John Pitzel's Staging Area

Fresh Junkie racing puts on this race and the Louisiana Marathon, and it’s simply top notch. The race organization is great, the people are wonderful, and its just a wonderful experience. Highly recommend doing all their races.

I’ve done the half here a few times, but this was my first full in Des Moines. This year, the expo and the course were different – the expo because the Iowa Event Center had hockey games, and the course because of street construction in what is usually the last three miles of the race. Despite this adversity, the race did a great job of rolling with the punches, and delivered their usual stellar job. Everything that can be done by the committee, is, so the only real issues is the weather. Recommended race.

The course isn’t too difficult, the hilly parts are bridges as you run through all of the Quad Cities (Moline, Davenport, Bettendorf, and Rock Island) on this scenic 13.1 mile jaunt. The race is very well organized, and well run, with a great party atmosphere before and after the race.
I was the 3:00 half pacer for this event.

Pretty bare – bones. There’s a timing mat and aid stations, and you’re running on an old rail line, so it’s flat with a pea gravel surface.

If it’s hot, skip it.

This is a well done, veteran race and crew. Green Bay has the fame because of the Packers, but the local race production does a good job not resting on the name. (the only thing they can’t control is the weather). It’s well organized, well laid out and a good course through Green Bay, letting you se the entire town at a marathon pace. Recommended.

The Cowtown is a well-organized, well run and all around great race in Fort Worth in February. There’s really nothing more to say , but that everything is taken care of; all you have to do is run your race. The course winds through Fort Worth, using parks as well as streets, and even go through the stockyards district. It was one of my first marathons, and I’m afraid it’s spoiled me for future events – I’m going to expect this level of organizations and execution.

This is a well done, smallish 5K/Half on the Tampa side of Florida. It’s well organized and is a great alternative to the more corporate WDW races. A great way to see and experience local Florida.

The Monumental Series of Races (Full, half, relay) is a well-organized tour of downtown Indianapolis, with quality swag and a great volunteer effort. The expo is large and well organized, good shirts, and a large Brooks presence makes it a race on my ‘repeat’ list.

OK, let’s be honest from the start: this is not an easy race. The half has 3780 feet of elevation change, or 283 per mile, concentrated in three hills and just one level(ish) part. Be prepared. Abandon your pride and give in to walking if you need to. For the most part, finishing is an award all its own.
To complement the truly spectacular hills and the struggle, the pre and post-race events are well done and memorable. If you’re looking for a challenge, you’ll find it here.

Rock Island Trail Half Marathon is a first time race, based in Pleasant Hill, a small town southeast of Kansas City. The Rock Island Trail is an extension of the Katy trail, which stretches across Missouri. The completed Rock Island spur will connect Kansas City to Saint Louis via trail.
The Kansas City Running Company put on this smallish (200 or so entrants) race in July, using mostly the trail (crushed rock and gravel) for an out and back race from the Fairgrounds. There was some portion on a road, but it was well marked and supervised. Packet pickup, both pre-race and on site, was well run, the medals spectacular, and the out and back meant that the water stops and other support were always close.

The Des Moines Marathon is one of the major Midwest fall races. It’s run annually on the third Sunday in October, and partners with the Kansas City Marathon (run on the third Saturday of October) to form the I-35 Challenge (More about that later on). I’ve done this race five times, and, due to construction, the route has varied from year to year. The one consistent part of the race are the scenic loops around two of the downtown Des Moines lakes. The full separates from the half at mile 4, taking a detour up to Drake University, but rejoins the Half course at mile 18, and ending in downtown where there is a well-stocked finish festival.
The swag is good, with a route-branded, route specific quarter zip long sleeve shirt (in the past) and a jacket (2018).
One of the real strengths of this race is the on course support. There is lots of live entertainment on the course (cheer squads, bands, spectator points with cheering Des Moinians), plenty of aid stations, and a roving bicycle support squad, there to check on all of the runners, and loaded with all sorts of support materials. That’s a great touch that I don’t see a lot at other races.

The IMT Des Moines Marathon weekend is a comfortable, classic race with loads of local support. This is my fourth time, and the experience has consistently been top-notch. The course has minor changes from year to year (often as a result of construction, but, also runner feedback), but what keeps me coming back is the organization, with outstanding aid stations and post-race celebrations/food, The course was mainly flat this year, as the ascent around the capitol was removed from the 2016 version, and still encompassed loops around the water works park and the adjacent lake, the heart of the course. Runners are on trails during these portions of the race, free to concentrate on running and not worry about traffic. The layout also allows for spectators (the town really does turn out for the race) and features themed aid stations. I missed the bacon station from 2016, but the luau team represented strong in the park, as usual.
The race finishes on wide, open streets, with music and crowds towards the end. Once you finish and claim your medal, the post-race spread begins, This year’s edition was in several blocked-off blocks of downtown Des Moines, which made it a little hard to find all the food, but there was plenty of it, from a variety of local sponsors.
I look forward to the Des Moines race every year. Not just because of being part of the I-35 Challenge with the Kansas City Marathon, but because of the course, the people and the post race party. I urge you to put this race on your ‘to-do’ list.

Put on by the local Catholic Diocese, Running with the Cows has fast become a regional favorite race. The Race Committee goes all out to make the day a welcoming experience, and by the number of repeat racers, and folks drawn by word of mouth, they are doing quite well. The race has a great homegrown feel to it, and the post-race food is top notch. The Cow theme is carried out throughout the race and marketing, and the medals feature the cartoon mascot as well. You even get a cowbell for completing the half. 2016 was the seventh running of this race, and I see nothing but good things ahead. I look forward to the 2017 event already.