Shenandoah Chamber and Industry Association issued the following announcement on Aug. 20.
Wabash Trace Nature Trail Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay just keeps getting better even in the face of adversity, a pandemic. The September 12th race will be faster and flatter and remain a Boston qualifier. A new out and back course is being measured for certification by U.S.A. Track and Field Association now. It should be approved for certification before the end of August. The half marathon will remain a point to point run with some adjustments to the route.
The Wabash Marathon and 5 person relay will start and finish in downtown Shenandoah. Runners will follow a shorter route through Shenandoah traveling east on Sheridan Avenue at the 7:30 a.m. start. The course then runs north on Center Street to Wabash Avenue, west to Sycamore, and north to the trail in Sportsman’s Park. More than 90% of the route will be run on the trail. Marathoners will travel on the trail through Imogene to a turn around point on the trace, a couple of miles north of Imogene. When runners return to Shenandoah they will follow the same route in reverse.
“Runner’s will like the fact that we have eliminated the Center Street hill at the end of the race,” said co-race director Shelly Warner. “And it alleviates the need to bus marathoners to the start.”
The Wabash Trace Nature Trail Half Marathon will also have a new route, but will remain a point to point race with the start in Imogene at St. Patrick Church at 8:30 a.m. It will run north of town a mile before heading south on the trail to Shenandoah and follow the same route to the end as the marathon race. Buses for the half start leaving Shenandoah at 6:45 a.m. from the Depot, 101 Railroad St., will be at 50% capacity and masks will be required. Race officials are encouraging runners to make other arrangements if possible to get to the start because space will be limited.
Wabash Trace Nature Trail Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay are sponsored again this year by Bank Iowa and organized by Shenandoah Chamber & Industry Association, Southwest Iowa Nature Trails, and City of Imogene. Additional sponsors are encouraged to support the race with donations, monetary or in kind by contacting the Shenandoah Chamber 712-246-3455.
Other adjustments to the race include the cancelation of the pasta dinner the night before the race and the after party and awards ceremony at the end of the races. Awards will be mailed to runners. Race results will be available at 
http://onlineraceresults.com/event/view_event.php…. Beverages will be bottled instead of serving in open cups. Runners and volunteers will be asked to social distance throughout the race.
Masks will be required during packet pickup. Friday, September 11 packet pickup begins at 4 p.m. in the Delmonico Room of the Shenandoah Historical Building 100 S. Maple St. Morning of the race packets can be picked up at the start. Medals will be picked up by runners at the end of the race in a bag with a beverage and a packaged snack.
Volunteers will be needed for the race and preparations. Volunteers will be asked to wear masks. Road guards are needed at every intersection in town to keep runners safe since we don’t close the streets to traffic through town. Three shifts of road guards are required in Shenandoah 7:15 a.m. – 7:45 a.m., 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Vests or t-shirts are provided for road guards throughout the route, pickup at the chamber if volunteers don’t already have one.
Other duties needed for Shenandoah and Imogene are:
• Packet stuffing at Delmonico Room Historical Bldg., 100 S. Maple St. Wednesday before the race, 5 p.m. Sept. 9
• Packet distribution is Fri. Sept. 11, 4 p.m.-8 p.m, and Saturday 6 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. in Delmonico Rm. Historical Bldg.
• Setup at the starts and finish
• Photographers on the course and at the start and finish
• Shuttle drivers at the finish to showers at the Memorial Armory
• Finish line support to setup finish bags for runners to pickup
• Finish area announcers
• Clean-up and tear down after the race at the finish line and sign pickup
To volunteer in Shenandoah contact the chamber at 712-246-3455 or email chamber@shenandoahiowa.net and to volunteer in Imogene contact race director Becca Castle at 515-210-0269 or email rebeccalynnc@hotmail.com
Original source can be found here.
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