By Mark Ambrogi
With the Zionsville Half Marathon approaching its second year, race director and founder Mike Cole is seeing a rise in registrations.
“We’re about 10 percent ahead of last year at this time,” he said. “That’s my goal, to increase 10 percent a year.”
Cole said there were 402 runners last year. The goal is approximately 450 for this year.
“If we can get to the point in a few years where we have 800 runners or so, that is about as much the town can probably handle, anyway,” he said.
The second Zionsville Half Marathon and 5K is set for 7:30 a.m. June 11, starting at 30 Main St. The races start at the same time, and then the 5K course splits off.
“It seems like a lot of the runners that ran it last year are running it again this year,” said Cole, who competed in track and cross country at Ball State. “I’ve been able to promote it at other marathons going on.”
Cole is a Zionsville Community High School assistant cross country and track and field coach. His son oldest son, Logan, recently won the 2,400 meters in the North Suburban Conference meet as a Zionsville Middle School eighth-grader.
“We’re looking forward to see what he can do at the high school level,” Cole said.
His middle son, Skyler, was a sixth-grader on the ZMS track team. Aidan, a fourth-grader at Pleasant View Elementary School, will join his brothers at summer races at ZMS.
Early packet pickup is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 10 at Endurance House, 30 Main St.
The fee for the half marathon is $50 and $30 for the 5K through May 31. The half marathon price increases to $60 June 1 to June 7. After June 7, online registration is closed. Runners can register at the early pickup June 10. Race day registration starts at 6 a.m. and is $65 for the half marathon and $35 for the 5K. All half marathon finishers receive a medal, and the top runners receive prize money. All the runners receive pizza after the race. For more, visit run2race.com.
