Elites, large out-of-state contingent and new rankings highlight popular Central Indiana race
CARMEL, Ind. (April 4, 2022) – Organizers for the 2022 Carmel Marathon Weekend are planning for more than 3,500 participants on Saturday, April 9, 2022, the largest field in its 12-year history. For the second year in a row, the race has sold out its full marathon event and is on track to reach capacity in the half marathon. The popular race in Carmel, Ind. will bring in participants from 43 states, as well as a strong field of elite runners expected to break course records.
The Carmel Marathon Weekend consists of a full marathon, the Carmel Half Marathon Presented by Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP, Indiana Spine Group 10K, Indiana Members Credit Union 5K, and a four-person marathon relay. The race course begins and finishes at Carmel’s Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts (at 3rd Avenue and City Center Drive) with the course passing through the Carmel Arts and Design District, Midtown, Old Town Carmel and a variety of Carmel Clay Parks.
The fast course continues to attract a stellar field of elite runners year after year. With a personal best of 2:15:40, Calvin Chemoiywo (Kenya) is expected to break the current men’s marathon course record of 2:21:46 set in 2014 by Jesse Davis of Indianapolis. He will be challenged by Steve Froeschle (2:21:23 personal best; Davenport, Iowa), David Mutai (2:20:07; Kenya) and Joseph Mugekenyi (sub-2:20 goal; Kenya). Sydney Devore’s (Ferndale, Mich.) personal best of 2:32:38 would also lower the current women’s marathon record of 2:36:47 set last year by Kathy Derks. Raymond Magut (1:00:00) and Mary Munanu (1:07:54), both from Kenya and currently training together in Lansing, Mich., are expected to break the course records for the Carmel Half Marathon Presented by Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP.
The Fitness Expo will return to Carmel High School on Friday, April 8, after being held outdoors at the Carter Green in 2021. This year’s expo is sold out with more than 30 vendors on site from across the U.S. featuring running apparel, regional running events, running products, specialty food retailers and local charities. The Fitness Expo is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Friends and family of participants as well as members of the local community can join the fun at the Indiana Vein Specialists Cheer Zone at Midtown, featuring live music, a live stream of the finish line, easy access to restaurants and more. Midtown Plaza sits on the east side of the Monon Trail, north of Elm Street, connecting the Carmel Arts and Design District to Carmel City Center. An app is also available to track participants’ progress on race day.
After staging a virtual race in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Carmel Marathon Weekend returned as an in-person event with six new course records and 29 percent of marathon participants qualifying for the Boston Marathon, making the event a top-5 Boston-qualifier race per MarathonGuide.com. The race, the 34th largest marathon in the U.S., has also moved into the 7th position on FindMyMarathon.com’s list of the 50 Best Boston Qualifying Marathons. Due to its growth, the event was chosen to take part in the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Ranking Qualifying Series in 2022, the first ever global age group marathon ranking system.
Race organizers selected the Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide (ICPYAS) as its official charity for this year’s event. ICPYAS, founded in 2001 and based in Central Indiana, works to end youth abuse and suicide through educational programs. As the official charity partner of the 2022 Carmel Marathon Weekend, ICPYAS will receive a variety of benefits including a cash donation that will underwrite the cost of in-school programming in Indiana.
Registration is open online through Thursday, April 7; last-chance registration is offered onsite at the Fitness Expo on Friday, April 8. While the full marathon is currently sold out, a waitlist is open. A virtual race option is also available. For more information and registration, please visit CarmelMarathon.com.
About CRRG Events:
CRRG Events is an event management and production company with more than 20 years of producing successful running events. Based in Carmel, Indiana, CRRG Events has staged and managed events across 11 states ranging from a 1-mile football halftime race to ultramarathons. For more information, please visit CarmelRoadRacingGroup.com.
About the Carmel Marathon Weekend:
The 12th annual Carmel Marathon Weekend on Saturday, April 9, 2022 will feature a full marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K, as well as a marathon relay. The Carmel Marathon is the second largest marathon in Indiana and the largest running event in the city of Carmel. The event offers a fast course (certified Boston Qualifier) through the popular Indianapolis suburb of Carmel, Indiana. To learn more, please visit CarmelMarathon.com.
