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Defending Champs take Top Prizes at 2010 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon
Janet Cherobon wins fourth straight Mini-Marathon and breaks race record
By: Steve Brooks
INDIANAPOLIS (May 8, 2010) – A pair of familiar faces sprinted to the finish to win the men’s and women’s races in the 2010 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis. Janet Cherobon made it four wins by edging out Belainesh Zemedkun near the finish, while Festus Langat won his second straight OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon by pulling away from a three-man race down the stretch.
Cherobon, a Kenyan native who lives in Rome, Ga., has won several marathons this year. Her college resumé includes collegiate national championships in the 5,000-meter outdoor and 10,000-meter outdoor; she will be inducted in the NCAA Division III Track and Field Hall of Fame later this month. But winning in Indianapolis is special for Cherobon. “I am just so proud of myself, and I’m ready to come back next year,” she said. “I love it. The crowd is so amazing. I can’t imagine going to a different race than this one.”
The weather cooperated, in a way. While temperatures were in the high 40s during the race, skies were cloudy and wind gusts topped 30 miles per hour, making for cold conditions. But the conditions didn’t affect the 31-year-old Cherobon, who won in a record time of 1:10:59 – well below her 2009 winning time of 1:12.22. “Everyone’s got to run in the wind,” she said. “I just get in there … and just see what happens. This is what I got.”
In the men’s race, Langat was in a pack that included Ondara Macdonard and Alene Reta. But a late kick down the stretch put Langat in control. The Kenyan native who lives in West Chester, Pa., won in 1:02.51, three seconds ahead of Macdonard (Santa Fe, N.M.). “Last year there was no wind like this. Today it was very windy,” Langat said.
“It was very difficult to run in the wind. I was using my techniques to run this race, so I stayed behind and got (the lead). Last year was easy, but today was not easy.” Langat’s first appearance in the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon was in 2009, when he won in 1:03.55. “I like this race, this course,” he said. “That is why I came back again.”
Charlestown, Ind., resident Chad Johnson won the wheelchair division, crossing the finish line in 54:16. The cool temperatures and high winds didn’t seem to bother Johnson. “I thought it felt pretty nice, aside from making it slow going into the headwind,” Johnson said. “Not too cold. It wasn’t a huge field, so it made for a relaxing day.” Johnson was presented with a $1,000 check from Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana.
“I’m out here for competitive reasons,” Johnson said. “I race 25-30 times a year. I do this because I’m an athlete, a professional athlete.”
Brandon Smith, a sophomore track and cross-country runner at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, won the 5K race in 16:18. It was his second-straight victory in the race. “I was 20 meters back at one time,” Smith said. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to do it again.’” Smith almost didn’t make it to the race. “I almost got stuck in traffic. I got here 20 minutes before the race,” he said.
Registration for the 2011 OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is open now at www.500festival.com.
The mission of the 500 Festival is to advocate and celebrate the spirit, heritage and legacy of the Indianapolis 500®. Through social, cultural and educational events and programs, the 500 Festival enhances the quality of life for all citizens of our communities.
The 500 Festival, a not-for-profit volunteer organization, was created in 1957 to organize civic events celebrating the greatest race in the world. Over the past 53 years, the 500 Festival has grown to become one of the largest festivals in the nation.
Last year, over 500,000 Hoosiers and visitors participated in nearly 50 events and programs throughout the month of May. Whether they were athletes running the Mini, fourth grade students participating in the Education Program, families enjoying the state’s largest festival for kids or spectators being dazzled by one of the nation’s premier parades, they were there, celebrating the legacy.
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© 2008 500 Festival