Des Moines Marathon - Race Reviews

The race started downtown but the starting line was very congested and we started late. The route took us up several rolling hills and around Drake University Track in the first half, then after the half marathoners broke off it was less interesting. We ran for miles around a lake in a park, then made our way back downtown. The after party was where the outdoor expo was held. We had 2 beer tickets, pizza, donuts, and live music.

Awesome race, great spectators! Mile 12 you enter the Drake Relays and run 400M on the track - they call your name when you enter the stadium - really cool unique experience. The logistics were rock solid - tons of porta potties on course and great aid station! With 70+ fulls in 32 states this is a top 5 race!

Des Moines Marathon is well worth the trip.

Well done! My first time to Des Moines; this city is on the move! Very cool place. The marathon was great. Excellent course with nice variety of scenery. From beautiful neighborhoods to tree lined paved trails, to lakes and river fronts. It was always engaging scenery. Way more aide stations than I've ever seen; and enthusiastic! And a fantastic finish line party where your 2 food ticket got you great eats at the 8-10 food trucks, all while a live band played some great music. Highly recommend this run!

Great crowd support and the course was amazing too. Great running weather Thanks Again Desmoines for putting on a First Class Race!

I ran the Des Moines half marathon as part of the I-35 Challenge. I ran Kansas City the day before and as a result I got a third bonus medal and I got to challenge myself to run 2 races in 1 weekend. The weather was really great for running in 2019. As everyone has said beforehand, Kudos for the race organizers! I stayed at the Hampton Inn Downtown which was on the riverfront with a beautiful view of the state Capital. It was a nice stay with breakfast set up early for the runners and the course ran right in front of the hotel. I would recommend staying here. There were spectators out until you get out to Waterworks Park. There are less spectators out there (about half the course was running around 2 lakes.) The scenery was pretty out there but the miles went by slowly for me out there. They do have bands along the route but I would give them probably just 1 star for the musical acts, they were not that great at all so hopefully the race didn't pay them to perform. I loved the medal, it was really, really nice! The quarter zip was nice too but I'll never use it because it was too big and I didn't have the energy to return to the convention center the next day to exchange sizes. Would I run this race again? I wouldn't because it wasn't one that was that memorable enough for me to want to do it all over again, but I can see why some people may want to do it. Overall, I recommend doing the I-35 Challenge because it is good to push yourself and see 2 nice cities in the process.

Wow, just an amazing race. This was my 30th race and it was probably my favorite so far. I assumed that the course would be flat being in Iowa and it was a little more challenging than I expected, especially since where I train is flat as a pancake. The course was beautiful, the organization was amazing, and the fan support was good in the road part. I had pretty low expectations because it is Iowa, but this was an unbelievable race all around.

Overall a fantastic race. Rolling hills in the first half that level out in the 2nd half. Course was loaded with water/gatorade stops plus gels and fruit at multiple locations. Plenty of toilets on the course as well. Fan support was good and the weather was perfect

Iowa was state 46 for me, and the conditions and organization were absolutely top notch. The spectator category got a 3 because there were parklands that were inaccessible for most, but the scenery was worth it.

I was pleasantly surprised at the expo to receive a full-zip jacket instead of the typical shirt. Things only got better from there. I parked one block from the race start in a free parking garage. The course was very nice (bonus for the lap around the Drake University track and the bald eagle spotted at Gray's Lake) and there were more water stops and porta-pottys than any other course I have ever run. Having run 60+ marathons, that's saying something. Gels were offered 5 or 6 times on the course, along with bananas, Twizlers, bacon at mile 19 (What?!) and ample course support on bikes offering gummy bears and peanut M&Ms along with vaseline and other aid. I could have run this course without carrying a water bottle or fuel. The food at finish was also good; pizza, BBQ sliders, yogurt, veggie wraps, chocolate milk, ice cream, etc... The race organizers have this dialed in to perfection.

