RECORD-BREAKING AND OLYMPIC DREAM-CHASING DAY AT THE CNO FINANCIAL INDIANAPOLIS MONUMENTAL MARATHON

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16th annual CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K took place this morning in downtown Indianapolis in true monumental fashion, with nearly 15,000 athletes participating. The event was highlighted by three new course records and 19 athletes achieving the Olympic Team Trials - Marathon standard, unofficially.

Both the Men's and Women's Champions in the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon toppled the previous course records. Lyle O'Brien cruised down the finish stretch to cross the line in 2:15:41 - beating the former record set in 2021 by almost a minute. Rachel Hannah pulled away in the final mile to knock the women's course record down to 2:35:17, 19 seconds faster than the 2019 then-record time of 2:35:36.

The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental 5K also reset the records board in the women's division. Mackenzie Callahan took home the 2023 title in 16:03, besting the previous record of 16:18, which stood for seven years.

Results:
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Men's Champion: Lyle O'Brien of Boulder, Colo., finished first overall and set a new course record in a winning time of 2:15:41. Mason Jones of Titusville, Fla., crossed the line second in 2:15:59, and Brian Masterson of Seattle finished third, coming in at 2:16:04.

Women's Champion: Rachel Hannah of Post Elgin, Ontario, broke the finish tape and set a new course record with a winning time of 2:35:17. Elizabeth Bigelow of Twin Falls, Idaho, finished second with a time of 2:35:33, and Lucy Dobbs of Indianapolis secured third place with her time of 2:36:39.

CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon
Men's Champion: Thomas George of Lafayette, Colo., finished first with a winning time of 1:03:18. Second-place finisher Brandon Garnica of Provo, Utah, and third-place finisher Charles Sweeney of Boulder, Colo., were close behind with times of 1:03:24 and 1:03:33, respectively.

Women's Champion: Katie Izzo of San Diego blasted through the tape in 1:10:45, just ahead of second-place finisher Jeralyn Poe of Flagstaff, Ariz., who finished in 1:10:47. Marybeth Chelanga of Colorado Springs, Colo., came in third, with a time of 1:10:59.

CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental 5K:
Men's Champion: Asher Propst, Noblesville, Ind., in 14:47.
Women's Champion: Mackenzie Callahan, Boulder, Colo., in 16:05 - setting a new course record.

Other Highlights:

• The 2023 event is the 11th consecutive sellout of the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.
• Nearly 15,000 participants joined the 2023 event from all 50 states and more than 25 countries, among them Costa Rica, The United Kingdom, France and Australia.
• A possible 19 Olympic Team Trials - Marathon qualifiers – were achieved: five in the Women's Half Marathon, nine in the Men's Marathon and five in the Women's Marathon.
• Beyond Monumental's Run for a Cause program saw more than 150 participants run with a charity, such as Team World Vision, Medals4Mettle, American Society of Suicide Prevention and others, all of which served to raise funds and awareness as they trained for the race.

"What a thrilling, record-setting day for the 16th annual CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon," said Jed Cornforth, Executive Director, Beyond Monumental. "Today was all about celebrating participants and their monumental achievements. So much work goes into an event like this - from the miles and miles of training for each participant to the collaboration of hundreds of volunteers, community partners and sponsors. We're grateful to have the city of Indianapolis that supports such an inspirational event."

"It was an inspiring day for the city of Indianapolis, the race participants, volunteers and everyone associated with the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon," said Gary C. Bhojwani, Chief Executive Officer, CNO Financial Group. "This sponsorship underscores our commitment to health, well-being and the central Indiana community, and we're proud to be the title sponsor for our eighth consecutive year. As a nationally recognized event, the Marathon celebrates the culmination of the hard work and dedication of so many people. We thank Mayor Joe Hogsett and his office for their efforts in helping make this day possible and we look forward to another outstanding race in 2024."

The event's title sponsor, CNO Financial Group, proudly supports its hometown marathon and celebrates Beyond Monumental's shared commitment to health, wellness and the central Indiana community. The sponsorship continues to provide significant growth opportunities for Indy's premier running event.

Full results, when available, can be found here.

Plans are already underway for next year's event, scheduled for Saturday, November 9, 2024. Registration will open on January 1, 2023, with special Monumental Resolution pricing for the first 1,000 participants.

About Beyond Monumental
Beyond Monumental provides the Indianapolis community with a complement of activities built around their premiere event that promotes healthy living & fitness for all ages. Beyond Monumental gives back to the Indianapolis community by supporting youth programming that reinforces healthy lifestyles for young people, with an emphasis on working with urban students and Indianapolis Public Schools, donating over $1.5 million in 14 years. The CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is a top 15 marathon in the US and is nationally recognized by Runners' World as one of "Ten Great Marathons for First Timers". The 16th annual running is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2023. WWW.BEYONDMONUMENTAL.ORG

About CNO Financial Group
CNO Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: CNO) secures the future of middle-income America. CNO provides life and health insurance, annuities, financial services, and workforce benefits solutions through our family of brands, including Bankers Life, Colonial Penn, Optavise and Washington National. Our customers work hard to save for the future, and we help protect their health, income and retirement needs with 3.2 million policies and $34 billion in total assets. Our 3,400 associates, 4,600 exclusive agents, and more than 4,000 independent partner agents guide individuals, families, and businesses through a lifetime of financial decisions. For more information, visit CNOinc.com.

SOURCE CNO Financial Group, Inc.