
Sam Costa Half Marathon and Quarter Marathon - presented by Indy Runners and Walkers
Race Date
Mar 21, 2026
Location
Carmel, IN
The Experience
The Oldest Race in the State of Indiana and the Flagship Race of our club - Indy Runners and Walkers! Initiated in 1970 by educators and coaches from Carmel High School, and managed by our volunteer led, not-for-profit club since the early 80's, Sam Costa has the legacy, charm, and friendly participant experience you would expect from a race put on by runners for runners. The Half is a test of early season fitness for those who train all winter. The Quarter provides a distance to build on for those with aspirations for longer events later in the Spring. Either way, the Sam Costa has a place for you! There is a 3-hour time limit for the Costa. This equates to a 13:44 pace for the Half Marathon (27:28 for the Quarter). Walkers are strongly encouraged to select the Quarter Marathon. The Sam Costa is brought to you by Indy Runners and Walkers, Indiana's largest RRCA-affiliated running and walking club. All net proceeds from the race benefit the Indianapolis running and walking community by providing high school scholarships, the healthy promotion of walking and running as a lifestyle activity and competitive sport, seasonal training programs, community runs/walks, and so much more. Special thanks to our hosts at Northview Church in Carmel, the Costa venue since 2006, for their hospitality and for providing a warm indoor space in their Student Activity Center for pre-race and post-race activities.
Logistics
Race Day
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Start Time
9:00 AM
Giveaway
Short Sleeve race shirt
Start Location
12900 Hazel Dell Parkway, Carmel, IN, 46033
Course Info
USATF CertifiedCourse Type
Loop Course
Terrain
road
Difficulty
Ultra-Flat
Elevation Gain
0'
Net Drop/km
-0.19 m
Separation
0.3%
Also Offers
USATF Certified Course
IN22009TDK · Sam Costa Half Marathon
Relatively flat with minimal net elevation change. Loop course — start and finish are close together.
Quality Score
Runner Favorite8626 years running
~240 finishers a year
growing or steady
37% returning runners
USATF certified · 2 timing sources
runners from 9 states
winner 1:09:27
typical high 53°F
Race Day Weather
5-year historical avgStart (Low)
35°
Afternoon (High)
53°
Ideal racing weather — cool and comfortable
0.2"
Precipitation
15 mph
Wind
64%
Humidity
Historical Finish Times
How 8,885 finishers actually crossed the line across 26 years.
Most recent
2026
Total finishers
8,885
Median time
1:45:46
Latest turnout
251
States
35
Turnout by year
2017–2026
Hover the histogram to inspect specific finish times.
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