Des Moines Marathon

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Des Moines Marathon is an annual road race held in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. It began in 2002 and includes a full marathon and a half marathon. The event is a Boston Marathon qualifier. The race weekend features Mercy Live Up Loop 5-Mile Run and 1-Mile Walk, Mercy Children's Hospital & Clinics 1-Mile Youth Run, and the Jingle Jog on Saturday; on Sunday, runners take part in the IMT Des Moines Marathon & Half Marathon, Bankers Trust Marathon Relay, and Principal 5K Road Race. All races start and finish in downtown Des Moines and showcase the city skyline, parks, and neighborhoods. The men's course record is 2:12:19 by Philip Lagat (2014), and the women's record is 2:32:28 by Abnet Simegn (2014). The event typically attracts around 9,000 participants. The marathon was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 the race celebrated its 20th anniversary with specially designed medals.