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Coralville,
Iowa,
United States - August
- Other
- Road Race
- Event Website
Angie Maske-Berka
Iowa, United StatesOverall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
The 7 mile race took place on Saturday, August 19th at 5pm.(The 5k started at the same time, different location) It was sunny and around 80 ish degrees.
Registration: Available online starting at $25 and topping off near $50. If you were alert, discount codes were offered across social media / emails. I think you could register at packet pick up times. Included with registration, unisex tech shirt, pint glass, free 2 week crossfit gym membership, post race beer.
Expo/Packet pickup: There was no expo. Packet pickup was multiple times before the race at Backpocket Brewery & the cross fit Gym. It was required to sign another wavier. Someone else could pick up your packet with the confirmation email. There was parking nearby in a ramp, or on the street.
Pre-Race: The race is point to point, runners needed to get to the shuttle bus at 4pm. I believe you would check your gear before you got on a shuttle bus. Once at the bus drop off there were 3 port-o-potties. There were cups to fill your own water. A short walk to the starting line, on the main road over the dam, which is not closed to traffic. I did not hear the Anthem or any race announcements, but I started in the back, and maybe just couldn't hear.
Race/Course: The course is a point to point from the Coralville Dam to the Backpocket Brewery.
-Scenery - Race start on top of the dam, run the road until there is a sidewalk along a busy highway. Run through Water Works Park, the Peninsula Neighborhood, finishing up along the Iowa River at the Brewery.
-Terrain - All paved surfaces, except a wood bridge crossing. No major hazards
-Elevation - Hills, they are all decent climbs.
-Spectators - Few and far between.
-Aid Stations - There were maybe 4 or so, all had water and some had Gatorade. I had to ask what they were giving out as each liquid was not marked. In paper cups
-Course markings- miles marked with signs and cones. Roads were open to traffic, little congested in the Peninsula neighborhood
-Photographers - there were people taking pictures along the course - still waiting to see them
-Volunteers - Most volunteers were at aid stations as the intersections were handled by law enforcement
Finish: Easily marked with a blue timing mat, and the timing company was making sure each participants chips registered. Once you finished someone handed runners a bottle of water.
Post Race: The actual post race takes part in the beer garden. This is where you could get a banana, Kashi bar and a free beer. When the results were complete, the awards were handed out. After the awards there was a stein holding contest to win free beer for a year.
My race: This was my second race of the day, and I had been awake since 2 am. I wasn't expecting much. I was also familiar with the course and knew there was not much shade and it was hilly. I started in the back, and started slow. I got in the groove and passed a few people, but slowed again on a hill, and just tried to push it to the finish. I had a time of 1:11 which was 6th in my AG.
Overall: At one time I said I would never run this race again...but here I was, my 4th time. It's got the draw of finishing at the Brewery and lots of people run it. I would register early for the best price.
*Also a note on the beer, no one was checking off bibs and no tickets had to be turned in. I hope all that ran got a beer.
For more with pictures, check my blog post https://marathang.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/dam-7-more-miles/