See-Us Run Des Moines is a program that offers marathon training to help young people succeed in life. We do this by connecting students with adult mentors who help them imagine and accomplish goals beyond their dreams, including the completion of a marathon, a feat less than 1% of the population in the U.S. has achieved.

The mission of Iowa Kidstrong’s See-Us Run Des Moines is to help teens who face adversity in their lives learn that they are capable, resourceful and resilient to respond to life challenges by providing them the opportunity to experience first-hand the benefits of goal-setting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health through committing to, training for, and completing the Des Moines Marathon.

In 2010, eight students completed the full 26.2 mile marathon and five more completed the 13.1 mile half marathon.  In 2011, 15 students completed the marathon and two more completed the half marathon. Students participating in the program come from various backgrounds, some facing the additional challenges of autism, ADHD, and other learning disorders; some who struggled with self-esteem or peer pressure; some as refugees from other countries; and some who were seeking an additional challenge to that of simply being a teenager.  The program has resulted in unimaginable differences not only in the student participants but also for the families of the students and for the adult volunteers who worked with and shared their time with the students. We know that student fitness was improved and several students self-reported a positive change regarding anti-social behavior they had previously been involved with. The common goal of training for and running a marathon has resulted in the most unlikely group of friends who formed a support system – a scaffolding if you will – that allowed each to ascend in their own time to new levels of self-esteem, accomplishment and belonging.

Our 2012 team is amid training for the 2012 IMT Des Moines Marathon. We'd love your support in getting us to the finish line!