Award recognizes best races in America as determined by runner nominations, running industry surveys, and online voting

INDIANAPOLIS (December 11, 2018) – The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been named Best Half Marathon in America in the 2018 edition of The BibRave 100: A Definitive List of the Best Races in America. The #IndyMini also earned awards for Exceptional Race Management and  Awesome Medals and Bling. In addition, the 500 Festival 5K was listed among the nation’s top 15 5K races. The 500 Festival was presented with these honors during an awards ceremony held at The Running Event, a conference and retail trade show for the running industry taking place in Austin, Texas.

The half marathon category received the most nominations for this year’s edition of The BibRave 100. Voters cited the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon’s lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a highlight. In addition, the race weekend experience also received top marks. One voter said, “It highlights what makes Indianapolis great, and this race screams ‘Hoosier Hospitality.’”

Named one of “America’s Most Iconic Races” by Runners World, the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is one of the nation’s largest half marathons (for the past 20 years) and annually attracts participants from all 50 states and 15+ countries around the world. Known as The Greatest Spectacle in Running, the race starts and finishes in downtown Indianapolis and includes a lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500. The flat, fast course is packed with thousands of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet, 16 course aid stations and nearly 100 course entertainment acts. The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is the 500 Festival’s largest fundraiser. Race registrations help support the 500 Festival’s free youth programs and events. This year’s race takes place on May 4, 2019, and registration is currently open.

“The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has become an iconic tradition, led by Hoosiers and embraced by the global running community. For more than 40 years, this race has provided over one million participants with the unique opportunity to be a part of the history and magic that is the Indianapolis 500,” said Bob Bryant, president and CEO of the 500 Festival. “We are proud that the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon has been named the Best Half Marathon in America – especially since the half marathon category was so popular. To also be recognized for exceptional race management, best medals, and one of the best 5Ks in America is the icing on the cake. This recognition is a testament to the dedication of our participants, volunteers, partners, and the Indianapolis community, who are an integral part to making the #IndyMini a resounding success every year. We welcome everyone to join us in May for the Greatest Spectacle in Running!”

The BibRave 100 is an annually published list of America's best races. Rankings are determined based upon runner nominations, surveys from the running industry, and online voting. The 2018 awards were announced at The Running Event, North America’s largest specialty running conference and trade show. The 2018 BibRave 100 honored America's best races such as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, Boston Marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon and the AJC Peachtree Road Race. The full results, including the other top finishers and the Awesome Medals & Bling, Beautiful On-Course Scenery, and Exceptional Race Management categories can be found here.

“All of the races listed on The BibRave 100 are shining examples of how to put on a great event, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the list,” said Tim Murphy, Co-Founder of BibRave. “Runners put a lot of time and research into planning their race calendars, and we hope The BibRave 100 is a helpful tool highlighting some truly wonderful races.”

All races listed on The BibRave 100 received The BibRave 100’s plush mascot, Benjamin, along with multiple other awards from The BibRave 100 sponsors. Each race received a commemorative bib and award photo from sponsor EnPhoto (which showcases the company’s photo ID and participant-sharing technology), plus a pair of AfterShokz Trekz Air and Recover Brands t-shirt, which uses recycled PET (plastic) and upcycled cotton to make their 100% recycled apparel.

The OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is sponsored by OneAmerica, Franciscan Health and Meijer. The Mini-Marathon will be broadcast to the Indianapolis market on WTHR, Channel 13. To register for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, or to learn more, visit www.indymini.com or search #IndyMini on social media.

About the 500 Festival:

Founded in 1957, the 500 Festival is a not-for-profit organization that produces life-enriching events and programs that celebrate the spirit and legacy of the Indianapolis 500® and foster positive impact on the city of Indianapolis and state of Indiana. One of the largest festivals in the nation, each year more than half a million people attend an event or program produced by the 500 Festival. Since its founding, the 500 Festival has contributed more than $400 million in economic value to Indianapolis. To learn more about the 500 Festival, please visit www.500festival.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About BibRave:

BibRave works with races and brands to help them engage with runners and ultimately drive more sales and registrations. Through their large and highly-vetted network of running bloggers (BibRave Pros), their popular Twitter event (#BibChat), and their new Podcast (The BibRave Podcast) BibRave helps endurance brands and races go beyond simple advertising and truly connect with more runners.

The company’s consumer-facing product is a race review site where runners can learn about a race before signing up, and leave feedback after the event. The company launched in late 2013 in the Midwest and is now based in Portland, Oregon.