2026 Des Moines Marathon - Oct 18 Countdown

Q: When is the 2026 IMT Des Moines Marathon and what time does it start?

The IMT Des Moines Marathon is held on Sunday, October 18, 2026, with the full marathon starting at 8:00 a.m. Central Time in downtown Des Moines around the Court Avenue district. The race is staged annually in mid-October, when central Iowa typically offers cool, fast running conditions. Confirm the exact start corral details on the official Des Moines Marathon website before race weekend.

Q: Is the Des Moines Marathon flat, and is it a good Boston qualifier?

Yes on both counts. The course is fast and mostly rolling — about 207 m (682 ft) of total elevation gain, with the hills clustered in the early miles (a notable rise near mile 5) before flattening out — and it is USATF-certified and Boston-qualifying. Combined with cool October weather, that makes it one of the Midwest's popular BQ-attempt races. Check your goal time on the Boston qualifying calculator before you commit to a pace.

Q: Where does the Des Moines Marathon course go?

It is a downtown-anchored city tour. The course starts and finishes near the Court Avenue district, runs out to Drake University for a lap on the blue oval at Drake Stadium, passes through leafy neighborhoods and the historic Valley Junction district in West Des Moines, then picks up the river trails through Water Works Park and around Gray's Lake before returning downtown for the finish. It mixes city streets with scenic paved bike paths.

Q: What is the time limit for the Des Moines Marathon?

The full marathon has a 7-hour course time limit, which works out to roughly a 16-minute-per-mile pace. The finish line stays open for the full seven hours, so it is an accommodating cutoff for first-timers and walkers. Runners who fall off that pace in the closing miles may be asked to move to the sidewalk as roads reopen, but the event does not pull people from the course. Plan your splits with the pace calculator.

Q: How do I register for the Des Moines Marathon, and what does it cost?

Registration is handled online through RunSignup via the official Des Moines Marathon page. There is no lottery — entry is first-come, first-served. The full-marathon fee is around $135 at the early-bird tier and rises in price steps as race day approaches, so registering early saves money. The marathon, half marathon, relay and shorter distances all run on the same October weekend.

Q: How big is the Des Moines Marathon?

It is a mid-sized regional marathon. The full marathon drew about 1,900 finishers in 2025, up from roughly 1,400 the year before, reflecting a steadily growing field. The wider race weekend, counting the half marathon and shorter events, brings several thousand runners to downtown Des Moines. Expect supportive crowds downtown, at Drake and at the finish, with quieter stretches on the trail miles.

Q: What should I expect from the weather on race day?

Mid-October mornings in Des Moines are usually cool and crisp — often around 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) at the 8:00 a.m. start, warming into the low 60s F by early afternoon. That is close to ideal marathon weather. The open Iowa terrain can bring a steady breeze, and there is roughly a one-in-four chance of rain, so pack throwaway gloves, a thin top you can shed, and a light rain shell as a backup.

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Race Information

Race	2026 Des Moines Marathon - Oct 18
City	Des Moines
Date	2026-10-18 at 08:00
Field Size	~1,889 runners
Time Limit	7 hours
Cutoff pace	9:57/km
Course speed	Typical pace Speed index 1.04 — median of the last 5 winners' times against the global same-year median. Winner times track elite fields and prize money, so this reads the course as a proxy, not a pure measurement.
Timezone	America/Chicago
Official Site	Des Moines Marathon

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	10.5°C / 51°F
Humidity	72%
Wind	25.2 km/h
Rain Chance	26%
Typical Conditions	Crisp mid-October Iowa morning, with start-line temperatures often around 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) under autumn skies and warming into the low 60s F (around 16 degrees C) by midday

What to Prepare: A mid-October Des Moines morning is typically cool and crisp — around 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) at the 8:00 a.m. start, warming into the low 60s F by early afternoon. This is close to ideal marathon weather, but the Iowa prairie can deliver a steady breeze, so a thin throwaway top and gloves you can ditch after a few miles work well. Rain is uncommon (about a 1-in-4 chance), but a light shell in your gear bag is cheap insurance.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 25.2 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	4.3°C	10.8°C	16.6°C
Dew point	-2.2°C	4.3°C	12.7°C

