My 2025 Monumental Half Marathon Experience

There’s something special about waking up on a cold race morning in Indianapolis — that mix of nerves, excitement, and hope we all feel when we pin on a bib. But this year’s Monumental Half Marathon was different for me.

I didn’t show up with a pacing strategy.
I didn’t come to chase a PR.
I came for something much simpler: to enjoy running again.

After a packed race season and the growing pressure I’d been putting on myself, I realized I had drifted away from the pure joy of the sport. Running is supposed to be my reset, not another source of stress. So I decided to treat this race as nothing more than a cold fall adventure through Indy with thousands of others who get it.

And honestly? It was exactly what I needed.

A Cold Start Line, A Quiet Mind

The morning was cold, and I wondered why I was standing in the corral wearing a paper-thin singlet and shorts. But the crisp air actually gave the morning a refreshing energy.

For the first time all year, I didn’t look at my watch for guidance. I just eased into the run, found a comfortable rhythm, and let the miles come to me. No plan. No pressure. No internal negotiations about splits.

Just running.

A Huge Shoutout to Beyond Monumental

The Beyond Monumental team truly put on an exceptional event this year. They moved the start line, and the improvement was instantly noticeable. The usual bottleneck in those early miles was gone.

The flow felt smoother, safer, and far less chaotic. It’s clear the organizers really listen to runners and put serious thought into making the experience top-tier.

And Athletic Annex Came Through Again

Indy is lucky to have Athletic Annex as our local running store. Not only do they support the running community year-round, but they always show up strong for Monumental.

I grabbed one of their limited-edition race singlets — and even though it was freezing out, I have zero regrets (NO RAGRETS!). Not to brag, but I looked pretty DOPE!

The Bigger Lesson

This race reminded me of something I tell runners all the time:

You don’t have to chase a PR every time you step up to a start line.

Sometimes the best races, the ones that reconnect us to our “why”, are the ones where we:

• release expectations,
• quiet the pressure,
• and simply show up for ourselves.

That’s what I did at the Monumental Half this year, and it turned into one of my more enjoyable races of 2025.

If you’re feeling that pressure build up, maybe it’s time to give yourself a “just run for joy” race, too. You might surprise yourself with how light and fast you feel when you let go of everything else.