Event Cancellation Policy
Always use your own best judgment about conditions when attending our events. Generally, we cancel events when extreme temperatures, heavy rain, or measurable snow are forecasted. Events in the Des Moines metro will be canceled if Des Moines Public Schools have canceled classes or are closing early.
To check for event cancellations, visit this site or our Facebook page. The Club will attempt to notify members by email when possible.
Weekly Walks
These are held once each week in good weather and are informal, leisurely 45 to 60-minute group walks. While fitness is a factor in everything we do, Weekly Walks emphasize fun and friendship. They’re a great opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy their company while getting some exercise.
Any member of the club can choose a location and lead a Weekly Walk anywhere in the Des Moines metro and sometimes farther afield. In the winter months, members will meet in local malls or other indoor spaces for these weekly strolls. Weekly Walks often include some kind of optional social time before or after the walk.
Monthly Events
Each month, Iowa’s Walking Club schedules at least one weekend walking event that is a minimum of 5K, usually with a 10K option. Some of the events are traditional walks, where you’ll be given a map and instructions and can start anytime within a 2-hour window, with at least 2-3 hours to finish.
You can walk by yourself, bring friends, or meet a new walking friend at the registration table. Other events have a specific start time and participants may choose to walk on their own or in 5K or 10K groups.
Special Events
Throughout the year, we schedule special events, generally on weekends. These have included picnics at parks, going to an Iowa Cubs game, and our annual Holiday Social in December. In the recent past, we’ve taken trips to Lanesboro, Minnesota, to ride/walk the Root River Trail and to the American Volkssport Association’s biennial convention. Weekend group walks have been held all over Iowa and usually involve walking two to three different 5K/10K trails through small towns, big cities, and rural areas. The walks are scheduled in one day or over a two-day period. Overnight stays and group dinners are often involved but always optional.
