As an Iowa native, what a treat to finish on the Blue Oval! This was a really nice race. Great production. Solid pre-race communication, super smooth process from packet pickup … MORE
As an Iowa native, what a treat to finish on the Blue Oval!
This was a really nice race. Great production. Solid pre-race communication, super smooth process from packet pickup to race start. Not a lot of crowd support once you leave campus, but the volunteers were fantastic. One water stop only had one (!) volunteer. Not sure what happened there, but at least when I came through, she was keeping up fine. So thankful for her! Plenty of water stops otherwise.
Course is mostly residential through some nice neighborhoods. A few homeowners came out and cheered! Some hills make it challenging, but I still enjoyed it even as a flat lander.
Nice jacket, nice medal.
I just really, really liked this race. Give it a try!
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Great race! Fun Finish on the Blue Oval
As an Iowa native, what a treat to finish on the Blue Oval! This was a really nice race. Great production. Solid pre-race communication, super smooth process from packet pickup … MORE
As an Iowa native, what a treat to finish on the Blue Oval!
This was a really nice race. Great production. Solid pre-race communication, super smooth process from packet pickup to race start. Not a lot of crowd support once you leave campus, but the volunteers were fantastic. One water stop only had one (!) volunteer. Not sure what happened there, but at least when I came through, she was keeping up fine. So thankful for her! Plenty of water stops otherwise.
Course is mostly residential through some nice neighborhoods. A few homeowners came out and cheered! Some hills make it challenging, but I still enjoyed it even as a flat lander.
Nice jacket, nice medal.
I just really, really liked this race. Give it a try!
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Be part of the Drake Relays - America’s Athletic Classic - no matter where you are at on your fitness journey. With a 5K, 10K and half marathon all available, … MORE
Be part of the Drake Relays – America’s Athletic Classic – no matter where you are at on your fitness journey. With a 5K, 10K and half marathon all available, the options are there. The 5K & 10K courses are nit difficult to conquer. Participants receive a top-notch long-sleeve shirt, and the medals are always fantastic (let’s face it, a lot of us do this for the medals…). This will only continue to get stronger. Don’t miss out.
nice race, bad timing
it was unfortunate that it had to fall during holy week as this prevented me from getting in more training. also, i liked it better when it was after the … MORE
it was unfortunate that it had to fall during holy week as this prevented me from getting in more training.
also, i liked it better when it was after the grand blue mile instead of before it.
still, it was a nice race despite my poor time.
the pic is of me after i finished showing my blue feet.
First time but definitely not the last
Great race with a great atmosphere. It was very well organized - both on the day and also advance communications. The free in-race photos were awesome and the medals were … MORE
Great race with a great atmosphere. It was very well organized – both on the day and also advance communications. The free in-race photos were awesome and the medals were fantastic!
I've been part of something special
Really well organised event and great atmosphere at the finish. Amazing feeling finishing on the blue oval. You feel a part of something special. MORE
Really well organised event and great atmosphere at the finish. Amazing feeling finishing on the blue oval. You feel a part of something special.
Perfect 10k for a first timer
Having never done anything greater than a 5k before, I wanted to challenge myself with a 10k distance. The Drake Road Race was the perfect opportunity to test out this … MORE
Having never done anything greater than a 5k before, I wanted to challenge myself with a 10k distance. The Drake Road Race was the perfect opportunity to test out this distance and build my confidence. The route was easy and flat….and lining the route was a supportive and fun community!
Worth Running!-Improved from Fall 5k
This 5k was quite fun and definitely worth it especially in the long run; you don't do just the race, but you also receive a medal and a decent jacket … MORE
This 5k was quite fun and definitely worth it especially in the long run; you don’t do just the race, but you also receive a medal and a decent jacket and have something good to feel about.
My biggest challenge is my asthma as I’ll never know what it’s like to run without breathing issues. This won’t stop me from running a half marathon someday.
My favorite part was the style of the finish (entering the Drake stadium) as it was a cool finish.
I wish the races were an hour or two later because as a Drake student, more of my friends would be able to watch me, or more so run it themselves.
Tips:
1. Commit in advance as it saves you money and gives you more time to prepare and once committed, you can’t go back.
2. Fans/Spectators, runners greatly appreciate people who they don’t know who cheer for them.
3. It’s ok to repeat the race the next time you sign up; it’s a good measure for improvement to keep your confidence up. Then, you can decide to take thing a notch higher.
Amazing finish on the Blue Oval!
This race is medium in difficulty which makes it perfect for any runner. The course is laid out nicely through Des Moines with a good variation of uphill, downhill, and … MORE
This race is medium in difficulty which makes it perfect for any runner. The course is laid out nicely through Des Moines with a good variation of uphill, downhill, and flat terrain. The people are so nice and encouraging. Always a good time of year for weather, its not too hot or too cold. I love the finish on the Blue Oval it makes it all worth it to finish on the track!
Perfect day for a no stress run
Leading up to the race the team did a great job keeping participants 'in the know' as to what to expect and kept participants excited about the race. They included … MORE
Leading up to the race the team did a great job keeping participants ‘in the know’ as to what to expect and kept participants excited about the race. They included tons of helpful training and race day information, had this been my first race ever I would have particularly appreciated this! The packet pick up and race day itself went VERY smooth and not once did I feel lost. I love running through Des Moines in any condition or location, but this course was mainly through residential areas and had plenty of light hills. The pacers did great, they were informative and friendly. I hung with the 2 hour pacer for most of the race and he did a great job of hitting accurate and even splits. Post race was easy to navigate my way through the recovery area and out of the event space. My family had no problem finding parking or their way into the race to support me. The running jacket surprised me by how great of quality it is!
the course was a little challenging for me since it was through neighborhoods and had several hills. Small hills but by mile 8 I was wishing for flat ground!