Des Moines knows how to organize a race. From free parking in the nearby parking ramps to a ridiculously high (and much appreciated) number of port-a-potties and hydration stations along the course, the Des Moines marathon is runner-friendly. The course has several moderate hills, but the last 10 or so miles are perfectly flat. You run south of downtown, then through some impressive residential neighborhoods, before spending the last third of the race running around a couple of lakes in beautiful city parks. Conditions in 2018 were downright cold (28 degrees at the start with a steady wind all race), so crowd support was moderate at best for a city marathon. Organizers did a great job of having lots of pace groups, frequent candy and fruit stations, numerous musical performers along the course, and the streets on the entire course were car-free. The first two miles were a bit congested with half-marathoners, but nothing terrible. This is a relatively inexpensive marathon, with runners getting a nice large medal, nice runner's jacket (the nicest clothing I've ever gotten from a marathon), and good post-race food. Des Moines showed itself off well with this race and it leaves a great impression on those who run this marathon.

Beautifully scenic and varied course on a perfect race day. Loved the lap around the track of Drake Stadium, and the stretch along the Bill Riley Trail (however, fellow runners, please don't play your music out of loudspeakers, thank you!). The entertainment along the course was fantastic, and the volunteers and spectators carried me through to the end. The race itself was small. There was no wait at the porta potties 45 minutes before the start. The bag drop was easy to find, and emergency same day bib pick-up was available. Great organization! My only complaint was the lack of food at the finish. All I found (and got) was a bottle of water, an apple, a banana, a cookie, and a spoonful of peanut butter that had been sitting in the sun for too long. Other food was for sale, and I did not carry cash with me. Still, highly recommended, w/ a really helpful RD.

Woow! What an absolutely perfect day for a marathon, with windy spots here and there! The course is beautiful and the spectators awesome. A good portion of the race goes through residential neighborhoods with nice homes and nicely manicured lawns. The hills were mostly on the first half and there was a good number of them, but the second half was much more manageable. This is a very well organized race and I highly recommend it. I especially loved the volunteers who biked along the course and offered Gue, Vaseline, music and anything else you needed. Bravo Des Moines for putting on a nice race. This was my 65th marathon and my 45th state. Getting there slowly but surely!

