The Raccoon River Valley Trail will host its largest event to date next spring.
Chuck Offenburger with the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association says a 250 team, 75 mile relay race from downtown Jefferson to downtown Des Moines is scheduled for May 11th.
The event is expected to draw about 2,000 runners and hundreds of spectators, especially since many of the participants are known to run the race in crazy costumes. It’s the “Market to Market Relay/Iowa” and will follow the same plan as a similar relay from Omaha to Lincoln, Nebraska that has sold out each of its five years.
The race begins at sunrise and continues all day as teams of seven runners make their way along the south loop route of the trail, along the Clive Greenbelt Trail and through the west side of Des Moines.
It’s being organized by two 30-year-old longtime friends from Lincoln who started 78 mile relay in Nebraska and thought the event was a natural fit for Iowa as well.
Registration for the event is now open. Fees are $450 per team now, and will increase to $495 as we get closer to race day. More information and registration materials can be found at M2MRelay.com.