The seventh annual Heartland Half Marathon is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend on Saturday, September 1. The event will once again include a half marathon, 5K, and team challenge. Cash prizes will be given to the top three male and female half marathon finishers. First place will receive $500, second place $250, and third place $100.
The races will begin 7:30 a.m. ET in the shadow of the Jasper Train Depot along the Patoka River and will finish in the shade at Dave Buehler Plaza, just a stone’s throw away from the starting line. The hilly, scenic course takes runners through commercial and residential areas with challenging peaks midway through the route. Please be sure to prepare yourself for this challenging portion of the course. After the midway point, the course largely flattens out through to the finish.
The 5K starts and ends in the same location as the half marathon, but splits to take a different course very close to the start of the race. The team challenge is a relay comprised of a four-person team, and follows the same course as the half marathon. The first team member will travel 3.8 miles, then pass along his/her timing chip to the second member. The second member will travel 4.05 miles, the third member 2.5 miles, and the final member 2.75 miles.
The registration fee for the half marathon is $50 if registered before June 18. The fee will increase to $60 on June 18 and to $70 on August 13. The registration fee for the 5K is $20 if registered before June 17. The fee will increase to $25 on June 18. The registration fee for the team challenge is $20 per person/$80 per team if registered before June 17. The fee will increase to $25 per person/$100 per team on June 18. Pre-registrants will receive a technical shirt, and the first 500 half marathon registrants will receive a special gift.
Join us for a free 12 week Heartland Half Marathon & 5k Training plan starting Sunday, June 10 and ending on race day. The plan will have days on your own, cross training days, and two optional weekly group runs on Sunday’s at 7:00 a.m. and Wednesday’s at 6:00 p.m. A potluck food day will be held the Sunday before the race for good luck. All paces and faces are welcome. Beginners will be supported. Water along the route is included with longer distances but always bring a full water bottle with you. The weekly group runs will start with a quick warm up at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday’s and 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday’s before taking off together. The route will include sections of the actual course. There will be workshops throughout the 12 weeks including demo shoes, shoe fitting, nutrition, foam rolling, and other topics to help you through training. All group runs start and end at Downtown Fitness & Running, located at 331 Mill Street in Jasper.
The Heartland Half Marathon, 5K, and Team Challenge are being coordinated by DC MultiSport, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health and wellness while giving back to local communities. Lodging information is being coordinated by the Dubois County Visitors Center and race-day event volunteers are being coordinated by Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, the event’s corporate sponsor. The majority of the proceeds from this year’s race will be given to the Phillip R. Dawkins Heart & Vascular Center at Memorial Hospital to be utilized for new integrative medicine services provided to cardiac patients. Ten percent of the proceeds will go toward the DC MultiSport Endowment to ensure future stability of the organization and to continue in its efforts to give toward worthy causes.
To register for the Heartland Half Marathon, 5K, or Team Challenge, visit www.heartlandhalfmarathon.com or www.runsignup.com. For more information, please call Memorial Hospital’s Marketing Department at (812) 996-2338.