Pros: 1. Cheap entry with early registration 2. Great medal, colorful 3. 1/4 zip was nice 4. Didn't need a rental car if stayed at Embassy Suites. They had a shuttle, 2 hour happy hour nightly and great breakfast and was close to start/finish with incredibly nice (but expensive) rooms. Book thru the race site, you can't find a better deal than what they offer. 5. Course was beautiful. it was hilly miles 3-8 (and cold and windy), the middle had some plentiful downhill, and the last portion was flat with lake views. Traffic was never an issue as roads were closed and well marked. 6. App was great to track athletes for the spectators 7. Spectators were terrific. I was surprised how many were out cheering us on. I really felt that Des Moines welcomed the runners. 8. Expo was easy to walk to from hotel (in the pelting rain). It was smaller but had all the essentials and some nice give aways of beer, wine, coffee cups, body glide etc. 9. Expo was organized and easy to navigate 10. Plenty to eat within walking distance on Court Avenue 11. Great views of beautiful homes on course. Loved running over Grays Lake on the bridge and the run on the Drake Relays track with Jumbotron was awesome. I went to college there in 1985 so cool to be an athlete on that track finally. 12. Weather started off so cold and windy but by the latter half it was ideal conditions, of high 40's and sun. It was gorgeous with the capital in the backdrop as we ran thru the finish. 13. There were 2 gels stops that I recall, but not until later in the race, so bring your own if you need them in the first half of the marathon. 14. Half marathoners started with us but thankfully only ran 2 miles or so in conjunction with the full marathoners. It was congested, but when they divided it was perfect. 15. Volunteers at expo and aid stations were phenomenal. That midwest hospitality and friendliness was evident. It was great when the aid stations would yell out which side the gatorade vs water was. 16. Informative emails and website prerace. It is really convenient when the R.D. has host hotels set up. Cons: 1. I deducted 1 point for the course because there was no water station until after mile 5. Thats a long way to go without water. Thank goodness it was a cool day and I brought my own hydration (I have run enough to never count on everything). 2. I was bummed that the shirt was grey. It is the 3rd long sleeve grey race shirt I got this year. It has a nice logo on it and love the back with the 26.2 at the collar and NO advertisements. 3. Roads were pretty decent for Iowa, as they can have harsh winters (I grew up there) but there were few places you had to watch where there were cracks etc. On tired legs, this could be a disaster. I loved the trail we ran on the last part of the race. You didn't have to think at all. 4. I was really disappointed in the Embassy Suites. I usually love my stay there for the rooms, pool, happy hour, breakfast and usually hospitality. However, they were nasty about 1pm late checkout. The race doesn't start until 8am, so I ran 4:30 which is quite average for a marathon these days. I didn't even stop for postrace festivities and got back to the hotel at 12:55 only to be locked out. When I went to the front desk to say I had a late checkout they told me it was at 1pm. I said that I knew this and just wanted a quick shower. It was so obvious that this was such an inconvenience for them. They made me feel so bad for this. Seriously, I just dropped $173 a night on your hotel and just wanted a quick rinse. I was told repeatedly that I had to be out right at 1pm because they had a huge conference coming in. Marathons bring a lot of money / revenue to the city. I was disappointed in Embassy for how brash they were and how they made me feel like I was such a burden. The good part was it is a gorgeous hotel with the best happy hour ever and really nice breakfast. It was super convenient so I still was happy with my stay until 12:55 that day. I am in pursuit of 50 states and loved this race not only to check off Iowa, but because it was so beautifully executed. It is a well oiled machine. It is not the crowds of NYC, Chicago or Boston, yet all the amenities and more for less cost and hassle. Gorgeous course and enjoyable weekend. Thank you Des Moines and to all the volunteers and RD that made this possible.

This was a great race. Refreshments were plentiful. Weather was perfect (40-45 degrees).The course was packed with cheering spectators. There is nothing quite like a 15-year-old cross country kid handing you a water and saying "I believe in you!". Late in the race, members of the military were supporting us at a water station. One barked at me: "Don't let him pass you, you pass him!" as he handed me my water. Loved it. Gave me the motivation to run harder. The pacer with whom I ran acted as tour guide (telling us about the best of Des Moines), cheerleader (you got this!), and advisor (hill coming, do this!). The full and half were together the first 2+ miles and it was ridiculously crowded. But once the break point occurred, it was a lovely, scenic run. Hills in the first half were as-advertised and rewarded with a lovely downhill late in the course. Very cool to run around the track at Drake University where some greats have run. Being on the Jumbotron also gave me an extra lift. The Expo was well organized and had all of the typical vendors. No waiting in line and easy to find. Before the race, porta potties were adequate and the lines moved well. Gear check was difficult to find due to the throng of people and the lack of signage. The finish line was very welcome (perhaps that was psychological!). Medals were awesome and made me feel like I really accomplished something. Post-race food and drink were abundant. I had nachos followed by a pulled pork sandwich followed by pizza and beer. Atmosphere was very encouraging and festive. I will absolutely run this race again. Not just because I PR'd by more than six minutes. But because it was a fantastic experience that I can't wait to repeat.

This marathon was perfect. The course did a great job of displaying all parts of Des Moines, there were well-stocked and well-placed aid stations, and the spectators were extremely supportive. I was very impressed with the organization and planning put into this race, they really thought of everything! Top 3 marathon experience for me.

From start to finish with everything being considered ~ the best Marathon possible for runners, family members and volunteers. Thank you so much for caring so much for area runners and athletes.

