Course Records Expected to Drop at 13th Annual Carmel Marathon Weekend

 With one of the fastest and flattest Midwestern marathon and half marathon courses in the spring, the 2023 Carmel Marathon Weekend has attracted an elite field of runners aiming to break course records on Saturday, April 8 in Carmel, Ind. CRRG Events, event organizers for the Carmel Marathon Weekend, are expecting more than 4,000 participants on race day, the largest field in its 13-year history. For the third year in a row, the event has sold out its full marathon event. The popular race in Carmel, Ind., will bring in participants from 40 states and six countries.

The elite field of more than 40 runners in the full and half marathons will also be the largest in the event’s history. The entry list includes multiple women already qualified for the 2024 Olympic Marathon Team Trials while a handful of other elites will be aiming to hit the qualifying standards, set at 2:18:00 (men) and 2:37:00 (women) in the full marathon and 1:03:00 (men) and 1:12:00 (women) for the half marathon.

With a personal record of 1:06:04 in the half marathon, World Athletics Half Marathon Championship silver medalist Cynthia Limo of Kenya is the top contender for the Carmel Half Marathon and could break the current women’s course record of 1:12:42. British Olympian Rob Mullett, now residing in Indianapolis, and Brayden Law of Fort Wayne, Ind. will lead the half marathon men’s field looking to break the course record of 1:04:22. Jesse Davis (Omaha, Neb.) will return to compete in the half marathon distance as a seven-time winner of the full and half marathons in Carmel.

Reigning Carmel Marathon Presented by Franciscan Health champion Peighton Meske (Knoxville, Tenn.) is back to defend her title and race for the women’s course record of 2:36:47. Fellow Knoxville resident Katie Baska will be on her heels, along with Jennifer Bigham of Pittsburgh. Previous winners Lucie Sulewski (2015 full marathon; Westfield, Ind.) and Ann Alyanak (2011 half marathon; Bellbrook, Ohio) will also line up with the full marathon field. At least three men will be in contention to beat the current full marathon course record of 2:20:48, including Jack Beakas (Auburn, Ind.), John Liddell (Milwaukee), and Anthony Williams (Bloomington, Ind.).

In addition to purse money, bonuses are paid for course records in the marathon and half marathon. Runners have an extra incentive to compete for the win with the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) to award their State Championship Event for Indiana title at the Carmel Marathon Presented by Franciscan Health. RRCA will also award its 2023 Central Region Championship Event title to the Carmel Half Marathon winners.

While the full marathon is sold out, registration continues through the Fitness Expo on Friday, April 7 for the Carmel Half Marathon, Indiana Spine Group 10K and Indiana Members Credit Union 5K. Spectators can track participants along the course on race day via mobile app or online. For more information, please visit CarmelMarathon.com.