Finishing on the blue oval was actually a very powerful and impactful moment. I loved it!
#mydrakerelays
It was a beautiful day for a race! The check-in process was easy and super convenient, the medals and half zip pullover were great quality, facilities were available for restrooms/showers, … MORE
It was a beautiful day for a race! The check-in process was easy and super convenient, the medals and half zip pullover were great quality, facilities were available for restrooms/showers, and ending at the blue oval makes it a fun experience for those of us who weren’t competitive runners in HS/college, but now get to participate in the Relays for fun! I’d recommend this race, and will definitely be participating again!
Fun race but could be better
I wish there were more mile marker signs to know how far I was going. When I did the race in 2015, the course went downtown and included the Bulldog … MORE
I wish there were more mile marker signs to know how far I was going.
When I did the race in 2015, the course went downtown and included the Bulldog hill coming back to Drake University. I liked that course much better that the straight down Kingman Blvd. and back which was not as scenic or exciting but I do love finishing on the Blue Oval. There is always a great crowd at this race and the enthusiasm makes it so fun.
I had a great time running this race.
Love finishing on the blue oval. You must try it at least once. The hills make it challenging. I love a good challenge. If you haven't ran it before give … MORE
Love finishing on the blue oval. You must try it at least once. The hills make it challenging. I love a good challenge. If you haven’t ran it before give it a try, it’s an amazing race.
Perfect day for a run 🏃🏻
This race had gentle hills that made it very doable. It was well organized and went smoothly. There were people of all ages,shapes and sizes and everyone encouraged each other. … MORE
This race had gentle hills that made it very doable. It was well organized and went smoothly. There were people of all ages,shapes and sizes and everyone encouraged each other.
Great tune up race
Very well run, always an enjoyable race. Drake always puts on a top notch event, course is enjoyable and yet has some elevation to keep it interesting. Weather is always … MORE
Very well run, always an enjoyable race. Drake always puts on a top notch event, course is enjoyable and yet has some elevation to keep it interesting. Weather is always on the cool side to start but perfect racing weather. Very friendly crowds and fellow runners. Perfect time of the year for a tune up race.
Challenge + Fun = First Class
This is the 7th time of ran the Drake 1/2 marathon and will continue to come back for this amazing spring event. Drake does a fantastic job of putting together … MORE
This is the 7th time of ran the Drake 1/2 marathon and will continue to come back for this amazing spring event. Drake does a fantastic job of putting together a first class race with just the right amount of challenge + fun!!
Always a good spring race!
I’ve ran the Drake Relays road races multiple times. It’s a great spring race. The 5K and 10K are nice, fairly flat, easy courses and finishing in the Blue Oval … MORE
I’ve ran the Drake Relays road races multiple times. It’s a great spring race. The 5K and 10K are nice, fairly flat, easy courses and finishing in the Blue Oval makes for a great atmosphere at the end. Next up will be the Half Marathon!
Awesome! Will keep coming back!
I’ve done the Drake road races 4 times now and am never disappointed! They allowed me to switch race distances last minute and even allowed me to complete the 5k … MORE
I’ve done the Drake road races 4 times now and am never disappointed! They allowed me to switch race distances last minute and even allowed me to complete the 5k on a knee scooter (had a stress fracture but didn’t want to waste my race entry!). The race start made way more sense this year over last year and the swag was top notch! I’ll be back next year to take on that half marathon course 🙂
Great course - Finish on the Blue Oval
I've done the Drake Road Races several times - both the 5k and 10k distances. Will be trying out the half marathon course next year! The course goes up and … MORE
I’ve done the Drake Road Races several times – both the 5k and 10k distances. Will be trying out the half marathon course next year! The course goes up and down Kingman Blvd which is a really pretty part of town with old homes and big trees! Both the 10k and 5k are fairly flat and fast courses. Finishing on the blue oval is always a blast. it’s nice for spectators to get to sit in stadium seats to watch the finish! Plus the announcer over the speakers makes it feel like you’re a much bigger deal than just a road race participant 😉
My only complaint from this year was that stuff was difficult to find and could have completely been fixed with some signs. It was impossible for me to find the bag drop and I almost missed the start trying to find it. Then once my bag was dropped it was impossible to find the start! A few signs could have majorly helped with this!
Awesome Spring Race
Drake does a spectacular job running the Drake Relaying and hosting a road race for anyone to participate in no matter how fast or slow you run/walk! What I love … MORE
Drake does a spectacular job running the Drake Relaying and hosting a road race for anyone to participate in no matter how fast or slow you run/walk! What I love most about the road race is that the race coordinators makes you feel like you are a athlete in the Drake Relays. This year I competed in the 10k rather than the half and the one thing I disliked was running into the 5k for the last 1.5 miles, I had to zig-zag through participants walking or running at a slower pace.
Overall I absolutely love this race and plan to come back in the following years!
Great Race!
The Drake Relays committee does an amazing job organizing this race along side the Relays. My favorite part of this race is how I can get involved at a large … MORE
The Drake Relays committee does an amazing job organizing this race along side the Relays. My favorite part of this race is how I can get involved at a large competition while not being in athletics anymore, and then later go watch the competition.