FIRST POST: mini in South Bend

[J. Smith]

Greetings, group. I'm new to the group and newly returned to running after a couple of years off for
a bad knee. My one resolution this year is to finish a half-marathon -- I'd hoped to do the big one
in Indy, but, alas, it's been full for some time. I'm looking at the one in June in South Bend and
wonder who here has run it previously. Is it a good "first" mini (i.e. not too hilly or otherwise
taxing)? I've only ever run short races before. Mind you, my goal is only to finish it roughly in
the middle of the pack.

Regards, --Tim

[Leo]

The only one that I've heard of in that area is the Goshen/Elkhart run. IF it is the same run a
buddy tells me it is run on one half the high way while cars zoom by on the other half. Making it
hot and smelly.

I would encourage you to sign up May 6 for the 2004 Indy Mini. In Oct., a full marathon as well as a
half marathon is held in the Fort Ben area of Indy (Indianapolis Marathon). The Sam Costas half
marathon is sometime very soon as well (Carmel area).

Enjoy.

J. Smith wrote:
> Greetings, group. I'm new to the group and newly returned to running after a couple of years off
> for a bad knee. My one resolution this year is to finish a half-marathon -- I'd hoped to do the
> big one in Indy, but, alas, it's been full for some time. I'm looking at the one in June in South
> Bend and wonder who here has run it previously. Is it a good "first" mini (i.e. not too hilly or
> otherwise taxing)? I've only ever run short races before. Mind you, my goal is only to finish it
> roughly in the middle of the pack.
>
> Regards, --Tim

[M1ahearn]

>> I'm looking at the one in June in South Bend and wonder who here has run it
previously. Is it a good "first" mini (i.e. not too hilly or otherwise taxing)? <<

I ran the Sunburst Marathon in South Bend in June, 1999, and the weather was awful - hot and
humid, temperature around ninety degrees by the time I finished. I would recommend looking for
a fall half-marathon and run it in cooler weather. While I think the ninety degree weather was
a bit extreme for South Bend at that time of year, you could easily wind up with it being 75
degrees and for a first half-marathon, I'd definitely prefer it to be a bit cooler.

Mike

[Csrunner1]

>I would encourage you to sign up May 6 for the 2004 Indy Mini. In Oct., a full marathon as well as
>a half marathon is held in the Fort Ben area of Indy (Indianapolis Marathon).

yup, have run both of these several times. for spectator support you can't beat the Mini. the one at
fort ben has very few spectators (compared to the Mini) and it is a bit hilly in spots. the weather
in may can be warmish, less likely to have warm weather in oct.

good luck, cs