Take a look at Danna Herrick's Facebook page and you'll notice a pattern.
She posts pictures and more pictures of running races where she is smiling and waving to spectators.
Now, the mom from Norwalk known for spreading the joy has another bit of notoriety: IMT Des Moines Marathon champion.
The 39-year-old Herrick pulled away from training partner Casey McDermott at 20 miles and cruised to victory in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 46 seconds on a sun-splashed, cool morning. Herrick won her first IMT marathon, celebrating its 25th running, after a victory in the half marathon two years ago.
"That was such a fun 26.2 (mile-) run," Herrick said. "When you run in your hometown, it's like 'home team advantage.' Today wasn't about getting the best out of myself. It was celebrating the (running) longevity and really wanting Casey to pop a good one."
Herrick and McDermott completed many training runs together and both wore mint green to represent the colors of Herrick’s Imara Performance Physical Therapy company. So Herrick knew keeping up with McDermott, a former Drake University runner, would be difficult if she was having a good day.
“To be honest, my dream vision was to see her break the tape and for me to be coming around the corner after her,” Herrick said. “I didn't tell her that. Today wasn't her day and I think she's frustrated. That girl is fit. None of us have seen her ceiling in the marathon. I'm past my prime, she is not.”
McDermott, 37, settled for second for the second consecutive year after running 2:45:38.
Herrick, who competed for Truman State, is just 12 days shy of her 40th birthday, an unfortunate bit of timing for her. Her time Sunday would have set the Iowa all-time 40-and-over marathon record of 2:45:17 set by Jenny Schulze at the Twin-Cities Marathon in 2015. Herrick said she will most likely take a shot at breaking the record in 2027.
“I've said this from day one: If I didn't love it, I wouldn't do it,” Herrick said. “I think something that I'm most proud of, even though I'm not the fastest Iowa woman, is my longevity.”
While Herrick was completing her 18th career marathon over 16 years, Evan Jamrozy won the men's competition in his marathon debut in 2:23:37. The Romeoville, Illinois, native owned a commanding 2:08 lead at the 5.8-mile checkpoint and stretched the advantage to 4:24 after 10.3 miles after putting in a string of 5:20 miles.
Jamrozy’s lead was more than enough to offset typical first-marathon struggles in the closing miles. His winning margin was 9:09.
“My whole body is starting to cramp,” Jamrozy said at the finish line at the new Market District southeast of downtown Des Moines. “From (mile) 22 to the finish was a grind. I started to feel my calves go at mile 24. It was hard. I haven't felt that before.”
Jamrozy, 24, is the second Fitness Sports Distance project athlete to claim the win in three years, joining Kallin Carolus Khan (2024).
He is a recent Lewis University graduate who assists with the team’s cross country program. Jamrozy said the $1,000 top prize will help pay some bills after his summer marriage while he pursues a full-time college coaching job. And another marathon goal.
“This was the first try to see what the marathon felt like,” Jamrozy said. “The build wasn't perfect so to be able to run 2:23, I think if I can find a fast, competitive course in the spring, I'll give it a rip. The end goal is to hopefully run an OTQ (Olympic Trials Qualifying time) at some point next year.”
Missy (Buttry) Rock, a 14-time Wartburg College NCAA champion and former Shenandoah-Essex great, returned to her home state to produce one of the quickest times in IMT women’s half marathon history. The 43-year-old Prior Lake, Minnesota, resident pulled past former Iowa runner Jordan Winke over the final two miles to win in 1:16:50. Winke, a 28-year-old Fitness Sports Distance Project athlete from West Des Moines, ran 1:17:22.
Rock won in her debut in the IMT half marathon. She is aiming to qualify for her third U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Sacramento, California, in December. She missed the 2024 Marathon Trials standard by just three seconds while running 2:37:03 at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon in November of 2023.
“It was a little bit heartbreaking. So, I’m coming back with a little bit of vengeance,” said Rock, who still receives workouts from Steve Johnson, her coach at Wartburg. “It was hard when you’re watching the big clock and you’re just trying to sprint at the end. I’m still trying to live the dream.”
The mother of five believes she is fit enough to eclipse the 2:37 standard this time around.
“It’s about a minute or more faster than what I had done before Indianapolis,” Rock said of her race. “I would love to run a 2:34 or 2:35. But if I can get under the standard, I’d be happy with that.”
Men’s half marathon winner Jack Fisher, 24, now has a better memory of the IMT race. The Prairie Village, Kansas, resident had a “rough time” in 2021, when he ran 1:13:50 for 13th place. This time, he pulled away from Cedar Rapids man Matt Lorenz over the final 2.5 miles to win in 1:06:05. Lorenz, 27, finished in 1:06:29.
“I wanted to see if I could prove myself again,” Fisher said. “This is the fastest course in the Midwest this weekend.”
A new men’s winner was guaranteed when three-time reigning champion Cody Baele of Des Moines opted to race in the Chicago Marathon last weekend.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Danna Herrick, Evan Jamrozy claim titles at IMT Des Moines Marathon