Marathon Relay Challenge
Experience the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge on Sunday, October 19, 2008.
Registration for this event has closed. Please contact the IMT Des Moines Marathon office if you would like to enter a team in the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge.
Visit the Training page to learn more about local and national resources designed to aid you in your personal training program.
Race Overview
The Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge is designed to offer a team experience to what has historically been regarded as an individual endurance event. This race is limited to fifty teams and is intended for running teams of all skill levels and speeds.
The
Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge is not intended for walking teams.
We encourage you to participate in the Principal Financial Group 5K Road Race or the IMT Des Moines Marathon or Half Marathon if you are interested in walking on race day.
The first 4 team members of the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge team will complete a 5 mile leg of the IMT Des Moines Marathon course. The fifth team member will complete the final 6.2 miles the course. A final transition area will be set up past mile 25 so that Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge team members may run the last mile of the race together and cross the finish line as a team if desired.
Staging
Work Systems Rehab will host the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge staging area at their downtown Des Moines clinic for the third year in a row.
Relay athletes are offered a warm place to stretch, meet with their team and learn about last minute relay details. Bathrooms, along with water and Endurance Formula Gatorade will be provided.
Work Systems Rehab
515 3rd Street, Suite 100
Des Moines, IA 50309
Transition Areas
Relay Transition Areas will be controlled by the IMT Des Moines Marathon. Vehicles for this race have been provided by Saturn of Des Moines. Each team that registers will have the option of providing their own vehicle and a chaperone or providing one to drive a Saturn vehicle assigned to them race weekend.
The following links provide essential information for registered teams:
Relay Challenge Event Overview
Team Member Assignments
Vehicle Assignments
If you have questions regarding the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge please contact the IMT Des Moines Marathon office.
Registered Teams (9/17/08)
| Capital 106.3 |
GoGo Girls |
Fabulous Five |
Boone Stride |
Keep the Faith |
Pella Lean Team |
Hawkstars |
| Run - DMTH |
Slow Pokers |
Real Housewives of Des Moines |
Road Runners |
Webster City |
Happy Hoppers |
Life Works |
| Flying Monkeys |
Team Hop Along |
Red Rock Runners |
Pinky-Swear |
Teach and Run |
This is a 5K right? |
Saturn |
| CowBells |
Tolly's Team |
Team Meredith |
Black Sheep |
RunAblaze |
Team DeWall |
Ernst & Young |
| Team Nebraska |
The ADPi's |
Dickinson Law Green Team |
Principal Financial Group |
Principal Financial Group 2 |
Will Run for Beer |
Team MWH |
| Wine Nighters |
Your Pace or Mine |
4 Babes and a Dude |
Trebilmakers |
Saturn |
Team ARAG |
No Boys Allowed |
| John Deere Credit |
Kitchen
Collage |
Dordt College
XC Alumni |
Team Nebraska |
Bringing the Pain |
Team Nebraska 2 |
Little Mouse |
Sports & Fitness Expo
Registration
You may
Register for any of the IMT Des Moines Marathon races at the Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Sports & Fitness Expo on October 17 and 18, 2008.
Polk County Convention Complex
501 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
IMT Des Moines Marathon
Registration FeesVerify your IMT Des Moines Marathon registration.
Please note that athlete registration and/or athlete packet pick up is NOT offered on race day.
Packet Pick Up
Athlete packet pick up will also take place at the
Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield Sports & Fitness Expo. Your athlete packet includes your race number/bib, last minute race updates, sponsor product samples & information and your IPICO timing device (Sportag™).
You are requested to pick up your OWN athlete packet to complete your registration process. You will also need to verify the information stored in your personal IPICO Sportag™.
The End Result will activate your IPICO Sportag™ timing device to complete the registration process.
Once your registration is complete, you will be able to pick up your race shirt and
souvenir guide. Please take time to relax before the big race on Sunday by enjoying the festivities at the Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Sports & Fitness Expo.
Parking
There are a variety of free parking options in downtown Des Moines. You do not have to put money in the parking meters on the street after 6:00 p.m. on Friday or at any time on Saturday or Sunday.
