With sunrise edging upward, near –freezing temperature and a brisk breeze, the participants stepped off with a thumping hip-hop tune blaring in the background. Then came the wait, with spectators clutching their coffee mugs, and marking time before making their way to the finish line.
The winners and their times:
MARATHON (MEN, 2:22:21) Hillary Cheruiyot, a Kenyan based in
MARATHON (WOMEN 2:42:37) Mandy Grantz,
HALF MARATHON WINNER (1:05:27 new course record) Jesse Armijo
Local luminaries were on hand to greet the participants before the starter’s gun sounded: Mayor Greg Ballard, St. Francis President and CEO Robert Brody, Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White, IMM President/Founder Carlton Ray, IMM Executive Director Kim Gale, and IMM Honorary Chair Bob Kennedy, a former marathon runner for the U.S. Olympics team.
Indeed. The IMM, whose title sponsor is Franciscan St. Francis Health, has sparked tremendous interest in the world-wide running community. The record number of participants this year more than quadruples the number who signed up for the inaugural 2008 race.
The event also included a 5K race sponsored by local engineering firm, HNTB Corp.
“This is an amazing race and one for which the City of
Franciscan St. Francis Health had about 150 volunteers assisting in a variety of ways, most notably a team of physicians, nurses and other health professionals with the St. Francis Sports Medicine Program.
“Promoting health and wellness benefits our entire community, particularly our youth,” said Robert J. Brody, Franciscan St. Francis CEO and president. "Truly, the marathon is a test of endurance for athletes and we are proud to return as title sponsor of this event.”
And it takes a monumental effort to organize an event like IMM. Overseeing that task was The Tuxedo Brothers, a local sporting events management company, operated by brothers Don and Phil Carr.
The IMM’s urban courses are sanctioned and certified by the standards of USA Track and Field, the national body of road racing. The marathon course also serves as a qualifier for the 2012 Boston Marathon.
Since 2008, the IMM has generated more than $180,000 in proceeds, most of which has have benefited Indianapolis Public Schools programs.
For the final results and other information about the 2011 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, go to www.monumentalmarathon.com.
To learn more about the St. Francis Sports Medicine program, go to http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=54.
You can view photos of the 2011 IMM on Facebook and local media coverage at https://www.facebook.com/FranciscanStFrancisHealth
