Latest news with #GrandBlueMile
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
A family affair at the Grand Blue Mile
DES MOINES, Iowa — The 16th annual Grand Blue Mile was a family affair Tuesday night in downtown Des Moines. Over 3,000 runners and walkers participated in one of the seven different races. From young children, to professional runners, it was an event for everyone. WDM Parks and Rec hosts Trash Bash Competition to celebrate Earth Day For the ninth straight year, the USATF 1 Mile Road Championship was held in Des Moines. The top two finishers for both men and women receive an automatic spot to represent Team USA at the world championship later this year. For many of the runners, this was a fun event to enjoy with friends an family. Drake Director of Athletics Brian Hardin is no exception. He and his wife ran alongside his kids, while his parents walked. 'I've got three generations of Hardins doing this,' he said. 'I think what makes it wonderful is you choose the pace you want to go at.' Metro News: A family affair at the Grand Blue Mile Bicyclist hospitalized after being hit by truck in Des Moines WDM Parks and Rec hosts Trash Bash Competition to celebrate Earth Day Polk County autopsies will be done by State Medical Examiner's Office as part of agreement Norwalk police investigating shooting threats that caused care center lockdown Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'Before They Were Soldiers' profiles Iowans who did not return from Vietnam
FORT DODGE, Iowa — T.J. Martin has always been interested in the stories of those who served in Vietnam, and those who did not return. Martin's mother's first husband, was one of those who was killed in action. Martin's interest in his own family history spawned an idea, to capture the stories of those soldiers from northwest Iowa who did not come back. The Iowa Central College Campus where he works, supported his idea, and students were signed up to help put the project together. The class plan was to spend the whole year doing interviews and putting it together. The project lasted three years. A family affair at the Grand Blue Mile 'We're an institution of higher learning. 'We bring the students and to have them work with us to go out to conduct interviews, ask questions, some critical thinking skills on their behalf then write up the bio about each of these individuals and then at the end of the project, we decided what we would do is compile all into a book,' Martin said. Students involved in the project quickly realized this is more than a class to help raise their GPA. 'It reminded us that remembrance is not merely a duty, it's a privilege. That gratitude is not something to be performed, but something to be felt,' said Matt Helmers, an Iowa Central grad, who worked on the project. 'As students we walk away, not just more educated, but more human, more aware of the threads that tie us to one another across generations and across times.' The book 'Before They Were Soldiers' looks at the life the Iowa soldiers experienced, prior to going to Vietnam. It includes thee fun times, fishing trips, working with a tractor, girls they may have dated, and life experiences. 'Before They Were Soldiers' is on Amazon, and copies of the book were given to families who talked about their loved ones for the project. The 55 soldiers were chosen from the nine county region served by Iowa Central Community College. Iowa News: 'Before They Were Soldiers' profiles Iowans who did not return from Vietnam A family affair at the Grand Blue Mile Iowa Board of Regents member discusses UI's center for intellectual freedom Iowa Gov. Reynolds signs bill to help 2024 flood, tornado victims Serious injuries reported in Marshall County crash that shut down highway for hours Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WDM Parks and Rec hosts Trash Bash Competition to celebrate Earth Day
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — West Des Moines Parks and Recreation took advantage of the nice weather on Tuesday and hosted a Trash Bash Competition at various parks in the city. Corporations, families, and friends were able to create teams to get outside and collect trash. Leaders with the competition say Earth Day should be every day, and there are many steps we can take to help our planet. Iowa Gov. Reynolds signs bill to help 2024 flood, tornado victims 'Maybe it's figuring out how to reduce our own waste. How do I use reusable products? Maybe it's just riding your bike to different locations instead of driving, maybe it's getting some books with your kids and talking about things in nature, and ways they can help nature as well,' said Jessial Lancial, who works as a Naturalist for West Des Moines Parks and Recreation. While everyone was giving back to the planet by cleaning the parks and learning about the importance of Earth Day, some participants were amped to be collecting the trash they found. 'We saw it in the West Des Moines magazine, and our boys love nothing more than trash and picking up trash and sticks and yard debris. It's all they do. So, when my son, who's four, saw the picture of it, he asked if we could sign up for the trash competition. So, it's all they've been talking about for the last two months since we signed up,' said West Des Moines resident Stephanie Wiebers. Metro News: Bicyclist hospitalized after being hit by truck in Des Moines WDM Parks and Rec hosts Trash Bash Competition to celebrate Earth Day Polk County autopsies will be done by State Medical Examiner's Office as part of agreement Norwalk police investigating shooting threats that caused care center lockdown Records expected to be broken at 16th annual Grand Blue Mile Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Records expected to be broken at 16th annual Grand Blue Mile
