Latest reviews by Dan Beck

(2018)
"Miserable -- Yet So Much Fun -- All At The Same Time"
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12 runners -- 2 vehicles -- 339 miles of non-stop running -- 339 miles across some of the most beautiful & challenging landscape Iowa has to offer.

Relay Iowa 339 is a 3-day, 2-night event that starts in Sioux City on Friday morning & ends in Dubuque on Sunday afternoon.

Our team name was "Iowa HEAT" (Hawkeye Endurance Athletics Team) based on a local triathlon club -- 6 of our team members were triathletes & 6 were runners only(?)

It was a staggered start, with teams starting early on Friday morning & late into the afternoon. Based on our average mile time, Iowa HEAT was seeded 8th in a field of 44 teams.

This event is unique in many ways. First of all, it is not a race, but a relay run. The final goal is not to win or come in first -- instead it is for your team to work together to make across Iowa in 60 hours or less.

Each team is allowed to choose its own running order & individual distances -- We chose 6 miles legs. Checkpoints & Pit Stops -- approx. 30 miles apart -- were used to monitor our pace & help us stay on track.

Each team had a GPS monitor that tracked our location as we crossed the state. Friends & family were able to follow our progress & we were able to see our location in relation to other teams (Remember -- Not a race -- But a relay run -- Yeah, right!*?)

The route included 28,000 ft. of total altitude change as well as the challenges that come with running on gravel, up & down large hills, in heat & rain, in the dark & near traffic.

We were fed 3 times & received a t-shirt, window sticker, & team picture.

Proceeds benefit Restoring Hope International which is run by 2 Iowa couples -- This home in Welkom, South Africa, provides care & shelter to South African orphans. Relay Iowa 339 also supports local charities in many of the Iowa towns along the route.

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(2018)
"Great Start To The Spring Race Season!"
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My brother has a condo at Lake of the Ozarks so I ran the very 1st version of this race in 2016. Unfortunately I missed last year because I had an opportunity to run the Rome Marathon instead (Go Figure?)

But his race is GREAT -- Well organized -- Plenty of water stations -- Terrific volunteers -- Wonderful race photos. The race started downhill & then running across the Bagnell Dam was amazing -- Great views throughout the whole course -- We ran through some beautiful lakefront neighborhoods.

5 Race Options:
1) 5K
2) 10K
3) Half-Marathon
4) "Double-Down" -- Half-Marathon, then the 10K
5) "All-In" -- Half-Marathon, then the 10K, then the 5K
3.5-Hour Time Limit for All

Lake of the Ozarks is hilly so we definitely encountered our share of hills. I travelled & ran (the "All-In") with 2 girls who are training for this year's Boston Marathon so this race was EXCELLENT for their preparation!

2018 started a 4-year medal series for all race distances where the 4 medals fit together to form a map of the Lake -- So I'm really looking forward to putting the pieces together over the next 3 years!

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(2017)
"Let Me Run Is AMAZING!"
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From Let Me Run's website:

What is Let Me Run?

Let Me Run is a nonprofit holistic health program for 4th through 6th grade boys. Using running as the vehicle to inspire, teach and reach boys, the comprehensive curriculum breaks down destructive male stereotypes that often stand in the way of positive futures for boys. Twice a week for seven weeks, trained coaches guide teams of six to fourteen boys through the program, designed to amplify confidence, self-expression, and respect for others. Each season culminates in a 5k race that celebrates the boys’ emotional, social and physical growth.

I am honored to have been one of the coaches for one of the teams for this, the inaugural appearance of Let Me Run in the state of Iowa!

The parent corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina wanted us to "tag onto" an existing 5K for our season-ending race...

But with the help of Corridor Running (a local running club), volunteers, parents, & families, we organized our own race & it was AMAZING! -- The largest first-time 5K ever in the history of Let Me Run!

Runners included 74 boys & 22 coaches from 7 schools in 4 local school districts PLUS 85 "community runners!"

The race was held on Sunday, November 5, 2018...Race-Day Registration & Packet Pick-Up opened at 11:30 AM & closed at 12:45 PM...Race started at 1:00 PM

The race was held on the Main Campus of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The course was an out & back on a paved path closed to traffic with a loop around 2 baseball fields in the middle -- Water Stop at the turn-around point -- Exactly 3.1 miles

Race shirts were from a company called RECOVER, whose mission is "to create the best, most environmentally friendly & socially responsible products possible" -- Each shirt was made from 8 recycled plastic bottles & upcycled cotton -- How cool is that?

Live Star Spangled Banner (sung by one of the race participants)

Free, downloadable race photos

Chip timing provided by a company called "On The Run Race Timing" who also provided video of each runner crossing the finish line -- The boys (& parents) thought this was so AWESOME!

We've already set the date for our next season & race -- Race date is Sat. May 19, 2018 -- Same location!

And we're planning on over 200 boys from 20 schools!

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(2017)
"Always Love A Flat Course!"
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One member of our running group is working on a membership in the 50-States Marathon Club & picked this race for the state of Kansas. So 4 other members of our running group decided to accompany him.

Another member of our running group wanted to run her first full marathon this fall and she was thinking that the Quad Cities Marathon in Iowa on Sept. 24 would be a good candidate -- But as her coach, I suggested that she put in 2 more weeks of training & accompany us on this trip to Wichita.

With the flat course (& the extra training), this ended up being a very good decision -- She wanted to break 5-hours, which she beat by over 10 minutes!

One thing I really liked about this marathon was the discounted room rate from the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency -- It was SO nice to be able to walk to the Expo & to the Start/Finish Line!

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(2017)
"Great Race -- Grows Every Year!"
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I believe that that 2017 is the 4th year for this race & I've been fortunate enough to run 3 out of the 4. As I mentioned in my 2015 review: "The race route starts at the YMCA on the square in Washington & runners go out 6.5 miles on the Kewash Trail, then turn around & return to cross the finish line on the square. The Kewash Trail is flat, shaded, & fast!...Plenty of refreshments at the end of the race. Free showers to all participants at the YMCA." This year the route kept us in town a little bit longer before we "hit the Trail." Perfect number of hydration stops. Nice shirt, great medal, & pint glasses to Age Group winners. One of the Race Directors, an accomplished runner herself, announced the finishers as they crossed the Finish Line. If she knew the runner (and she knew a lot of them), she shared a little personal information about them. I had just returned from running the Rome Marathon and she shared that with the crowd as I finished. And then a little later, when there was a "lull in the action," she handed the microphone to me & asked me to share my story as to why I ran a marathon in Rome -- My youngest sister had always wanted to visit Rome -- But she couldn't because she suffered from polycystic kidney disease -- Two years ago I donated one of my kidneys to her -- And as a way of thanking me, she took me to Rome to run their marathon (Review of that marathon is also posted on BibRave)

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