Dear Iowa: Finding a Marathon

Dear Iowa,

You are a beautiful place to run. A couple miles in any direction and I can find a dusty stretch of abandoned road, surrounded by plowed cornfields and ramshackle barns. The sky is always blue and the clouds are always white.

I get friendly waves when I pass old-timers driving their hayracks. I get honks when I am passed by rednecks in flannel driving their rusty four-by-fours. Occasionally, I get a special finger from the soccer moms driving minivans when their kids are late for practice.

Such a welcoming environment for recreational running and competitive training- I am so blessed.

But why, oh why, Iowa, don't you offer any good marathons? The timing is off or the location is bad, or any number of reasons. I searched high and low. Half-marathons? Check. Triathlons? Check. 5ks? Check.

Get it together, man.

I finally settled for the Quad Cities Marathon on September 23rd, no thanks to you! Now you owe me. Over the next 25 weeks, I expect beautiful running weather, with an occasional thunderstorm. A couple tornados would not be remiss, either. You owe me.

Love,

Amanda