Moderate hills at the beginning. Very pleasant course winding through parks, around lakes range of pretty neighborhoods with a variety of road surfaces. Spectators were hit and miss but always supportive and enthusiastic. Parking was great in garages by the start/finish and free. Great support on the course with aid stations much sooner than the 1-2 miles advertised. Plenty of volunteers at every station and port a potties as well. Chocolate milk, pizza, sandwiches etc. and plenty of it. One of my favorites, I would do it again. Packet pickup was also easy with nice expo.

What a great race.. the weather 2016 was perfect cloudy and foggy... great course , beautiful sights.. interesting.. never bored but a monster hill at mile 23 was not fun.. The only neg was too many water stops..I am conditioned to one stop per mile.. it threw me off when there were two in a mile.. got me thinking there wouldnt be one for a while but then another one was there..

I ran this race in October 2015 and really enjoyed it. Organization, expo, packet pickup, aid stations, fans, and volunteers were all great. The course was cool, a big loop with ever changing things to see. Miles 4 to 10 or so were hilly but I liked it. I think that marathons should be hard. The lap around Drake track was awesome as was running around the Capitol. There were paved trails, rivers, lakes, nice residential and urban areas. The surface was a mix of cement, asphalt and paved bike trail.

I can think of only a handful of times when I've posted five stars across the board on this site. In this case, I would have considered six stars. Everybody has different things that are important to them. For me, it's how interesting the course is and how well it shows off the city, as well as how many water stops there are. From the downtown, the gorgeous South of Grand neighborhood and other nice neighborhoods to beautiful park settings, the Des Moines course did it right. And I lost track of the number of water stops. Suffice it to say, there were plenty. Things not as important for me nonetheless get high marks: enthusiastic fans and volunteers, lots of entertainment (way more than Rock 'n' Roll Vegas), a good expo with easy packet pickup and oodles of food (and beer!) afterward. As others mentioned, the hills, though challenging, are in the first part, But for those of us flatlanders who did no hill training, it kind of beat us up for the finish. Don't be like me in your training. Lodging recommendation: If you don't want to pay downtown hotel prices, try Dat & Alan's airbnb in nearby Sherman Hill neighborhood. Beautiful.

I didn't know Des Moines had 26.2 miles of cool stuff to run by. Very pleasantly surprised. Drake. Downtown. Parks. Lakes. Fancy houses. Fantastic course, even if there are a little hitches here and there to lengthen the course. The organization and support was fantastic. Water stops at nearly every mile. Medics on bikes everywhere. More than a dozen live bands (mostly classic rock cover bands, but it's still a lot.) Keep in mind, there are some hills. My friend blew away is PR by 17 minutes, but I certainly didn't.

I live in the metro so perhaps I'm biased towards the local race yet I've run marathons in all 50 states and DSM is still one of my favorites. Pros: -Well organized -Parking garage (5 blocks from start) and skywalk made for easy access to/from start/finish. -LOTS of music on the course -Plenty of good food at finish including hot sandwiches, pizza, and ice cream -My course highlight is the lap on the Drake Relays track and seeing myself running on the big screen although Reggie's Sleepout from the night before made the infield look like a cardboard wasteland. -A good number of spectators and people cheering Cons: -I got to the expo an hour and a half before it ended and thought roughly half the vendors from what was otherwise a decent sized expo were leaving or already gone. -If you're hoping to run by some cornfields, you will be disappointed. The first half has a fair number of hills. The second half is fairly flat. I did the I-35 challenge and recognized a number of people from the day before in KC.

I had previously ran the Des Moines half marathon and wanted to come back for the full. I am very happy I did! The first half contained the bulk of the hills for the course, winding through beautiful neighborhoods before hitting the trails at mile 16. From here, the last of the marathon took place around Water works park and Gray's lake. The final two miles were back into Downtown Des Moines. The course was full of spectators and water stations were plentiful. This time of year was perfect to display the fall colors and the temps were ideal (39 start, 61 finish).

