Live Races
The One and Done Chase The Checkers LIVE Half Marathon & 5k (Half Marathon Includes $10 entry to the month long Ultra Dare)
It is extremely negligent, and flat out dangerous to host massive endurance races with 10's of thousands of participants during the current pandemic. That is why many of the races we absolutely love and look forward to annually are being forced to cancel, defer, or go virtual again this year. With that being said...as the saying goes #runningisnotcancelled. There are safe ways for smaller scale events to take place. We at RaceMaker Productions have prided ourselves on being diligent with safety while maintaining creativity in planning events to keep folks connected, challenged, and racing. This May is no different and we are beyond excited to add a live in person Half Marathon & 5k Run/Walk for a very limited field on May 8, 2021 as a part of the Chase The Checkers event options.
Live Race Guaranteed:
If we cancel the Live Half Marathon & 5k event due to COVID-19 we will offer 3 options to every registrant.
1) A race registration refund minus RunSignup processing fees.
2) Event transfer to the Virtual Half or Ultra Dare.
3) Event transfer to another RaceMaker Owned event for 2021 or 2022. (Credit for total amount paid applied to new race)
Location:
Military Park 100 North West St Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
As many of you know RMP (a locally owned event management company typically doing over 130 annual events) is very nimble, and COVID-19 has made us even more so. We work all over the city all year long. As soon as we heard that the Mini would not host live, we began reaching out to our contacts to secure a venue. Our prime choice Military Park based in White River State Park was receptive and will be the host site for the First and Only Live Chase The Checkers Half Marathon & 5k. We are excited to have a great half marathon road course in Downtown Indy along the the White River corridor, and the 5k hosted in WRSP. We will allow up to 20 waves of 100 athletes between the two events to maintain proper social distancing throughout.
Live Half Marathon & 5k SWAG:
- 13.1 Mile Live Road Race
- 5k Live Road Race
- Mylaps Electronic Chip Timing
- Comfy "Chasing Checkers, Kissing Bricks" Long Sleeve/Tee/or Tank
- Chase The Checkers "One and Only" Finisher Medal (Lanyard notes Half or 5k Distances)
- Commemorative Chase The Checkers Bib
- Overall and Age Group Awards (no ceremony)
- Chase The Checkers Sticker
- Chase The Checkers Digital Finisher Certificate
- Access to the Chase The Checkers social group for support, encouragement, and fun
- All Live Half Marathon Entrants Get entry to the ULTRA Dare Event for $10 (A $15 savings)!!!!
Packet Pick Up:
There will be NO Race Morning Packet Pickup. We will offer Packet Pickup opportunities on Wednesday, May 5th - Friday, May 7th. Locations and time to be announced.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) Is this race affiliated with the 500 Festival and/or Indy Mini Marathon? No, we are not AT ALL! We are a local event management company that stepped up to offer a half marathon drastically smaller in scale that can be done in a safe manner during the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been hosting races at this exact site throughout 2020, and the first quarter of 2021.
2) What is "Chase The Checkers?" Chase The Checkers was originally a virtual event launched by RaceMaker Productions in 2020 to challenge Indiana endurance athletes to stay connected, competitive, and to raise funds for our friends at Gleaners Food Bank as hoosiers faced increased hunger needs due to the Pandemic. It was very successful, and returned for 2021 to continue with the same mission. As the opportunity came up the week of March 1 we decided to add a LIVE Half Marathon as a "one and done" race to provide a small percentage of runners/walkers a chance to compete safely in person.
3) Are you affiliated with IMS, and/or will we run on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? No, we are not connected to IMS, or the Indy 500. No we will NOT run on or near IMS. Our staff is made up of "born and raised" Hoosiers who know how special May is, and want to keep that fire alive! We know we can do it safely, and look forward to providing the opportunity for folks to race in person!
4) Are spectators allowed at the event? As we continue to follow local guidance to keep these events safe, and work to stop the spread of COVID-19...we will continue to NOT ALLOW spectators to this event. If a youth is running that is under 18 years old we allow parents to attend; however, no other spectators are allowed.
5) Are strollers allowed at the event? Yes, strollers are allowed and the course is stroller friendly. We simply ask that you enter your estimated finish time/pace WITH the stroller when you register. This will assure we get you in the proper start corral for your pace.
6) Are dogs allowed at the event? Unfortunately dogs are not allowed at the Chase The Checkers Half Marathon. We hope you have many epic training runs with your 4-legged friend...we sure will be with ours!
7) How are start corrals assigned? Start corrals will be assigned as the event nears based on your estimated finish time entered when registering. This helps eliminate some passing, and spaces out the field competitively with one another.
8) When are start corrals assigned? Start corrals will be sent out race week. We do want all participants in Military Park close enough to hear announcements prior to the start of the race so everyone should be ready to roll at 7:00 AM.
9) I'm registered and can't make it now....what do I do? We do have a general no refund policy in place for all our events. That being said we know stuff happens, and we do offer a virtual option with all current races. Please drop us a line at events@racemaker.org with what is going on, and we will at least assure to switch you to virtual as well as work out getting your SWAG. Please note we need this info before the race to assure we get your SWAG set aside.
