The Cedar Rapids Marathon Weekend, which includes a marathon, half marathon, team relay, 10K, 5K and Kids Run is an exciting new event with a distance for all on a weekend that celebrates movement and the community. This inclusive weekend is designed for all physical abilities and celebrates the spirit of movement, wellness, and positive energy throughout the Cedar Rapids community. From scenic miles to high-fives at the finish line, the Cedar Rapids Marathon Weekend shines a spotlight on the city’s vibrant culture and active lifestyle. Join us as we run, walk, and move together in the heart of Eastern Iowa!
The Course
The Cedar Rapids Marathon course is flat, fast, and designed to bring out your best race. Whether you’re chasing a Boston qualifier or just aiming to cross the finish line with a smile, this course delivers.
You’ll start in the heart of downtown Cedar Rapids and quickly find your stride along wide, paved roads with minimal elevation gain. The route winds through historic neighborhoods, vibrant business districts, peaceful riverside paths, and some of the city’s most scenic parks.
Expect well-marked miles, enthusiastic volunteers, and crowd support that keeps your energy high from start to finish. With long, straight stretches and only gentle turns, the course is ideal for setting a PR — or simply soaking in the beauty of Eastern Iowa in the spring.
Fast. Scenic. Supportive.
This is a race course you’ll want to run again and again.
The Mission
At the Cedar Rapids Marathon, our mission is to deliver a world-class race experience that reflects the energy, resilience, and community spirit of Cedar Rapids.
We believe a marathon should be more than just a race — it should be a celebration. A celebration of personal goals, of community pride, and of everything that makes this city special. Whether you’re running your first 5K, chasing a new personal best, or walking to support a cause close to your heart, this weekend is for you.
We’re building an inclusive event that welcomes all ages, all backgrounds, and all paces. With a fast, flat course that winds through the beauty of Cedar Rapids, you’ll experience the best of our city — from vibrant neighborhoods to welcoming volunteers and enthusiastic spectators.
This isn’t just a race. It’s a tradition in the making. One that strengthens our community, supports local businesses, partners with impactful charities, and inspires thousands to move forward — together.
Join us. Be part of the start of something incredible.
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Inaugural Race was fun, w/ support
Awesome race overall. Plenty of swag items, food, drinks and activities. Water stations were fully staffed with plenty of water and electrolytes drinks. We opted for the VIP package and … MORE
Awesome race overall. Plenty of swag items, food, drinks and activities.
Water stations were fully staffed with plenty of water and electrolytes drinks.
We opted for the VIP package and was definitely worth it. Included morning packet pickup, breakfast snacks and drinks, amazing lunch at nearby restaurant.
We signed up for the challenge so next stop is Des Moines, full marathon.
First Ever Marathon
I wanted to complete this before I turned 16 and I did just that AND finished under 4 HOURS!!! This race was nice and peaceful until I started dying once … MORE
I wanted to complete this before I turned 16 and I did just that AND finished under 4 HOURS!!! This race was nice and peaceful until I started dying once we got on the 2nd half where it was the trail. But it was amazing, last bit is amazing! Started reminiscing of my journey here the last mile and when I was at the last stretch, I couldn’t help but smile, almost shed a tear. Went from track season straight to marathon training for 3 weeks. I thank God he was able to help me achieve it.
Amazing experience!
The course was so fun -- mostly flat the first few miles then a decent uphill chunk during miles 4&5 which meant most of the rest of the race was … MORE
The course was so fun — mostly flat the first few miles then a decent uphill chunk during miles 4&5 which meant most of the rest of the race was flat or downhill. I absolutely loved it! It was well organized, the people were amazing, and such a smooth race experience. Highly recommend it.
Excellent course support and atmosphere!
You would never know this was the first year of this race. Excellent course support, wonderful overall atmosphere and production value. It was a muggy day but the amount of … MORE
You would never know this was the first year of this race. Excellent course support, wonderful overall atmosphere and production value.
It was a muggy day but the amount of water stations- about every 2 miles for the half, were much needed.
The hills over miles 3.5-5.5 are no joke. After that it is mostly flat.
Great race!
Fun and challenging first half marathon!
This race was well put together. From start to finish it ran fairly smooth! Water/fuel stations were stocked and ready for runners every 2ish miles. There was only one station … MORE
This race was well put together. From start to finish it ran fairly smooth! Water/fuel stations were stocked and ready for runners every 2ish miles. There was only one station that I had to wait a couple extra seconds to get electrolytes. Only had two critiques. They said there would be cooling towels at some of the water stations. We saw evidence of the towels (aka them thrown on the road) but never had a station with them present. Based off of pictures from the race it looked like the 5k and 10k runners got to those stations first and took them before the half marathon/marathon runners ( at least running 10-11min mile pace) could get to them. There was also one rude e-biker that blasted onto the course from one of the trails and almost took some runners out, but being that they can’t close down the trails completely it is a little out of the race organizers control.
Had the BEST time!!
This was my first half ever and i absolutely LOVED every second!!! The staff was so supportive and helpful, course was hilly but so much fun (lived in CR my … MORE
This was my first half ever and i absolutely LOVED every second!!! The staff was so supportive and helpful, course was hilly but so much fun (lived in CR my whole life but ran in places I had yet to explore), and the day was filled with so much fun, from the water stations, candy, signs, fan sections, VIP tents, and so much more! I can’t wait to run again in April! This absolutely sparked my love for running again 🙂
2nd half-marathon
I ran in the half-marathon; this was my second. It had both views of the city and park areas. Lots of water stations and snack options. A good number of … MORE
I ran in the half-marathon; this was my second. It had both views of the city and park areas. Lots of water stations and snack options. A good number of supporters were present; I really enjoyed my experience with this race.