We invite you to take advantage of free parking at many of the downtown parking ramps on Saturday and Sunday. City of Des Moines parking ramps are located at 4th Street/Grand Avenue, 5th Street/George Watson Powell Parkway, 5th Street/Locust Avenue and 7th Street/Locust Avenue.
Do not attempt to park in the 3rd Street/Court Avenue parking ramp on race morning.
Parking is also available at Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs, six blocks south of Nollen Plaza.
Principal Park
One Line Drive
Des Moines, IA 50309
Please be respectful of No Parking signs in the downtown area, especially on race day. Chances are likely that the No Parking signs are posted on our behalf. Your vehicle will be towed.
Have a comment or question? Contact Us if you are not finding the specific race information that you are looking for. The following links may be of assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tips For First Timers
Race Day Information
Pace Teams
Any athlete who wishes to use their own pacer must have the pacer register for the race. If a personal pacer does not have a race number/bib or a Sportag™ timing device, they will be removed from the course by race officials and you may face disqualification from the race.
Van Meter Industrial Pace Team pacers are provided for the Marathon Relay Challenge from the 3:00 hour to 5:30 hour mark. IMT Des Moines Marathon pace times mirror Boston Marathon qualifying times.
Van Meter Industrial - Pace Team Bios
Van Meter Industrial Pace Team - Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us for more information on the Van Meter Industrial Pace Team or to volunteer as a pacer.
Course
Maps
IMT Des Moines Marathon
USATF Certification - IA07009-MF USATF Sanction - 0740027
Course Map (may take a moment to load)Course Description
Combined Course Map (may take a moment to load)
USATF Course Certification Map
RRCA Course Elevation Map
Please note that the Mapmyrun.com map is for website enhancement purposes only. The 26.54 mile distance is not an accurate measurement of the IMT Des Moines Marathon course.
Highlights
Course presentations will be offered at the Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Sports & Fitness Expo. Visit the Speaker Series page for times and details.
The marathon course showcases a rejuvenated downtown, quaint neighborhoods and lush city parks. The route features a start line at Nollen Plaza with a view of the Iowa Capitol. The first 3 miles of the race highlight the East Village and Court Avenue districts of downtown Des Moines.
A steady 100 foot elevation rise will present itself from mile 3 through 4 along Grand Avenue. Elevation rises and declines in the course over the next 4 miles can present challenges to the marathon athlete. Previous participants have referred to this section of the course as having more than 'rolling hills'. We encourage you to incorporate some sort of hills training, at least once a week, into your marathon training program.
The marathon course flattens out at mile 8 and offers a loop around the historic track at Drake University, home of the 2008 NCAA Track and Field Championships. The race spends 2 miles on the Drake campus before returning back towards the Des Moines Art Center.
After completing twelve miles through scenic neighborhood districts, the race offers twelve miles on paved park trails in Greenwood Park, Water Works Park and Gray's Lake Park. The autumn colors and scenic backdrops allow you to really find yourself mentally and physically in this portion of the race. Previous participants have referred to this section of the course as the true test of the marathon.
Once a loop around Gray's Lake is complete, the marathon returns to the downtown area for a one mile stretch along Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway before the along 3rd Street to Nollen Plaza.
Awards Ceremony
Overall awards in the Saturn 5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge will be given to the following divisions:
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Male Team - 1st Place $100
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Female Team - 1st Pace $100
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Co-Ed Team (minimum of 2 females) - 1st Place $100
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Male Team Pro - 1st Place $100
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Female Team Pro - 1st Place $100
5-Person Marathon Relay Challenge Corporate Team – 1st Place $100
Division awards will be presented at the Fitness Sports Awards Ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Unclaimed awards will be mailed out following the race.
Course Records
Prize Money
Post Race Party 
Celebrate your accomplishment with the IMT Des Moines Marathon Race Director, members of the Race Committee and members of Team in Training at the post race party.
The Hessen Haus is a German style bier hall that will offer live entertainment and food/drink specials following the race.
Hessen Haus
101 4th St
Des Moines, IA 50309
Runner Rankings
Running USA offers a website designed to help you record your results and compare your performances with runners from all over the nation. By logging in and claiming your completed races, you can start tracking your results and begin obtaining points today!
