The Living History Farms Off-Road Race will celebrate your running with a Hot Post Race Meal brought to you by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant, VIP packet pick-up, chip timing, and youth runs. You will be challenged by a SLIGHTLY NEW COURSE over the …
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The Living History Farms Off-Road Race will celebrate your running with a Hot Post Race Meal brought to you by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant, VIP packet pick-up, chip timing, and youth runs. You will be challenged by a SLIGHTLY NEW COURSE over the world’s richest farm land as you wade through creeks, dodge farm animals and claw your way to the top of gullies with 5,000 (limit) other runners of questionable senses. It’s a great way to end the racing season and experience running stories to re-live and re-tell throughout the winter. Stay for the “Outdoors in November” post race lunch, door prizes and awards ceremony.
The “Farm Race” raises funds for Living History Farms and more. Over the last 13 years, the race has given over $1,200,000 to the Living History Farms (a not-for-profit museum). The race has also funded the Capital Striders endowment for scholarships to area senior cross country athletes; raised food/money for the Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry and donated to area age-group track & swimming teams, the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, the M.D.A., and area Fire Departments. Proceeds from the race help sponsor area races, purchase equipment and racing supplies used at road races and middle school/ high school XC meets.
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You'll get wet and muddy!
I've done this race twice and it's always an adventure! It is insanely hilly so don't expect to run your fastest time ever! The first year I did it was … MORE
I’ve done this race twice and it’s always an adventure! It is insanely hilly so don’t expect to run your fastest time ever! The first year I did it was icy and freezing! Luckily in some of the more intense creek crossings there are ways around it! It’s a fun race with great energy- lots of high school cross country runners and people in costumes. The after party has lots of food available.
Awesome XC race, just be prepared!
This was my seventh time running LHF, and while I now live over three hours away, I'll come back and do it as many times as I can. The race … MORE
This was my seventh time running LHF, and while I now live over three hours away, I’ll come back and do it as many times as I can. The race is a lot of fun, but runners need to be ready! Be ready for weather, for wet, for lots of people, and for a few race and logistics oddities.
Weather and wet: the first year I ran (2010) I was in shorts…the past few years have gotten cold (including the coldest race on record in all it’s nearly 40 years). While they altered the course once (2015) due to ice and snow, the race still goes on – you will run through creeks and through mud, so be ready for cold and wet feet.
People: until the past two years, I always ran this for fun rather than worrying about time. A lot of folks dress up in elaborate and hilarious costumes – part of the fun is seeing what others have thought of. But with thousands of people trying to fit on farm lanes, the start is a bit of a mess. It once took me 10 minutes to get across the start line (gun start, chip finish). If you want to really RACE, then either pay for VIP status and start at the front, or be willing to push your way towards the front. You’ll still end up in a big crush of bodies for awhile, but after the first mile or so, it gets easier.
Oddities: arrive EARLY to park or risk not getting to start on time, or perhaps be stuck in the porta-johns when the gun goes off. There’s also no bag dropoff, which means you either have to leave your keys in your (unlocked) car or carry them with you. There’s no indoor waiting area for before the race. Especially after I moved away from the area, I started getting a hotel room for the night before – there are several hotels within about a mile – and then just running to the race the morning of (nice warmup, and while you still need to somehow carry your hotel keycard, no risk of losing car keys!). Then you also have a hot shower waiting for you afterward. 🙂
The course is hilly and challenging; not always technical (it’s through/around crop fields, gravel paths, and dirt trails; a tiny bit of pavement at the start and finish) but the sheer number of people and the mud and the steepness of some of the creek banks make parts tricky. The post-race beef stew is excellent, as are the donuts!
As mentioned before, I love this race and will return for as many years as I can.