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.