DES MOINES, Iowa — Downtown Des Moines is gearing up for the 16th annual Grand Blue Mile. The Grand Blue Mile is part of the acclaimed Drake Relays, one of the most prestigious and historic track and field meets held every spring by Drake University. The relays were nicknamed America's Athletic Classic as a result of the range of participants. It was designed for everyone, from elite runners to families, and even walkers. The relays kicked off last weekend with the Drake Road Races. The Grand Blue Mile takes place on Tuesday in downtown Des Moines. The community fitness event was designed to promote wellness. The one-mile race has divisions for families, kids, recreational walkers and runners, and even elite athletes. How a class project revived St. Anthony's middle school track team Drake University's Blake Boldon is the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. He said around 3,000 people will participate in the 16th annual Grand Blue Mile. All participants receive a commemorative shirt and bib. Those who participated in the Drake Road Races as well can receive a Bulldog Double Medal. New this year is Spike's Sprint. This is a new youth event for children between the ages of two and 10. The event was named after Drake's mascot, Spike the bulldog. Children will participate in an age-based sprint with varying distances based on age. Each participant receives a bib and a finisher giveaway, plus a front row seat in the Mascot Madness race. In recent years, the Grand Blue Mile served as the USA Track & Field 1-Mile Championships. For the first time this year, the Grand Blue Mile will serve as a selection event for the 2025 World Road Running Championship. The top two finishers in the men's race and the top two finishers in the women's race will be automatically selected to represent Team USA at the World Championships later this year. 'Growing up here in Central Iowa, it really is magical to see a National Championship just in the shadow of our skyline, right here in the heart of our city and in the center of our state come to life every spring. So, it means a lot, not just for me but for our entire community,' said Boldon. Urbandale family seeks change in school child abuse investigations after their experience Just feet away from the finish line is the Honorary World Record Way. This is located on 13th Street between Grand Avenue and Locust Street. The Des Moines City Council approved the World Record Way following the performances by Nikki Hiltz and Sam Prakel at the 2023 Grand Blue Mile. They were the first-ever world records in the road mile. Organizers say they're expecting history to be made again this year. 'I'm going to make an early prediction that we'll see an American record here on the city streets of Des Moines tonight,' said Boldon. Roads will be closed throughout Downtown Des Moines because of the Grand Blue Mile. The closures start as early as 9 a.m. and go as late as 11 p.m. They are mainly between Grand Avenue and Locust Street, from as far east as 6th Avenue to as far west as 15th Street. Aside from getting the chance to watch history take place, there will also be family-friendly activities like a bounce house, face painting, balloon animals, and a DJ. Records expected to be broken at 16th annual Grand Blue Mile Ames teen with gun arrested in Des Moines carjacking How a class project revived St. Anthony's middle school track team Pleasant Hill family reminisce on meeting Pope Francis twice Des Moines shooting leaves one seriously injured Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shelby Houlihan set for return to Drake, competing in Grand Blue Mile
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) – After being on the outside looking in during the Drake Relays the past four years, Sioux City native Shelby Houlihan will be back in Iowa competing in tomorrow night's Grand Blue Mile. Houlihan has made the most of her first few races following her four-year ban, returning from her suspension in January with a victory at the Razorback Invitational in Arkansas – running a meet record 8:31.56. In March, the U.S. 1500m record holder claimed silver at the world indoor championships in China. Now, Houlihan is excited to return to racing in Iowa with a new point of view. 'I think coming in now I get to go back to Iowa and I get to race, so coming in with that perspective with everything that I've gone through and what going home means to me, it's pretty special. Out of all the tracks that I've raced on throughout my career, I think Drake is still my favorite one, so I'm really excited about it,' Houlihan said. Houlihan is part of an intriguing field that includes former Team USA Olympian and Iowa native Karissa Schweizer that looks to take down one of the oldest records at the Drake Relays, a mile time of 4:40.02 set by 5x Olympian Francie Larrieu in 1975. The Grand Blue Mile is set to take place tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Des Moines. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
