Two groups of volunteers will trek halfway across Iowa to bring a torch to campus to kick off the Veishea festivities.

Veishea Voyage consists of two groups of teams and organizations who run relay-style through Iowa towns as they make their way to campus from Iowa’s north and south borders.

As the teams pass through selected towns, they will be joined by a local on the journey back to Ames. The towns have already selected their participants.

Keith Underkoffler, freshman in marketing, chose running as a way to get involved with Veishea.

“It seemed like a good way to be a part of Veishea,” Underkoffler said. “I wanted to get involved and be a part of the tradition.”

The participants signed up online, registering their name and organization or group.

Underkoffler believes he is prepared for the voyage.

“I go to the [Lied Recreation Athletic Center] a lot, and I feel like I’m generally in good shape,” Underkoffler said. “Me and a couple of friends went down to Des Moines and ran the Des Moines Half Marathon last year, so I feel pretty comfortable doing something like this.”

Underkoffler said he is excited to kick off Veishea and help eliminate people’s bad feelings about it.

“There’s been a cloud surrounding Veishea this year,” Underkoffler said. “It’s my freshman year, and I don’t want Veishea to be a disappointment, so I’m excited to be running the event that kicks it off.”

Combined, the two teams will run just over 276 miles.

The honorary torchbearer who will light the final Veishea torch at the end of the run is ISU volleyball coach Christy Johnson.

Veishea Voyage chairperson Mary Fuller, senior in agricultural education, said Johnson was selected because of her work with the volleyball team.

“We chose her because of the success of the volleyball team, and it’s a lesser-known program, so we thought it would be good for the volleyball team to get some publicity for all their hard work,” Fuller said.

Veishea Voyage routes

North route

The north route begins at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Iowa-Minnesota border, from where t participants will run 37 miles through Northwood, Mason City, reaching Rockwell at about 1 p.m. The route goes on for another 33.5 miles through Hampton and Iowa Falls where they will end for the day.

On Sunday, the participants will resume at 8 a.m. and continue for another 70.7 miles through Eldora, New Providence, Radcliffe and Story City before reaching Ames.

South route

The south route begins at 7 a.m. Saturday at the Iowa-Missouri border, from where the participants will run 63 miles through Cincinatti, Alba, Lovilla and Knoxville.

On Sunday, participants resume at 7 a.m. for another 71.7 miles. They will pass through Pleasantville, Runnels, Altoona and Cambridge before making their way to Ames.