This was my first marathon, and I had a blast. The course was pretty easy (in my opinion, anyway) other than between miles 3-6 where there were a few steep but small hills. Beautiful courseDes Moines has lots of gorgeous historic buildings, houses, mature trees, the scenery changed often which kept things interesting. Lots of water stations with plenty of treats, snacks, 'gu',etc. Plenty of friendly supporters, musicians playing throughout the course. The weather was perfect. Fun experience altogether.

As an aspiring 50-stater trying to knock off my last 12 states, it was time for Iowa. What's in Iowa?!?! I was not expecting much from this race as I've already run states like Oklahoma and Indiana which proved to be less than optimal. I figured we'd run a bunch of flat corn fields and return to the city. That's not at all what the Des Moines Marathon provided. It was a very scenic course with great crowd support, amazing logistical support, and a tremendous race experience. The course was WAY hillier than I expected but the hills were pretty much done in the first half and then it was flat. I believe the race organizers decided to find every hill in Des Moines they could just to keep it interesting. Well played. I really liked this race and Des Moines and I'll probably be back to run it again once my states are complete.

Pros: 1) Nice course 2) Great organization 3) Incredible volunteers and support during race 4) Expo and race start/finish close to hotels 5) YMCA is open right near starting corrals 6) Chocolate milk, pizza and other food at finish line Tips: 1) Train for hills

I showed up late for the expo, barely getting my bib, however I could see that it was a full house with many vendors. The race was extremely well organized and the course route was fully lined with many excited spectators. The mile markers were well marked and the aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were fantastic. I really enjoy this marathon!

Weather was perfect. Scenic run through woods.

Decent sized Expo, OK shirt and medal. The course had some modest hills early on in, but generally pretty flat. LOTS of music on the course (far better than R&R Phoenix!), great spectators along the course through nice areas of town Great aid stations and volunteers. AFTER ALL THAT, the FOOD at the finish line was SPECTACULAR! Pizza, Turkey Sandwiches, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Nacho Chips with Jalapeno Cheese sauce and last, but not least, a Michelob Ultra Beer Tent. (as well as bananas, water, bagels and the other crap that they usually try to foist upon us at the end of a race) Highly recommended!!!

Thanks IMT Des Moines Marathon. What a wonderful event. Expo was nice starting area was well organized and race was really good with very good pacers. Only course complaint is last couple of miles around the park/lake area is on bike/walking paths and we were catching some of the walkers from the half so had to dodge around them when you're beat is tougher than it needs to be but it was only for a short distance. After race food and services well laid out with great options for food and drink. Really nice job, I'd recommend this race to any all, great Iowa option for 50 staters.

This was a great race experience and I highly recommend it! The expo was easy to get to and had a lot of options for shopping if that is your thing. Parking on race day wasn't a problem - we parked about 5 blocks from the start/finish about a half hour before the race start. Gear check went quickly and the weather was perfect: low 40s and overcast, which became low 50s and sunny by the end. The course: A hilly first half (at least by this flat midwesterner's standards) through some beautiful residential areas. When I first looked at the route I assumed that the out and back over miles 3-18 would be a bit annoying and like most half marathon/marathon combo races there would be very few spactators on that part of the course. Not so! Spectators lined both sides of the street almost the entire way and there were so many people in the median that often we couldn't see the runners coming back the other way! The second half of the course was also full of spectators and was almost completely flat (which I appreciated after the hills!). Most was run on pathes in a park area that had some beautiful scenery and included a gorgeous bridge crossing. Staff/Volunteers: The volunteers were wonderful - VERY enthusiastic and happy to help. There were volunteer bikers passing us constantly who carried medical supplies, fluids and candy for anyone in need. I ran with the 2:25 pacer for several miles (Tom) who was fabulous - he really knew the course and was great about preparing us for what was ahead (ie, where the hills were, how long they were, what food we could look forward to at the finish, etc). There were also many spectators who had thought to bring Kleenex and were passing them out to runners, which was very thoughtful. The food: Oh, the food! At most marathons, there are 1-2 gel stops and maybe a fruit option somewhere along the course. Again, Des Moines did better! There were 3 gel stops, 3 fruit stops, and candy was offered at most of the aid stations in the last few miles. I really appreciated these, as I prefer to eat real food when possible. At the finish, there were a plethora of options: pizza (warm, as they were bringing it in throughout the morning), fresh turkey sandwiches (which my family - who did the half - ate 4 hours later and still said they were delicious), cookies, fruit, 3 kinds of chips, pulled pork sandwiches, chocolate milk and my personal favorite, Qdoba chips and jalapeno salsa (and I'm still probably missing some...). I finished later on (around 4:45) and everything was still available. Yay! The medal was also very nice, and the quarter zip l/s tops seemed good quality (although I had to order another size since the one I ordered was HUGE! However, they'll be sending the new size to me for free, which was great). I would definitely recommend this race to all - especially the 50 staters as the Des Moines airport is only about 15 mins away.

