A guide to unique summertime activities in eastern Iowa

Summer officially arrives on June 20, but the summer season already is well underway.

High school baseball and softball teams are several weeks into their seasons, and road races, as Ryan Scheckel said last week during a Community Corner podcast, are easy to find every weekend.

Summer brings those aforementioned activities, as well as adult softball and sand volleyball leagues, golf tournaments and, of course, sports camps.

Some of these events are more unique than others.

Scheckel, the former Mount Mercy track and cross-country coach who also helped recruit elite athletes for the Fifth Season 8K road race, helps run the Palo Fire Department Jog and Jam. This road race offers runners something a little different ? a distance of 4 miles instead of the usual 5K or 10K and it starts at 7 p.m. instead of 7 a.m. And, of course, there?s music after the run. That?s the jam part.

There?s a couple of other ?different? events on the road racing calendar this summer ? the Jugglefest 5K World Joggling Championships on July 15 and the Camp Courageous Spring Triathlon on Aug. 6.

Bill Bails has held a ?joggling? race for years, but this year?s event has a new date because it will be part of the International Jugglers? Association 70th annual Juggling Festival, which will be held in Cedar Rapids July 10-16. Talk about a unique event. That?s a week of jugglers performing and competing in Cedar Rapids.

If you haven?t figured it out already, ?joggling? is running while juggling. And these folks run fast.

The Jugglefest 5K will be held in Lisbon and offers a ?flat, fast USATF certified out and back course.?

There?s also a $1,600 purse with the winners netting $250 each.

The Camp Courageous triathlon isn?t a new event either ? or a unique distance with a 500-meter swim, 25K bike and 5K run ? but offers a rather notable location.

The swim will take place at Prairie Park Fishery, located off Otis Road in Cedar Rapids. This is the first time swimming has been allowed in the area.

Nick Gearhart, who once directed one of the most unusual running events in Cedar Rapids (the Pewterman Penthatlon), will do a Community Corner podcast with me Wednesday to talk about the event.

There?s another unique event later this month, and one of my personal favorites.

Former Cedar Rapids Washington all-state football player, Northern Iowa All-American and Super Bowl champion Dedric Ward will host his football camp June 23-24 at the Metro Youth Football Association complex.

What?s unique about this camp? It?s free, although donations are appreciated. The camp features ?football, fundamentals and fun? for children in fourth grade through ninth. You can find details and entry forms here.

Ward hasn?t played in the NFL for more than a decade, but still remembers his roots and gives back to his community.