Back Your Badge Marathon
- Date
- September 19–20, 2026
- Distance
- Marathon · Half Marathon · 5k & more
From the Organizer
The Back Your Badge Marathon is a premier running event proudly sponsored by the Town of Plainfield to honor and support all Public Safety Agencies — Police, Fire, and Communications. These dedicated professionals have made a shared commitment to the health and wellness of their personnel, and now it’s your turn to join them on the course. Celebrate community, wellness, and service at the 4th Annual Back Your Badge Marathon, featuring three exciting race distances — the 5K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon — giving runners and walkers of all levels a chance to participate.
The scenic, USA Track & Field Certified Course highlights the very best of Plainfield, combining historic US 40, the Plainfield Parks Trail System, and routes that pass local police, fire, and communications facilities. Each participant chooses an agency to represent, and every mile completed adds to that agency’s total. The team with the most combined miles will earn bragging rights and the coveted traveling trophy. Beyond the finish line, every step makes a difference. All proceeds directly support Public Safety Beneficent Programs, Local Youth Assistance Programs, and the Back Your Badge Paramedic Scholarship Fund, investing in the next generation of those who serve.
Join us in celebrating fitness, unity, and service — and show your support for those who protect and serve our community every day.
Events
Weather
Typical Conditions
It's too far out for a forecast, so here's what weather on this date is normally like in the area. A race day forecast will replace this as race week approaches.
Typical High
77°
Typical Low
56°
Based on US Climate Normals data from Indianapolis Nwfo, 6 mi from the venue.
Host City
About Plainfield, IN
Population
35,783
as of 2023
Elevation
715 ft
Nearest Airport
IND
Indianapolis International Airport · 6 mi
Time Zone
Eastern Time
From Endurance Grid
A mid-size host city. Enough lodging and amenities to keep race weekend easy, without big-city sprawl.
Race Location
Your Next Start Line
What Are You
Waiting For?
Every finish line starts with a single decision. Claim your spot at Back Your Badge Marathon, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
103
Days to train
- Race
- Back Your Badge Marathon
- Date
- September 19–20, 2026
Coming Up
More Running races near Plainfield, IN
From Endurance Grid
About This Sport
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The half marathon is the distance where you find out what you're actually made of. Long enough to demand real preparation. Short enough that it doesn't consume your life to train for it. Most people who run their first half describe it as the race that changed their relationship with what they're capable of. Once you cross this finish line, the bar moves. That's not a warning — that's the point.
Race day energy varies by event size, but the finish line feeling is the same regardless. Big races keep the noise going the whole way. Smaller races give you stretches where it's just you and the miles — and that solitude becomes its own kind of fuel.
The half marathon rewards people who show up for the boring training miles.
How long to train: 10–14 weeks. If you're already running consistently, 10 weeks of structured buildup is enough. If you're building from a casual base, give yourself 14.
Running
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Back Your Badge Marathon?
- Back Your Badge Marathon is a running race held in Plainfield, Indiana on September 19, 2026. It is one of the many endurance events listed on Endurance Grid, a multi-sport endurance event calendar covering running races, triathlons, HYROX, and more endurance sports across the United States. Find more running races near you or explore our sports guides to learn what race day actually feels like.
- When and where is the Back Your Badge Marathon?
- Saturday, September 19, 2026 in Plainfield, Indiana at Richard A. Carlucci Recreation & Aquatic Center, Plainfield, IN. Check the event page for exact start times and wave schedules.
- How do I register for the Back Your Badge Marathon?
- Registration is handled through the event's registration page. Confirm pricing and distances there, and sign up.
Back Your Badge Marathon
Sep 19, 2026