'Round the Twon
Step to It–Your Mini-Guide to Spring Running Events
Springtime brings warmer weather and the urge to get moving after a long winter. Whether you’re a serious runner or just looking for extra incentive to get active outdoors, there are numerous upcoming races and fun runs to choose from.
Shamrock Run
March 16 Bottleworks District indystpats.com Debuting an all-new course beginning at the Indianapolis Fire Department Union Hall on Massachusetts Avenue and continuing through the scenic near Northside neighborhoods of downtown Indianapolis before the big finish line at the Bottleworks District, featuring food, drinks and entertainment, this year’s Shamrock Run and Walk will knock your socks off. 
Indy 5K Beer Run
March 23 Sun King Brewery – Downtown Indianapolis sunkingbrewing.com Walk, jog or race through downtown Indy and its nearby neighborhoods before enjoying a post-race pint of craft beer from Sun King Brewery. Part of the 2024 Indiana Brewery Running Series Season, the mission is to be active, have fun and give back, with more than $500K raised for local nonprofits to date. 
Easter Egg 5K
March 30 Indiana State Museum Lawn whiteriverstatepark.org Hop on over to the Indiana State Museum for the 10th anniversary of this springtime fun run—with a 5K course along the canal and a kid's 80-yard dash—that ends in an epic egg hunt and Easter party for the entire family. 
Total Eclipse Trail Race
April 8 Southwestway Park dinoseries.com Watch the total solar eclipse darken the sky before the starting horn blows at 3:10 PM, just as the sun begins shining again. But don’t worry—the race is chip-timed, so you can soak in this once-in-a-lifetime event before beginning your 5- or 10-mile trail race. Your entry includes eclipse glasses and an original finisher’s medal. 
Carmel Marathon
April 13 Carter Green carmelmarathon.com Challenge yourself with the full 26.2-mile distance or shorter events, including relay legs, winding through Carmel’s spectacular neighborhoods. This fast and flat course, known for ideal conditions, is one of the top Boston Marathon qualifying events, with a weekend full of events for elite athletes, novices and spectators. |
Hoosier Half Marathon
April 13 Bloomington, Indiana hoosierhalf.com Before you jump on your bike next weekend for Little 500, lace up your running shoes and blitz through Bloomington on foot—all the way to Ellettsville and back on the new Karst Park Trail for an exciting 13.1-mile loop. 
PanCAN Purple Stride
April 27 White River State Park pancan.org Join Stephen Moore and the Chateau Kitchens family, premier sponsors of the Indianapolis event, and support pancreatic cancer research, awareness and community impact in this inspiring run filled with hope for the future. Read more about PanCAN, Purple Stride and the Moore family in this month’s cover story, where you can also register for the event. 
500 Festival Mini Marathon
May 4 Downtown Indianapolis indymini.com Voted “America’s Best Half Marathon,” the 500 Festival Mini Marathon is an iconic race, drawing more than 20,000 participants from around the world each year. The course begins and ends downtown, winding through White River State Park and west to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where runners have the opportunity to run around the 2.5-mile track and even kiss the bricks. 
Dances With Dirt Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K
May 18 Nashville, Indiana dwdgnawbone.com Accomplished trail runners take on the rolling woodland hills with the spectacular backdrop of Brown County in a series of runs that are challenging, to say the least, often doubling your road time and tripling your effort. But it’s all in good fun and always ends in a post-race barbeque bash. 
Indy Pride Rainbow Run
May 18 Fowling Warehouse Indianapolis indypride.org Sport your most colorful running gear for this family-friendly run celebration to kick off pride season and support the local LGBTQ+ community. Beginning at the Fowling Warehouse (think football + bowling), the course winds through Brookside Park before taking you back for post-race fun. |