Cedar Rapids did a great job!
Cedar Rapids did a great job with the organization of this race when it all came together. There were a decent amount of runners for the first year and there … MORE
Cedar Rapids did a great job with the organization of this race when it all came together. There were a decent amount of runners for the first year and there were many aid stations and volunteers.
Great inaugural race!
Great turnout for the inaugural race weekend! Incredible communication beforehand from the organizers. I grew up in Cedar Rapids and yet, the race brought me new scenery. Good amount of … MORE
Great turnout for the inaugural race weekend! Incredible communication beforehand from the organizers. I grew up in Cedar Rapids and yet, the race brought me new scenery. Good amount of aid stations with water, Gatorade and iced towels. Volunteers were TOP TIER! Lots of photographers throughout the course and photos were back the very next day. Would run again!!
Glad to have this in my backyard.
It showed off some of the best parts of Cedar Rapids , can't wait to see what this grows into . the flow felt great , the spectators were out … MORE
It showed off some of the best parts of Cedar Rapids , can’t wait to see what this grows into . the flow felt great , the spectators were out , things were well marked
VERY well organized
I absolutely loved this race and the course put together! The community did a great job coming out to support and very well organized!! Can’t wait for 2027!! MORE
I absolutely loved this race and the course put together! The community did a great job coming out to support and very well organized!! Can’t wait for 2027!!
Great first race
As a first timer (half marathon distance) I was impressed with the availability of water/aid/cooling stations. They were exactly where and when I needed them! The course was good, for … MORE
As a first timer (half marathon distance) I was impressed with the availability of water/aid/cooling stations. They were exactly where and when I needed them! The course was good, for the city road condition as they are, it was easy to navigate and enjoyable.
Well organized inaugural marathon!
This was my 9th marathon and one of the more enjoyable! The aid stations were plentiful and the people of Cedar Rapids really know how to cheer runners on! Id … MORE
This was my 9th marathon and one of the more enjoyable! The aid stations were plentiful and the people of Cedar Rapids really know how to cheer runners on! Id gladly return next year and run it again!
Great Run
So happy to have my hometown host a full marathon and so many other fantastic race options. There was a run for everyone & our entire family participated. I thought … MORE
So happy to have my hometown host a full marathon and so many other fantastic race options. There was a run for everyone & our entire family participated. I thought it was well organized and a great course. Thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers.
Rivers and Hills and Oats
The race was extremely well run, with ample water and aid stations along the way. The route was a mix of city streets and trail, with varied scenery along the … MORE
The race was extremely well run, with ample water and aid stations along the way. The route was a mix of city streets and trail, with varied scenery along the Cedar River. A monster hill around mile four and some rolling hills made it a challenge.
It was AMAZING
Going into this race, my longest run in training was only about 9 miles and I had only run a handful of times leading up to race day. The goal … MORE
Going into this race, my longest run in training was only about 9 miles and I had only run a handful of times leading up to race day. The goal was simple: finish strong and see what I was capable of.
The first few miles felt great. The crowd support and race atmosphere made it easy to get caught up in the excitement. Around mile 8–10, the race really started to test me. My legs got heavy, my feet started hurting, and every mile felt longer than the last. The final 5K became more of a mental battle than a physical one.
Despite feeling completely spent by the finish, I crossed the line in 2:10, averaging just under a 10-minute mile pace. Considering the limited training and lack of long runs, I’m proud of the result. More importantly, I proved to myself that I can push through discomfort and keep moving when things get tough.
This was an awesome first time event!
Everything about the event was well done! The course was nice with some hills in the first quarter of the race. There were plenty of aid stations and the cold, … MORE
Everything about the event was well done! The course was nice with some hills in the first quarter of the race. There were plenty of aid stations and the cold, wet towels were a great addition in the very warm and humid weather.
The recovery area was a much appreciated extra that provided much needed stretching after the marathon. Downtown access was very easy with plenty of parking. We stayed at the local Marriott Residence Inn which was only about a seven minute drive from downtown. Other than the unpredictable warm and humid air, there was nothing bad about this event and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in participating in an outstanding race!
Great Event
Well organized. Good course. Nicely stocked and managed rest stops.Great volunteers. Food and entertainment at the end was awesome. Recommend this race! Did a great job for a first year … MORE
Well organized. Good course. Nicely stocked and managed rest stops.Great volunteers.
Food and entertainment at the end was awesome.
Recommend this race!
Did a great job for a first year event.
First half-marathon -- Great Success!
First and foremost, this was my first half marathon, so I don’t have many other races to compare it to. That said, I had a positive experience overall. The course … MORE
First and foremost, this was my first half marathon, so I don’t have many other races to compare it to. That said, I had a positive experience overall. The course was solid, and there were plenty of water and hydration stations along the route, which made the race feel well supported.
The participant T-shirt was one of the highlights for me – it was a great dry-wick athletic material and felt much nicer than the typical race shirt. The rest of the swag bag was fairly average (a toothbrush, one packet of electrolyte powder, coupons to local businesses, etc.), so nothing especially memorable there.
Not sure if this is normal, but the FREE race photos post-event were amazing!
The finisher medal was nice, though not the best I’ve seen. I also appreciated the post-race refreshments, especially the drinks and banana at the finish line. Overall, I thought the Cedar Rapids Half Marathon was a well-organized event and a great first half marathon experience.
Surprisingly Good
The course was interesting with a few slight inclines. Management of the event was top notch. Plus, there was some interesting (good) swag. MORE
The course was interesting with a few slight inclines. Management of the event was top notch. Plus, there was some interesting (good) swag.