The Veishea torch is voyaging toward campus in the hands of student runners making their way to the Veishea commencement ceremonies Friday afternoon.

Veishea Voyage began Monday with a ceremonial lap on the track at Simpson College in Indianola and is set to arrive on campus at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

April Verlo, Veishea Voyage co-chairwoman, said runners will stop at key locations throughout the state to sightsee and enjoy local hospitality.

“We’re kind of hitting the cultural points of Iowa,” said Verlo, senior in biology.

The route will pass through Elkhorn, where the group will visit a Danish windmill; Strawberry Point, the highest point in Iowa; Dyersville, home of the “Field of Dreams”; and West Branch, birthplace of President Hoover, among other Iowa towns.

“You get to go through and see part of the state,” said runner Stephen Bultmann, junior in accounting.

Bultmann ran 23 miles for Veishea Voyage two years ago and plans to run nearly 30 miles this year.

Verlo said between 50 and 100 students usually run in Veishea Voyage. She said runners don’t need iron lungs to participate.

“You don’t have to be a marathon runner,” she said. “You just run however much you can at the time.”

Vans will precede and follow the runners, providing them with food, music and a place to rest, she said.

Verlo will be running and driving a van during one leg of the trip as will the other two co-chairs, Matt Raine, junior in industrial engineering, and Heather Jacobsen, sophomore in exercise and sport science.

Spots still are available from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday night, Verlo said. If interested in running, contact the Veishea Office at 294-1026.

For a $20 registration fee, runners will receive yogurt, PowerAde, water and bagels along with a commemorative long-sleeve T-shirt.