Honorary Race Directors

Dam to Dam encourages everyone to celebrate and honor the “The Queens of Des Moines Running” – Rae Gene Burger, Jan Gillum and Connie Robinson. They are the pioneers of women running on the roads, each starting their trek in the 1970s when few women ran or were seen at local races.

Rae Gene Burger has traveled the world as a runner and triathlete, she ran the first Dam to Dam.

Jan Gillum is a long-distance runner, on her 50th birthday running 50 miles.

Connie Robinson is a veteran runner and volunteer at Dam to Dam and completed the first Dam to Dam.

Rae Gene Burger
This is such a great honor as Dam to Dam was one of the first races I competed in Des Moines. I started running in 1977 with my husband, Del Burger. Del had started running in 1972. Running was a way for us to spend time together. When Del was transferred to Des Moines in 1978, running allowed us to meet friends who have encouraged me throughout the years.

I have run over 40 marathons and participated in numerous road races throughout the country. I finished 8th in the 40-44 age group at Grandma’s Marathon. My favorite marathon was Chicago were I placed third in my age group with a time of 3:12.49. I ran my first Dam to Dam race in 1980. I placed first in my age group. In 1991, I finished first in my age group at Dam to Dam. In 1995, I was still winning my age group at Dam to Dam. As my children will tell you, my home is littered with race results and trophies.

In 1983, Del and I switched gears and started training for triathlons. An Ironman distance triathlons require 2.4 miles swim, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running. This meant that I had to learn to swim first! In 1987, we went to New Orleans for the Crawfish Triathlon where I also qualified for the Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Hawaii. I have competed in 39 Ironman distance triathlons. I have qualified for the Ironman World Championship seventeen times. In order to qualify for the Ironman World Championship, I finished first in my age group at various races. In 1995, I placed fifth in my age group in Hawaii and was recognized on stage. I have also held the course record for my age group at the Australian Ironman. Doing Ironman distance races has taken me to Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and throughout the United States.

In 2002, I was a featured participant on the NBC’s coverage of the Ironman. It was bittersweet as I lost my husband the year before to cancer. In 2003, I competed in my last Ironman triathlon. I can truly say that the running community in Des Moines has brought me wonderful memories and allowed me to meet dear friends. Once again, thank you for this great honor.

Jan Gillum
I had always wanted to run, in fact, I started early on but seemed to be a viewing time for all the neighbors and it embarrassed me, so I gave up.

I work at Ruan and have for almost 47 years, so when we moved into the Ruan Center I started running at the YWCA. Round and round the gym and found a new friend, Kris Kittrell, to start running with. One day she and I discovered running outdoors. It was wonderful. We trained for our first marathon, which was Winterset. We finished hand-in-hand in four hours and a few minutes. From then on I was hooked.

At some point, I found out about qualifying for Boston and in 1984 I got really serious. My fastest marathon had been a 3:45 and then at age 48 I needed a 3:30. I knew I was going to have to work hard, run a lot of races and lose weight. I did all of this and that year ran some of my fastest times finishing first most of the time in my age group. I ran a 42:30 10K and 90 plus seconds 20K at Midnight Madness which was 4 loops. I ran the Chicago Marathon then to qualify for Boston and ran it in a 3:25.

The most fun I’ve had running, however, was when I ran 50 miles on my 50th birthday. Mid-February and my then running partner, Elizabeth (Beth) Sutter, and I stayed overnight in Boone and had over 60 people join us along the way ending at the downtown Marriott in the hot tub. My company had a huge party for us that evening.

I am going to be 72-years-old soon and am pathetically slow, but I am still trying. I actually placed first in the 60 and over in a 5K this past summer and there were actually two women besides me. I could go on and on about running – it and Golf are my favorite things to do.

Connie Robinson
I started running in 1979, at the age of 29, by running in my neighborhood. The first race I ran was Living History Farms Race. My second race was a 10K Sterns Race for Women. I then ran my third race at Dam to Dam’s first race. I really enjoyed running the races and meeting so many friends. I continued running several local races, and in 1981, I ran my first Drake Marathon. The fall of 1981, I completed a full Triathlon in Iowa City. The winter of 1982 and fall 1984, I completed the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii. I did several small Triathlons such as, Big Creek and surrounding states. In 1985 I ran San Diego Marathon and ran my best of 3:02, I ran Capitol Pursuit in 1:02.

I continued to run several Dam to Dams and local races. I have run 18 marathons in several states. In 1991, I broke my left tibia and knee. I could not race anymore, so I volunteered at several races including Dam to Dam for several years. I did start running again and once again have run Dam to Dam every year that I have not volunteered. It is one of my favorite races. Although, I am now only a jogger I still continue to run from the YMCA during the week and with friends on the weekends.