First and foremost, I thought this was a great race. Really nice course, well-organized...will definitely consider running it again in the future. I'm mainly commenting because I want to expand on previous comments on the course being hilly or not. I relied on the course profile when previewing the race and sure, it looked like there were some hills in the early miles, but nothing crazy. Well, that doesn't tell the whole story. I wore my GPS watch during the race, so I was able to get pretty accurate elevation data recorded continuously. Comparing that with the course profile on the website, it appears that they only took elevation data point at the mile marks. By doing this, you miss some pretty significant ups/downs inbetween those mile marks. If you're going to run, I'd encourage you to use one of the online mapping tools to check it out for yourself. Having said all that, I still definitely recommend the race...just wanted to clarify exactly what kind of terrain awaits if you choose to run. I still really liked the course...I don't think some hills are a bad thing. Almost all of the course was on really scenic, tree-lined streets or asphalt path. And the lap around the Drake track was pretty cool...that place has seen some real talent step foot there. One quick note to spectators; 99.9% of you were awesome...thanks! A couple of words of wisdom to the others. Please don't let your dog (off a leash) wander on to the course. And it's great to cheer for your family/friend...please be aware of the other runners before you jump on the course to run along-side them. But bottom-line: this race is worth running!

This is a good size race. Great organization. Plenty of water stop, each one of them organized with water first, then Gatorade, then water again. Plenty of support on the course. Lots of stations, three stops with GU, bananas, etc. The Expo is good size, easy to get to. Free parking near the start line. Hotels are very reasonable in the area. Volunteers are one of the best ever. Yes, the first half is a bit hilly, but youve been warned. It actually helped me run a smarter race. The wind in the second half could be a factor, but yes, it is possible to PR here. My one complain is regarding the tracking system. It did not work for us. Not sure why, but it did not give any updates. The bands on the course are fantastic. More spectators than you may expect at the race this size. Lots of food at the finish line. Thank you for pizza, beer, and ice cream. Hard to imagine a better recovery& All in all, a great race. Thank you Des Moines!

From the expo to the race course, everything was smooth, comfortable, and well designed. Even the weather was perfect. Highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a PR or a pleasant morning run.

Fantastic event this year. The course displayed a lot of Des Moines and was lined with spectators throughout. I believe the marathon relay helped with this. The amenities after the event were fantastic and well organized. The individuals coming in near the 5 hour mark could still get a massage and full service. My only complaint was a lack of porto-potties near the start line. There was no lack of them on the course but near the starting line I did not see any. However, after I finished and there was adequate lighting, I saw plenty at the finish area one block over. Very pleased with this event, very well put together!

This course has a few hills roughly miles 3-8 but after that is mostly flat. Nothing unbearable at all. There was a nice pace team, you get to run through Drake Stadium, and there are a good number of spectators. The stations are well stocked and this is a well supported race. I plan to do it again in 2013. Nice medal and tech shirt.