Ten men from south-central Iowa are planning a relay run across the state to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Coaches versus Cancer program. Organizer Brian Hatch of Knoxville says this Thursday morning, one 5-man team will start in Council Bluffs and another five-man team will start running in Muscatine. Combined, they’ll cover 275 miles on Highway 92 in 24 hours.
“Each runner will run a leg — five miles, 10 miles, whatever they decide they can run — they’ll run up to that checkpoint. As soon as that runner is there, another runner will hit the road. So, they’ll just relay on top of each other the entire way back to Knoxville,” Hatch says. The relay run is scheduled to finish Friday night at the football stadium where Knoxville will be playing Chariton. Hatch, who’s planning to run a 30 mile long leg, is hoping residents in the many towns along Highway 92 will show their support.
“I know there are efforts to try and get people in every town to cheer us on, even if it’s just a high five on the way by,” Hatch says. “The more people we can make aware of this, the better.” This relay is part of a bigger Coaches versus Cancer event held each winter at a Knoxville High School.
At the event earlier this year, Hatch says the community raised around $60,000. “It is the number one Coaches versus Cancer fundraising event in the nation,” Hatch says. Officials with the American Cancer Society confirm that Knoxville hosted the biggest high school Coaches versus Cancer event in the country. Next year’s Coaches versus Cancer event will be held on January 24 during a Knoxville versus Chariton basketball game.
To make a donation, visit: relayforlife.org/marioncountyia