THIS POST IS PART OF THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
On the first Saturday of May, over 35,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair racers take over the streets of downtown Indianapolis for The Greatest Spectacle in Running – the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. One of those runners will be OrthoIndy physical therapist Jeff Sorg, who is running his 20th Indy Mini-marathon.
It all started in 1999, when Jeff and his brother had a conversation about how they should train for the Indy Mini in May. “At the time, I really thought it would be a one time thing,” said Jeff. “I ended up enjoying it so much that I decided to continue to sign up every year since.”
How do you train for the Indy Mini?
Jeff shared that he runs year round to maintain a base level of fitness which he enjoys. However, after January 1st, Jeff ramps up his mileage by mixing in a few longer runs every week. Ultimately, he builds up to a long run of 11 miles one or two weeks before the Indy Mini in May.
Over the years Jeff has changed how he trains for the Indy Mini. “My training has changed as I used to follow a regimented program or schedule and train with a local running group,” said Jeff. “Now, I run on my own and do not stick to a super strict schedule, however, having that discipline and experience at first helped. Additionally, the first five to seven years of running the Indy mini my goal was always to lower my completion time, but now I have trained to maintain a steady pace.”
How do you stay motivated?
Jeff finds the Indy Mini to be a fun event and something to look forward to every year which makes it motivating for him. Additionally, with the event being in May, Jeff finds that the ramp up in mileage and running has always been a great way to get in shape after the holiday season.
“My favorite part about the Indy Mini is the start of the race because it is an adrenaline rush,” said Jeff. “To be around so many amazing people who you know have put in a lot of hard work and time into running, always makes me excited.” Jeff is also a huge fan of the Indianapolis 500 race and attends ever year so enjoys the lap around the track during the race.
Do you see yourself continuing to run in the Indy Mini every May for years to come?
As Jeff would love to say ‘yes’ to continuing to run in the racei, he is unsure as life is making it challenging for him to train. “Having twins that both play soccer and baseball, finding the time to get the consistent mileage and getting the longer runs in, is becoming more of a challenge than I realized,” said Jeff. “But after May 4th, I’m sure I’ll find myself signing up again for next year.”
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