Photo credit: Timmy Howard, Aurora Images
Indiana’s largest women’s-only race increases participant field by 30 percent
CARMEL, Ind. (September 3, 2024) – Smiles and speedy competition were shining despite clouds and rain at the 14th annual Indiana Women’s Running Festival on Saturday, August 31 in Carmel, Indiana. The event, which includes a half marathon, 10K and the Get a MOVE on Cancer 5K, provides a cash purse of $4,600 in total. As the only women’s half marathon in the United States that pays a top-20 cash purse, the event attracted nearly 20 elite runners. The field of almost 1,100 finishers included women from 28 U.S. states and five countries.
Reigning half marathon champion English Tomlinson, Ann Arbor, Mich. returned to defend her title with a finishing time of 1:16:46. Her 2023 result of 1:15:58 still stands as the current half marathon course record.
“I really enjoyed coming back to the Indiana Women’s Running Festival,” Tomlinson said. “Like last year, the event is extremely organized and well put together, the staff and volunteers are helpful, and Carmel is great! This year the weather made the race much more difficult. Depending on how my marathon schedule lines up, I would love to come back and race here again. It was a homecoming of sorts, and I would enjoy watching this race grow from year to year.”
As the largest women’s-only event in Indiana, the race also attracts a strong local group of fast racers. Indianapolis residents Abbey Warth and Jess Backherms won the 10K and Get a MOVE on Cancer 5K, respectively. At age 10, Sterling Howard of Fishers, Ind. was the youngest podium finisher with a 5K time of 18:50.
Podium finishers for the 2024 Indiana Women’s Running Festival include:
Half marathon
1 – English Tomlinson, Ann Arbor, 1:16:46
2 – Kelby Laughner, Indianapolis, 1:17:30
3 – Lucy Dobbs, Indianapolis, 1:20:40
10K
1 – Abbey Warth, Indianapolis, 38:49
2 – Camden Morris, Louisville, Ky., 40:20
3 – Laura Hunter, Lakewood, Ohio, 40:54
Get a MOVE on Cancer 5K
1 – Jess Backherms, Indianapolis, 18:15
2 – Sterling Howard, Fishers, 18:50
3 – Jill Inderstrodt, Indianapolis, 21:21
Full results for the 2024 Indiana Women’s Running Festival are available at WomensRunningFestival.com.
About CRRG Events:
CRRG Events is an event management and production company with more than 20 years of producing successful running events. Based in Carmel, Indiana, CRRG Events has staged and managed events across 11 states ranging from a 1-mile football halftime race to ultramarathons. For more information, please visit CarmelRoadRacingGroup.com.
