Iowa · Marathon · Half · 5K
Des Moines Marathon & Half
Des Moines Marathon & Half is a marathon, half marathon and 5K event held in Des Moines, Iowa. It was last held on October 18, 2026 and is usually run in October; the next date hasn't been announced yet. About 5,000 runners take part across all distances.
- Usually held
- October
- Location
- Des Moines, IA
- Field size
- ~5,000 runners
Race details
- Last held
- October 18, 2026
- Usually held in
- October
- Location
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Distances
- Marathon, Half, 5K
- Field size
- About 5,000 runners
- Course
- ~300 ft
- Registration
- runsignup.com
- Official website
- desmoinesmarathon.com
Registration, course & weather
- Registration status
- Registration status as last checked October 2, 2026: open
- Start time
- 8:00 AM CDT
- Course profile
- Loop course; Road surface; 682 ft gain, 682 ft loss (official course data); USATF certified; Boston qualifier
About the Des Moines Marathon & Half
Iowa's premier marathon weekend (the IMT Des Moines Marathon), with all races starting and finishing downtown on a flat, fast, spectator-friendly course built for Boston qualifying and PRs.
Rankings and notes
- Rankings and awards
- The largest marathon in Iowa; USATF-certified Boston qualifier; ranked among the top marathons in the nation since its 2002 inception
- Notes
- Largest marathon in Iowa
More marathons in Iowa
Coming up next, by confirmed date.
-
Des Moines St. Paddy's Marathon, Half Marathon & 5KDes Moines, IAMarathonHalf Marathon5K ~1,000 runners
-
Lewis & Clark Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 5k and 1-Mile Fun RunCouncil Bluffs, IAMarathonHalf Marathon5KKids 1-Mile Fun Run
-
Cedar Rapids Marathon WeekendCedar Rapids, IAMarathonHalf MarathonTeam Relay10K +2 more ~2,500 runners
-
University of Okoboji Homecoming RacesArnolds Park, IAMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K +1 more ~1,500 runners
More races in Des Moines
More upcoming races in Iowa
-
Hillbilly Hike Half Marathon, 10k, & Greubel Memorial 5kCarlisle, IA5K10KHalf Marathon ~5,097 runners
Keep exploring
- All races in Iowa
- 5Ks in Iowa 67 upcoming races
- 10Ks in Iowa 30 upcoming races
- Half Marathons in Iowa 21 upcoming races
- Marathons in Iowa 9 upcoming races
- Running in Des Moines 21 upcoming races
- 5Ks in the United States 6,000 upcoming races
- Half Marathons in the United States 1,668 upcoming races
- Marathons in the United States 594 upcoming races
- Fall Marathons
- October Marathons
- October races in Iowa
- Marathons in Wisconsin 16 upcoming races
- Marathons in Missouri 12 upcoming races
- Marathons in Illinois 10 upcoming races
- Marathons in Minnesota 8 upcoming races
Guides from the RaceRove blog
- 8 min read How to Choose Your First Marathon A practical checklist for choosing a first marathon based on course, weather, cutoff, travel, field size and support.
- 7 min read How to Find a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon Near You A practical way to find running races near you: pick a distance, decide how far you'll travel, read the listing properly and confirm the details before you register.
- 9 min read How to Run a Race in All 50 States How to plan a 50-state running challenge: set your own rules, group states into trips, build a calendar around the seasons, budget for it and keep track of every finish.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Des Moines Marathon & Half: common questions
- When is the Des Moines Marathon & Half?
- The next date hasn't been announced in the listing yet. The race is usually held in October. Check the organiser's website for the official date.
- Where is the Des Moines Marathon & Half held?
- In Des Moines, Iowa.
- What distances does the Des Moines Marathon & Half offer?
- Marathon, Half and 5K.
- How many people run the Des Moines Marathon & Half?
- About 5,000 runners across all of its distances. That figure is an estimate of the field size, not an entry cap.
- How do I register for the Des Moines Marathon & Half?
- Registration is handled by the organiser at runsignup.com. Entry fees, caps and deadlines are set there.
- Is registration open for the Des Moines Marathon & Half?
- Registration status as last checked October 2, 2026: open. Listed fee for the longest distance, $155 (from runsignup.com, checked October 2, 2026).
- What time does the Des Moines Marathon & Half start?
- 8:00 AM CDT.
- What is the course like at the Des Moines Marathon & Half?
- Loop course; Road surface; 682 ft gain, 682 ft loss (official course data); USATF certified; Boston qualifier.
Plan this race in RaceRove
Save it to your plan, compare it with other races, check typical race-day weather and track your 50-state progress in the interactive app.