Sam Costa Half and Quarter Marathon

March 23, 2024
Carmel
Road
Distances
Half-Marathon
Starting Time

9:00 AM

Fees

$60+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

100-500
Fast & Flat
Small Town
High: 52°
/ Low: 38°

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 52nd 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
Overview
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 52nd 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

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Sam Costa Half and Quarter Marathon Course Map

Distances
Half Marathon
Starting Time

9:00 AM

Fees

$60+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

Train with Runna

Use code HALF for 2 weeks FREE

Ready to sign up?

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