Clayton Mooney has spent years pushing his limits on trails and backroads, and the Ames ultramarathoner is taking on his biggest challenge yet.
Mooney, who owns Clayton Farms, plans to break the record for fastest run across Iowa, or the Run Across Iowa FKT (Fastest known time), in 2027, the same year he turns 40.
Mooney will follow the old Highway 92 route eastward in southern Iowa, from the Nebraska border near Omaha to Muscatine. The record time for the 276-mile trek is currently held by Collins-Maxwell High School cross country coach Robbie Erickson, who set the mark in March 2025 after running for nearly four days with only a few hours of sleep.
Mooney’s running passion ties to Clayton Farms’ mission
When he’s not logging miles, Mooney is helping run Clayton Farms as a co-founder, a fast‑casual business built around onsite‑grown greens and accessible healthy food.
At Clayton Farms Salads, the greens for every menu item are grown onsite, a model that reflects Mooney’s belief that better food should be accessible to more people.
“At Clayton Farms, our mission is better food for more people,” Mooney said. “When I think about the biggest test and way to be competitive with myself to wrap up my 30s, this record is it.”
Run Across Iowa FKT is a milestone run with meaning
Mooney’s run across Iowa is more than a test of endurance. It’s a personal marker for a new decade of life and a chance to tackle a record that has become one of the Midwest’s most competitive badges of honor.
The mark for fastest run across Iowa has been broken three times in recent years as ultrarunners chase longer, harder and quirkier challenges that test both grit and strategy.
Erickson’s current record stands at 3 days, 21 hours, 24 minutes, and 47 seconds.
Mooney believes he can reduce the time with careful preparation and a training block built around backyard ultra races, which require him to run 4.167 miles per hour for 24 hours. The format rewards steady pacing and mental durability, two traits Mooney has honed through years of racing.
He recently finished second at the LATR Backyard Ultra in Indianola and expects to complete at least four more races before running across Iowa. His wife, Mikayla Mooney, will serve as crew chief, and he is coached by ultrarunning coach David Roche.
Mooney invites residents to join the journey across Iowa
Mooney wants the run to feel like a statewide block party. He is inviting friends, family, fellow runners and anyone else who wants to join him for any stretch of the route, even if it’s just a mile.
He also plans to announce a fundraising effort tied to the attempt.
“Running across Iowa isn’t just a physical challenge for me,” Mooney said. “It’s a chance to connect with many people who have helped me in ways they don’t even realize.”
Southern Iowa’s rolling terrain adds more than 11,000 feet of elevation gain, a reminder that the state is far from flat. Mooney expects to run west to east, though the final direction is still being decided.
Those interested in joining Mooney for a segment of the run can reach him at c@claytonfarms.com.
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: How an Ames businessman plans to run across Iowa in less than 4 days
Reporting by Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
