The Real Amazing Race

As May comes every year in Indianapolis the 500 festival events kick off with possibly the second largest event, the Mini Marathon. This event, a 13.1-mile endeavor that takes runners from across the globe through a scenic route across downtown Indianapolis, is known to attract an array of runners. The care free atmosphere and the state-wide broadcasting are some of the aspects that make it so irresistibly appealing for a wide variety of people consisting of all ages and skill levels. Although what most runners know is that no one can just wake up and run a half marathon, preparation is key. As Juma Ikangaa, a world class marathon runner said, “The will to win means nothing if you haven't the will to prepare,” as some find out the hard way, Juma’s words are indubitable. As the runners take their mark at the start line a quick survey of the field will show a few typical types of competitors. At the front of the pack are the elite, Kenyon runners, somewhere in the middle are the high school cross country runners and finally there are the peons.
As the race begins the front runners are always predominantly Kenyan. Much of this has to do with the environment that the Kenyans grow up in. First of all Kenya is at a very high altitude making the oxygen levels much lower than they are in much of America. This difference is like an extra boost that helps the Kenyans get more oxygen with less effort. Another contributing factor to the Kenyans success is their local economy of Kenya. Much of the Kenyan population is stricken with poverty; this in turn causes many Kenyans to live without a car. Without cars the Kenyans are forced to walk or run to their various destinations; this incorporates running into Kenyans everyday lives.
Another large group of runners are formed by the cross country runners. While a small few may actually know what the getting into, the vast majority have only seen the tip of the iceberg. These runners stick out in the crowd and their determined look is tediously underscored by an air of uncertainty. Traditional garb for these competitors is their high school cross country uniform with a few randomly placed sweatbands. These runners always go out fast and try to keep up with the Kenyans and usually do for the first 5k or so. What theses runners don’t realize is that if they go out like they do for their traditional three-mile race they will run out of gas by the five-mile marker. This ignorant approach to long distance running is probably due to the fact that these runners have never run more than three-miles consecutively. For these runners the mini is generally a one time deal, although due to the large population of cross country runners, a fresh batch is sure to give it a go next year.

The last and possibly most pathetic group is the peons. These “runners” generally have no idea what they are doing, even if they are veterans of the mini. The easiest way to pick out a peon is to look for the people wearing the race shirt the day of the competition. This outlandish display of ignorance goes against every cardinal rule of running. First, all true runners know that no one wears the race shirt until they have completed the race. Second, the race shirt is made of cotton and is not only extremely water absorbent but can also cause quite a bit of chaffing. Lastly, the race shirt is long sleeved and although it may be 60 degrees at the start of the race by the time the peons finish it will surely be in the high 70’s or 80’s. Another sign of stupidity that the peons often proudly display is their brand new shoes that they haven’t run a single mile in. It doesn’t take an expert to tell that this is a terrible idea, not only could the shoes cause terrible blisters without running in the shoes the arch of the shoes could be too high or low and cause excruciating knee pain

As the race comes to a close it is clear who truly knew what they were getting into. In last year’s mini, out of the top sixteen places fifteen were claimed by runners with Kenyan heritage. As for the high school cross country runners, none of the top 500 places were taken. As for the peons, although it is hard to tell how this group’s best athlete did, it is undoubted that none of them claimed a top place in their respective age divisions. Overall the mini marathon is a paramount in the running world, although for many, the mini cannot be enjoyed to its fullest due to lack of preparation. "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or gazelle - when the sun comes up, you'd better be running." (Author Unknown) Although for humans running does not necessarily determine their survival, it allows many to experience an extremely beneficial exercise that has been around since humans have been able to stand up and walk.

Goals

Every year I have set a goal for myself each year getting a bit more ambitious. The goal for my first mini was simply to finish, since I had never run that far before and after doing this I've given and attained my goal every year.

Last year my time was 1:35:40, my goal was 1:36. There isn't special scientific way I come up with this number, essentially i just subtract roughly 9 minutes off my time and then look for a number around there that seems challenging yet accomplish-able. This year I want to finish under 1:27. However this goal may be a bit more challenging since I recently broke my ankle and was unable to train for a while.

22 Days

Its already April and I don't know about you guys but I haven't exactly been sticking to my strict training schedule. Not that I make one. Possibly one of the best things about being young is being to go out and run 10 miles without any training. I bet my dad wishes it was the same for him, he lays out a 2 month training schedule that steadily increases his mileage week by week.

However, this year has been accompanied by some major road blocks for both of us, for me it was breaking my ankle, and for him, a pulled hamstring but regardless of my time the mini is always a fun.

This being my ninth mini im hoping its my best yet. It also wouldn't hurt if a few of the 33 year mini runners would call it quits so I can accomplish my goal of running the most mini's ever consecutively.