Iowa · Marathon
Marathons in Iowa
Iowa currently has 9 upcoming marathons with a confirmed date listed in RaceRove. Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Arnolds Park and Council Bluffs have the largest concentration of events.
Another 3 annual marathons are waiting for next year's date to be announced.
- Upcoming, date confirmed
- 9
- Active listings
- 12
- Cities with races
- 7
More ways to browse Iowa
Upcoming marathons in Iowa
All 9 with a confirmed date, soonest first.
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Des Moines St. Paddy's Marathon, Half Marathon & 5KDes Moines, IAMarathonHalf Marathon5K ~1,000 runners
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Lewis & Clark Marathon, 1/2 Marathon, 5k and 1-Mile Fun RunCouncil Bluffs, IAMarathonHalf Marathon5KKids 1-Mile Fun Run
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Cedar Rapids Marathon WeekendCedar Rapids, IAMarathonHalf MarathonTeam Relay10K +2 more ~2,500 runners
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University of Okoboji Homecoming RacesArnolds Park, IAMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K +1 more ~1,500 runners
Dates come from each race's own listing. Always confirm on the organiser's site before you book travel.
Largest marathon events in Iowa
By estimated field size across all distances at the event.
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Des Moines Marathon & HalfDes Moines, IA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf5K ~5,000 runners
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IMT Des Moines MarathonDes Moines, IA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathon10K5K1 Mile ~5,000 runners
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Cedar Rapids Marathon WeekendCedar Rapids, IAMarathonHalf MarathonTeam Relay10K +2 more ~2,500 runners
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University of Okoboji Homecoming RacesArnolds Park, IAMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K +1 more ~1,500 runners
When marathons happen in Iowa
- January
- 1 upcoming race
- March
- 1 upcoming race
- April
- 5 upcoming races
- July
- 1 upcoming race
- September
- 1 upcoming race
Iowa cities with the most marathons
- Cedar Rapids
- 3 upcoming races
- Des Moines
- 2 upcoming races
- Arnolds Park
- 1 upcoming race
- Council Bluffs
- 1 upcoming race
- Moline
- 1 upcoming race
- Washington
- 1 upcoming race
Annual events awaiting their next date
These marathons are held every year, but the next date isn't in the listing yet. The month shown is when each is usually held.
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Des Moines Marathon & HalfDes Moines, IA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf5K ~5,000 runners
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IMT Des Moines MarathonDes Moines, IA Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathon10K5K1 Mile ~5,000 runners
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Wabash Trace Running Festival (Marathon & Half)Shenandoah, IA Usually held in September · next date not announcedMarathonHalf MarathonMarathon Relay10K +1 more ~600 runners
Marathons in nearby states
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.
- 4 min read Diplo's Run Club 2026-27: Every City, Date and Course Diplo's Run Club is a 5K with a post-race concert. Every US date for 2026-27 (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix), start times and courses.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Marathons in Iowa: common questions
- How many marathons are there in Iowa?
- RaceRove currently lists 9 upcoming marathons in Iowa with a confirmed date, plus 3 annual events whose next date hasn't been announced yet.
- How long is a marathon?
- A marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres).
- Which Iowa cities have the most marathons?
- By upcoming events listed in RaceRove: Cedar Rapids (3), Des Moines (2), Arnolds Park (1), Council Bluffs (1) and Moline (1).
- What is the biggest marathon in Iowa?
- By estimated field size, the largest event with a marathon listed in Iowa is the TBK Bank Quad Cities Marathon, with about 6,000 runners across all of its distances.
Search every marathon in Iowa
Filter by month, course profile and field size, save races to a shortlist and compare them side by side in the interactive search.