Sam Costa Half Marathon & Quarter Marathon

Saturday, March 22, 2025 • Carmel, IN • Course Map

Named for a Chicago police detective who became friends with many of the local area runners who popularized what was known back in the 1960s as the Central Indiana Striders Half Marathon, the Sam Costa Half Marathon will celebrate its 54th annual running this year, making it one of the oldest 13.1-mile road race events anywhere in the country.

Thanks in part to its origins as a friendly race among running buddies who knew each other well — back when it started, the winner of the race would time his fellow runners as they crossed the finish line — the Sam Costa is also both a participant- and fan-friendly race, without the hordes of runners crowding the starting line that are such a common feature at big-city races.

Instead, the field is relatively small — in recent years, the event has seen around 400 to 500 runners cross the finish line in both races combined.

The course itself is also one of the draws for the race, as it takes runners through some of central Indiana’s most scenic suburban and rural country roads. Fast and mostly flat, the course is run entirely on paved surfaces, and starts and finishes at Carmel’s Northview Christian Life Church on 131st Street.

From there, the out-and-back race route proceeds in a northeasterly direction, reaching its turnaround point at East 160th and River Avenue, where runners begin their trek back to the finish.

All half marathon participants need to be aware that there is a 3-hour time limit for the race, which means you should keep a pace of at least 13:45 per mile.

Race Weather & Climate

Located just outside and to the north of the I-465 perimeter highway that circles Indianapolis, Carmel tends to experience crisp (and usually cold) weather conditions in the early spring — March temperatures average between the low 30s and the upper 50s, while the chances for rain are highest at the end of the month.

March 22 average low temp: 38ºF
March 22 average high temp: 52ºF

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for the Sam Costa Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

9:00 AM – half marathon
9:10 AM – quarter marathon

Fees

$57 and up – half marathon
$45 and up – quarter marathon

Registration

To reserve your spot in the 2025 running of Carmel’s Sam Costa Half Marathon or Quarter Marathon race, register online at RunSignUp.com here.

Official Race Website

www.samcosta.com

Comments

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