If you haven’t had the chance to visit Iowa, you need to take the time. The Hawkeye State is home to rolling plains and cornfields that will be sure to give you plenty to look at while you run your next marathon.
Run 4 Troops Marathon – Dubuque
There’s nothing better than taking part in a good cause. The Run 4 Troops marathon is a charity event that goes to support local military members and their families. This summer time marathon takes place in June and is very well organized. Learn more here.
The Course
The course website mentions that “This is a point to point, chip timed marathon distance trail run from Dyersville to Dubuque on the scenic and rustic Heritage Trail.” It is ran as a military style event which means that there will be minimal support along the way. The few available aid stations will be stocked with water, Gatorade, and gel shots.
Credit: run4troops.com
Reviews
“This is a truly splendid marathon that raises money for the troops and their families in the Dubuque area. It’s patriotic, and it’s well organized. You cannot really ask for a better race … the only tough thing is that it is in late June in Iowa. That’s just asking for high temperatures and humidity. Thankfully, this year was not bad. The course itself is on the Heritage Trail, which is truly lovely. It is also mostly shaded, which helps to provide a more comfortable run given the potential for heat. Volunteers were plentiful, as was water and other supplies along the way. Not a LOT of spectators, but quite a few given the small field and remoteness of the course. Dubuque is a really neat town on the Mississippi river, making this a wonderful destination race. In short, a really great race for a good cause, well worth the journey for an out of towner!”-K.B., Marathonguide.com
“This is really a nice race. The trail is awesome – other than the first 5-6 miles, it’s a steady downhill. The race organizers and volunteers are very friendly and it’s well-organized. The start was delayed by 2 hours due to a severe thunderstorm, so it was very hot and humid by the time we finished. There are 5 checkpoints for the marathon relay runners and those points are easy for spectators to reach by car. My family was able to see me at the start, finish and 5 points in between, which was great. If you are looking for a June marathon in the midwest, it’s an excellent choice.”-E.T., Marathonguide.com
Marathon-to-Marathon
No, that name isn’t a typo. The Marathon to Marathon was oragnized in 1994 by Lois and LeRoy whose dream was to create a sanctioned marathon in Marathon, Iowa. So that is just what they did. The Marathon to Marathon is a USTAF certified course and a Boston qualifier. Get registered here.
The Course
For the most part, this course is flat, but does slope slightly uphill for the last half. Aid stations are placed at a minimum of every 2.5 miles and increase in frequency towards the tail of the race. It’s also worth noting that this marathon is also open to wheelchair racers.
Credit: MapMyRun
Reviews
“I’m just starting my quest for 50 states, this race was my 5th and so far my favorite. It’s a small town race which makes packet pick up and parking easy, and the individual attention given to runners was wonderful. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming I felt like I was running among friends instead of complete strangers. Aid stations were plentiful and there was a lot of fruit on the course, including watermelon! The course was mostly flat with gently rolling hills and a good tailwind for most of the last 1/2. Not too many spectators as you are on rural roads but the ones that were there were enthusiastic and creative. My favorite sign on the course said ‘Is this Heaven? No, it’s Iowa’ which prompted my friends and I to visit The Field of Dreams on our way home which I also recommend. :)”-K.Y., Marathonguide.com
“Was very impressed with this small town marathon. The course was fairly flat with rolling hills. The Richard Simmons water station made me laugh as did the jokes all the way up the hill preceding the station. I barely realized I was running uphill because I was so into the jokes on the signs! I ran by myself the entire way until I caught up to the half marathoners and enjoyed the encouragement from them! Other than wishing the wind was at my back, I wouldn’t change a thing! I was able to get a PR and BQ time!”-D.C., Marathonguide.com
Wabash Trace Marathon – Shenandoah
The Wabash Trace Marathon takes place on the Wabash Trace Natural Trail. Proceeds from the race go to support of various trail and community sponsors. All finishers will receive a tech shirt and a finishers metal. This race is also a Boston qualifier. Click here for dates and registration info.
The Course
As you can see in the elevation map, this is by no means a flat course. Be prepared for lots of ups and down, but there are plenty of aid stations along the way to get you all the way through. The finish is down hill so you can really push at the end. As this is a trail run, be ready for uneven footing as well as potential slick conditions in the event of rain.
Credit: MapMyRun
Reviews
“Small town race with the best race support. Wish the big city races had as good of support as this race did. There were 15 water stops along the way mostly every 2 miles until mile 19 then it was every mile. Water and gatoraide at most stops plus gels, gummies, and mile 21 even had bacon at the aid station. Great down hill finish and awesome finish line. I highly recommend this race to any and all. 22 miles was on crush lime stone trail that was mostly shaded. Perfect race day temperatures this year, started at 46 degrees and finished at 68 degrees.”-Jay Gibson, Marathonguide.com
“I was very satisfied and impressed by the course. It starts in Malvern, gets on the rails to trails Wabash Trail and goes into Shenandoah. 3 miles of asphalt and 23 miles of hard packed dirt trail with plenty of tree canopy to keep the sunburn out. The trail was in good shape in spite of recent rain, with only a few slippery wooden bridges and cattle guards that caused me to slow down. The course had pretty gentile rolling hills, and my legs felt fresh when I got on the asphalt around mile 23.5. I just missed a negative split by a few seconds, and my last 10K was faster than my first. The race management was very good, and there was an open school in Malvern where we could stay warm before the start. Everyone was offered packs of GU block equivalents at the school. And, the race medal is unique and made out of wood.”-A.D., Marathonguide.com
IMT Insurance Marathon- Des Moines
The IMT marathon in Des Moines is one of the top races in Iowa. It’s a Boston qualifier, USTAF certified, and even has a cash prize. You can also run with a pace team if you have a certain tempo you want to keep. Find out more on their website.
The Course
While generally flat, some runners reported several hills towards the first half of the race. Des Moines is usually fairly cool in October, but it can get pretty hot and humid. That being said,you won’t have to worry about hydration issues since water stops are located about every mile.
Credit: MapMyRun
Reviews
“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.”-A.R., Marathonguide.com
“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.”-J.W., Marathonguide.com