colors. There were only about three hills throughout the entire course and the first two were pretty short. There were a few small hills in the middle as you were running through a park's narrow bike paths, but it wasn't bad. The course ended in a pretty tough hill during the last mile. The hill was probably about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile long. But the course was much flatter than the Georgia marathon. The course has a lot of out-and-backs, but they count the numbers at mile 19 to ensure that everyone stays honest.
Organization: For a small race, the organization was great! They keep the race small, so I never felt too crowded or like I was trying to weave my way through people. The packet pickup was very smooth. I was able to pick up my race number the morning of the race and also able to wait for the start inside a warm building. I don't remember the expo being very big, but I do think there were a few vendors there in the morning for race packet pick-up. The water stations were well stocked and the volunteers were very nice.
Swag: The race was pretty small, so the only swag that we got was a long-sleeved technical shirt that had all the races on it. The medal also had all the races on it, so you couldn't really tell that you had run the marathon vs. the half marathon. The only distinguishing characteristic between the two races was the color of the ribbon.
Starting Line: The race was very small, so I sat on the steps of a building waiting for the race to start, and there was hardly anyone around. The starting line had pink signs with an estimated pace time set up along the start so you could line up around your estimated finish time, but there were no pace groups. There was no need for corrals because of the size of the race.
Fans: The fan support was less than ideal. There was plenty of support during the first half of the race, but the second half - where you really need it - there was hardly anyone. My fellow racers became my fan support. You would go miles without seeing a single fan. The racers became the fans, as the course was out-and-back, so many of the runners would shout "Great Job, Liz" and "Doing Well, Liz" as they passed me going the other direction (I had my name on the front of my shirt).
Finish Line: The food afterward was good - they had a free cookout for all participants.
How I felt: I ran the first part in just over 2 hrs and was feeling good. I didn't start getting really tired until about mile 21, which was much better than last time when I hit my wall at mile 17. I did get a calf cramp around mile 18. I stopped and stretched it, and it was fine after that. The last five miles of the race were grueling, and I probably averaged about 12-15 minutes per mile during those last miles. I was a little sore the next day, but my biggest concern was that my left foot was hurting when I put pressure on it. It was probably just a muscle problem, because it felt better the longer I walked on it, and it was better midway through the next week.
Travel/Tourism: I flew into the Indianapolis airport. The airport is much smaller than Atlanta (not many aren't), and it was easy to get through. I rented a car and drove to the Ft. Harrison State Park Inn. The Inn was very convenient to the marathon start and finish and also to the expo/packet pick-up (walking distance). The room was nice, and they were also able to accommodate the runners with a late check-out. The one thing that I was not happy about was that the room had a stand-up shower, so I couldn't take an ice bath afterwards.
The Indianapolis Marathon was a quick day trip. I flew in late Friday night, and flew back on Saturday after the race was over, so I didn't get to visit any touristy places while I was there.
I would definitely recommend this race to anyone who is doing the 50 states or who lives in the area!
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