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Home : Shamrock Run & Walk : History
History
The Shamrock Run & Walk first started in the early 1990’s. It was the third event added to the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration in Indianapolis to complement the Parade and Irish Citizen of the Year Luncheon. It is one of Indy’s longest standing race traditions. The start and finish of the Shamrock was at or near the former Indianapolis Athletic Club which was home of the host of the event, the Indy Sports Foundation. The Athletic Club made for a great post race celebration. With the closing of the Club in 2004 and the growth of the event causing logistical issues, the Shamrock was moved to the campus of IUPUI and the Indy Sports Foundation moved to the downtown Columbia Club. From 2004 through 2007 the race started and finished at the IUPUI John A. Carroll Track and Soccer Stadium and Natatorium. The length of the race has historically ranged between 4 to 5 miles for the run and 3 to 4 miles for the walk. The Shamrock was also one of the very few races held on a weekday. Race participants receive a commemorative race shirt and are encouraged to wear their best Irish race costume. The race is also timed and scores posted for those training for other races. The Shamrock Run & Walk is a major financial source for the Foundation’s charitable organizations and for the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration which includes the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
2008
The 17th Annual
Shamrock Run & Walk will undergo some significant
changes in 2008. The race will be moved to Saturday (March 15th) before
the Parade held on March 17th. The Shamrock moves to a NEW 4 mile run & walk
course that will start and finish on Monument Circle. The new course
will take participants on a trip to historic Fountain Square, home of
the “Irish Hill.” The Irish Hill was a heavily settled Irish
neighborhood in current day Fountain Square back in the 1850’s.
Other notable locations on the route include the Wholesale District and
Fletcher Place. The new course will also have plenty of sightseeing.
Some neat sights along the way include the Soldiers and Sailors Monument,
Indy’s oldest bar (Slippery Noodle), South Street Park (site of
Indy’s first pro baseball team near the intersection of Virginia
and South Streets), the Morris-Butler Home and the Abraham Lincoln Statue
in University Park. The new course will also take participants to the
actual “St. Patrick’s Street” in Indianapolis which
is site of the “St. Patrick’s Church” that was first
built in 1865. This will also be the last time to see the Pioneer Fountain
in Fountain Square at its present location. It will be moved to make
way for construction of the new Cultural Trail. The Fountain will be
dyed green for all those to see before being moved to its new location.
At the finish of the race, the historic Columbia Club will host a post
race celebration that includes live Irish music. This will bring back
some of the tradition established years ago at the Athletic Club. The
Shamrock is more than a race and it is open to people of all ages and
abilities. Be Irish for the day!