INDIANAPOLIS – Rain cleared just as the men toed the line for the 2025 USATF 5 km Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hosted by the Delta Dental 500 Festival, the race ran through White River State Park and culminated with a sprint down New York Street to finish at Military Park.
In the men’s race, reigning champion Ahmed Muhumed was the one to beat as he looked to defend his 2024 title. In his first road race of the season, Dillon Maggard went out strong to lead a tight men’s pack. As the men reached the first turn on the course just after the first mile, Muhumud, who was fourth at the USATF Half Marathon Championships earlier this year, traded the lead with Maggard. The pair went stride for stride with nearly the entire men’s field on their heels through the second mile.
In a series of short, sharp turns just after the two mile mark that a lead pack of eight was able to break away with Maggard surging to the front, but the race was far from over. Going into the final half mile straight, Muhumed and his Hoka NAZ Elite teammate Olin Hacker made their move along with Casey Clinger to break away from the lead pack. It was Hacker and Clinger duking it out as they eyed the finish line as Muhumud fought to hang on to third.
Hacker held off Clinger to take the win in his first road race of the season with a 13:31.93 over Clinger’s 13:33.04. Muhumud successfully held off Kirubel Erassa for third in 13:36.88 over Erassa’s 13:41.65.
“I thought maybe the record was out of sight [coming into the final stretch],” Hacker said following his victory. “Today was all about competing and getting the win. I knew Ahmed would be out there and when we came down to 800 to go we were 1-2. He ended up third so it was a great race for us.”
Two-time champion Annie Rodenfels was eyeing a three-peat as she toed the line in near perfect race day conditions, but it soon became Josette Andrews who had a target on her back.
Annie Rodenfels had a target on her back going into this year’s Championships as she eyed a three-peat. Josette Andrews, running in her 5 km road debut, quickly became the one to beat. The pair settled into the front of the lead pack early and maintained their positions through the first mile. As the lead pack crossed the bridge over White River, Rodenfels had dropped back and Andrews started to push the pace but Bailey Hertenstein, who was fourth at the 5 km Championships in New York last year, would not relent.
Hertenstein fought to keep the pace that Andrews was setting, but couldn’t quite hold on as Andrews took advantage of a slight downhill straight to stretch out her lead with just over a kilometer to go.
As Andrews rounded the final turn, there wasn’t a single runner in her wake. She charged down the final half mile straight with total control to clock a 15:05.55 and take over the USATF 5 km crown. Hertenstein held off Tokyo steeplechase silver medalist Courtney Frerichs for second place with her 15:15.52 clocking and Frerichs clocked a 15:17.28 for bronze.
“Normally I’m on the track instead of the road, but I was so at ease going into this race,” Andrews said in her post-race interview. “It was fun to be able to break it up and compete on the roads this year before heading back to the track.”
The USATF Running Circuit will head to Grand Rapids, Michigan on its next stop of the series at the USATF 25 km Championships on May 10.