How do I register for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon?

Registration is open to everyone and opens at midnight ET on January 1. It closes at noon ET on November 4 or when the race sells out, which has happened 13 consecutive years. A brief additional registration window also opens during Race Weekend for the following year's event.

What is the time limit for the marathon?

The time limit is 7 hours. The finish line closes at 3:30 p.m., and runners must maintain a minimum pace of 16:00 per mile to finish within the cutoff. Runners must also pass the half-marathon split (between miles 7 and 8) by 10:25 a.m.

Is the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. The course is USATF-certified and accepted by the BAA as a Boston qualifying race. About 18–19% of marathon finishers have earned a BQ time in recent years.

What is the elevation profile like?

The course is very flat, with just 302 feet of total climbing over 26.2 miles. The highest point on the course is 776 feet and the lowest is 699 feet. The only meaningful elevation change is a series of small rolling hills between miles 15 and 18, with no single climb exceeding about 60 feet.

What is the typical race-day weather?

Early November in Indianapolis is generally cool and crisp, with race-morning temperatures in the upper 30s and afternoon highs near 58°F. Overcast skies and light winds are common, making it a good setup for fast running.

How many people finish the marathon?

The 2025 edition had 6,674 marathon finishers, the largest in the event's history. The event overall (marathon, half marathon, and 5K) welcomed 17,500 participants.

Is the course USATF certified?

Yes. The official race website states the course is USATF-certified, which is a requirement for Boston qualifier status in the United States.

Sat, Nov 7 · 2026Indianapolis, INSince 2008

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon

The Monumental Marathon takes you through downtown Indianapolis and its historic neighborhoods on a nearly flat loop course, with cool November air and strong crowd support from the state fairgrounds to the finish line. It is one of the most reliably fast road marathons in the Midwest.

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INDIANAPOLIS MONUMENTAL · US

Indianapolis Monumental

SAT, NOV 7

2026

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Race Overview

EST. 2008

The Monumental Marathon starts and finishes in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, right near the Indiana Statehouse. The first few miles can feel a bit crowded because the marathon and half marathon go off together, so resist the urge to run with the faster half-marathon pack early. After that shakes out around mile 6, you settle into a steady rhythm through neighborhoods and past the Indiana State Fairgrounds between miles 8 and 9. It is a genuinely fun stretch with good crowd energy.

The one section that demands your attention is miles 15 through 18, where the course rolls along Meridian Street. None of the climbs are big individually, but they come in sequence and they will test you if you have gone out too hard. Be patient there. After mile 19, the course drops toward the White River Greenway for a quieter couple of miles before looping back into downtown for the finish. The weather in early November is usually in your favor, with cool mornings and low humidity. Registration is open and fills fast every year, so signing up early on January 1 is your best move.

Field size

~6.2k

6,200 finishers

BQ rate

19%

Above national average

Time limit

7:00

Generous cutoff

Entry

Open

First-come registration

Course records

Men

2:12:29

Joseph Whelan

2025

Women

2:31:49

Lindsey Bradley

2024

The Course

285 ft total gain

Total ascent

↑285 ft

Total descent

↓280 ft

Net elevation

↑5 ft

Highest point

776 ft

Lowest point

699 ft

Course shape

Loop

Start and finish in one place

The Monumental Marathon is a flat loop course starting and finishing in downtown Indianapolis. Cumulative elevation gain and loss are each just 302 feet across 26.2 miles, with a max point of 776 feet and a low of 699 feet. The first half runs through downtown and the Indiana State Fairgrounds area and is nearly pancake-flat. The one sustained challenge falls between miles 15 and 18, where rolling terrain on Meridian Street adds the most accumulated climbing of the day. No individual climb is large, with the biggest at roughly 60 feet, but the sequence arrives when legs are already tired. After mile 19 the course drops gently along the White River Greenway before a flat return downtown. Runners targeting a PR should bank patience through miles 1-6 (the course is crowded with half-marathon participants early), hit the rollers conservatively at miles 15-18, and expect fast conditions the rest of the way.

DIFFICULTYFLATPR-FRIENDLYYES

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Race-Day Weather

10-year median

Low

38°F

High

58°F

30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°

What to expect

Early November in Indianapolis means a cold corral and a cool race. You're looking at a low-to-mid 40s start that warms into the upper 50s by midday, so dress in throwaway layers you're happy to ditch in the first couple miles. The conditions are generally good for racing fast, but don't underestimate the chill at the gun, especially if there's any wind. Most years this is a genuine PR window, not a day you're fighting the thermometer.

Entry

OPEN

Open registration with no lottery, no qualifier. Prices step up as fields fill; the marathon itself rarely closes before race week.

Register on race site

Logistics

For runners travelling in

Closest airport

IND

12 mi

from the start

≈ 19 min transferOn the doorstep

What to expect

Most travelling runners fly into IND, about 12 miles from the start, right on the doorstep by rideshare or transit, roughly a 19-minute trip. Stay close to the start in Indianapolis, IN so you're not fighting race-morning closures and transit on tired legs. Arrive a day early to clear the expo and bib pickup, and build in buffer for gear-check and corral entry.