Wet-day chance: 26% Runnability: 73/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Flat city tour
Elevation Gain	207m
Terrain	Road and paved trail (downtown streets, residential roads, river bike paths)
Profile	A fast, mostly-rolling course that has built a reputation as one of the Midwest's reliable Boston-qualifying races, with the hills clustered in the early miles. It starts and finishes in the heart of downtown Des Moines around the Court Avenue district, then tours the city: an early stretch winds out to Drake University, where runners get a lap on the famous blue oval at Drake Stadium, before the route threads leafy residential neighborhoods, the historic Valley Junction district in West Des Moines, and forested bike paths. The back half follows the Des Moines river trails through Water Works Park and around Gray's Lake before delivering you back downtown for a finish near the start. Total elevation gain is around 207 m / 682 ft, with the rolling hills bunched in miles 3-8 (a notable rise near mile 5) before it settles into a quick, rhythm-friendly second half. It is USATF-certified and a Boston qualifier, making it a strong target for runners chasing a flat-course PR or a BQ in cool autumn conditions.
Boston Qualifier	Yes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2026 Des Moines Marathon - Oct 18

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

Running Pace Calculator — Min/km, Finish Time & Pace Chart

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Free Pace Band Generator — Printable Race Day Wristband

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

7 AM race, wake at 3:45 AM? Enter the gun time; we work backward through meal, gear, bathroom, warm-...

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What to Wear Running by Temperature — Clothing Guide

Enter temperature, wind, and rain to get specific clothing picks for head, torso, legs, hands, and f...

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Wind Effect on Running — How Much Does Wind Slow You?

How much does a headwind actually slow you down? This free calculator turns wind speed and direction...

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Elevation Gain/Loss Impact Calculator

How much will hills slow you down? Enter elevation gain, loss, and distance to see adjusted pace, di...

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2026 IMT Des Moines Marathon and what time does it start?

The IMT Des Moines Marathon is held on Sunday, October 18, 2026, with the full marathon starting at 8:00 a.m. Central Time in downtown Des Moines around the Court Avenue district. The race is staged annually in mid-October, when central Iowa typically offers cool, fast running conditions. Confirm the exact start corral details on the official Des Moines Marathon website before race weekend.

Is the Des Moines Marathon flat, and is it a good Boston qualifier?

Yes on both counts. The course is fast and mostly rolling — about 207 m (682 ft) of total elevation gain, with the hills clustered in the early miles (a notable rise near mile 5) before flattening out — and it is USATF-certified and Boston-qualifying. Combined with cool October weather, that makes it one of the Midwest's popular BQ-attempt races. Check your goal time on the Boston qualifying calculator before you commit to a pace.

Where does the Des Moines Marathon course go?

It is a downtown-anchored city tour. The course starts and finishes near the Court Avenue district, runs out to Drake University for a lap on the blue oval at Drake Stadium, passes through leafy neighborhoods and the historic Valley Junction district in West Des Moines, then picks up the river trails through Water Works Park and around Gray's Lake before returning downtown for the finish. It mixes city streets with scenic paved bike paths.

What is the time limit for the Des Moines Marathon?

The full marathon has a 7-hour course time limit, which works out to roughly a 16-minute-per-mile pace. The finish line stays open for the full seven hours, so it is an accommodating cutoff for first-timers and walkers. Runners who fall off that pace in the closing miles may be asked to move to the sidewalk as roads reopen, but the event does not pull people from the course. Plan your splits with the pace calculator.

How do I register for the Des Moines Marathon, and what does it cost?

Registration is handled online through RunSignup via the official Des Moines Marathon page. There is no lottery — entry is first-come, first-served. The full-marathon fee is around $135 at the early-bird tier and rises in price steps as race day approaches, so registering early saves money. The marathon, half marathon, relay and shorter distances all run on the same October weekend.

How big is the Des Moines Marathon?

It is a mid-sized regional marathon. The full marathon drew about 1,900 finishers in 2025, up from roughly 1,400 the year before, reflecting a steadily growing field. The wider race weekend, counting the half marathon and shorter events, brings several thousand runners to downtown Des Moines. Expect supportive crowds downtown, at Drake and at the finish, with quieter stretches on the trail miles.

What should I expect from the weather on race day?

Mid-October mornings in Des Moines are usually cool and crisp — often around 45 degrees F (7 degrees C) at the 8:00 a.m. start, warming into the low 60s F by early afternoon. That is close to ideal marathon weather. The open Iowa terrain can bring a steady breeze, and there is roughly a one-in-four chance of rain, so pack throwaway gloves, a thin top you can shed, and a light rain shell as a backup.