Indianapolis 500 Festival

The IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon begins in downtown Indianapolis and quickly heads toward one of the most distinctive sections of the race: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Runners enter the historic racing venue and complete a full lap around the speedway track before returning to the city streets. After leaving the track, the course continues through central Indianapolis before finishing near the downtown start area. The route is largely flat with long straight sections that allow runners to maintain a steady pace throughout the 21.1 kilometers. The lap inside the speedway is the highlight of the event and makes this race unique among half marathons. Large crowds gather near the start, finish, and speedway sections to support participants.