Chicago Athlete was back on the road to kick off spring marathon season with a brand new trip to Des Moines, Iowa for the Des Moines St. Paddy’s Day Marathon.
St. Paddy’s Day is the unofficial start to spring running, with over 100 races to sign up for throughout the Midwest. On Saturday, March 16th, All Community Events hosted the Des Moines St. Paddy’s Day race series which featured a 5K, Half Marathon and Marathon option.
Chicago Athlete on the Road has visited countless places in Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois, but has not made our way to the great state of Iowa before. And, after our weekend in Des Moines, I can tell you, we have been missing out.
There are two marathons in Des Moines that you can sign up for; one in the spring and one in the fall. The Des Moines Marathon takes place in October and the Des Moines St. Paddy’s Day Marathon takes place in March. I’d highly recommend that you consider adding one or both of these to your race calendar and follow some of my ideas below for a fun, active family vacation.
I worked closely with Catch Des Moines, the greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Des Moines Area Sports & Tourism Commission to make sure I experienced the city to its fullest. Part of your run-cation planning should include a website to their website to learn about the latest and greatest that Des Moines has to offer. As the fastest growing metro area in the Midwest, there are new offerings that you won’t want to miss when you visit. Catch Des Moines is a great resource that you should lean on when planning your trip, and I can’t speak more highly about this organization. They helped me to plan a run-cation filled with active family activities, healthy food options and an abundance of fun.
The drive is right around five hours from Chicago, and relatively free from traffic. At just over the halfway point to Des Moines, we stopped at the World’s Largest Truck Stop, Iowa 80. There are 900 truck spots and 150 gas pumps at this landmark facility.
After our rendezvous at the truck stop, we headed straight to the East Village, which is a vibrant and diverse district in Des Moines with stores, dining, nightlife, and residential areas. It is located between the Iowa State Capitol and the Des Moines River, and charming to its core. Packet pick up for the race was held at Fleet Feet Des Moines in the East Village, so we began our exploration there. Fleet Feet offers a sense of familiarity and comfort, as the stores are all laid out similarly, and have the same kind and friendly staff members that you can find in Chicago.
After we grabbed my packet, we explored the shops of East Village and found favorites in the “Storyhouse Bookpub”, which had comfy seating, and rows of books to peruse. Our family favorite was “RAYGUN: The Greatest Store in the Universe” which had t-shirts with every type of saying you could imagine. We also grabbed a coffee from “Vibrant Coffeehouse and Kitchen”, which had a cozy seating area with windows looking out onto a muraled and colorful wall. This gave a stained-glass appearance, which paired so well with the dark wood seating. I was enchanted by the East Village and the unique blend of commerce that could be found. We could have spent more time exploring the area, but we were all getting hangry and need to grab dinner before checking in to the hotel.
We had dinner at Truman’s Pizza, which is also located in East Village, and had a fun, relaxed vibe upon entrance. The menu offered several gluten free options, which is so important for me. I had a barbecue chicken salad which had avocado, corn, onion, tomatoes and bacon all nestled into the lettuce. It was a great pre-race meal, full of protein and veggies. We found an Uno card game sitting above our booth and played cards until the meal came. The staff was fun and the energy was light, with St. Patrick’s day decorations throughout the restaurant. The meal was a hit and I’d definitely recommend Truman’s Pizza for a family-friendly meal with healthy and gluten free options.
After the day of travel and exploration, I knew I needed to get off my feet so we checked in to the Hilton Des Moines Downtown. This hotel hit it out of the park on every level. Highlights include Starbucks in the Lobby, a clean pool, an incredible fitness center with an Assault treadmill (yes, you read that right, an Assault tread!), immaculate rooms with the softest hotel bed I have ever slept on, and the best location we could have asked for.
Ok, those are the highlights, here are the details. We checked into our rooms and were greeted with downy soft comforters, a mini fridge to store my pre-race hydration, and a large walk-in shower tiled to perfection. We visited the pool, which was simple yet elegant. A large rectangular pool with a depth that went to five feet, and seating areas around made my plan to get off my feet a reality. The pool is located on the third floor of the hotel which allows for a scenic view of the Hyvee Convention Center, Iowa State Capitol building, and much of the city skyline, including the notorious umbrella from Traveler’s Insurance.
After a dip in the pool, it was time to call it a night, as I had an early morning and 26.2 miles to tend to. I woke up and headed down to the lobby to grab a Starbucks from the coffee corner. There was also a small marketplace stocked with food and drink options.
Another HUGE benefit that the Hilton Des Moines offers is a free shuttle service, which begins at 3:30 am. I had inquired the night before about being able to take the shuttle to the race start and the staff assured me this would not be a problem. And, it was not! The concierge shuttled me down to the start line and dropped me off just a few feet from the start line. Having a ride to the start line took so much stress off of my race morning, as I did not have to worry about navigating an unknown area and finding parking.
I walked to the start area to mingle with the runners and race staff. My friend, Alex Seavey, Event Director and Marketing Manager for All Community Events, did an incredible job with the coordination of this race, as did all of the staff members of the race company. We arrived to an ample amount of porta potties, which you know is of the utmost importance to me! The energy was high as the sun was just rising behind the state capitol building. It was so beautiful and the city of Des Moines was literally calling us to run the streets.
The half marathon and marathon distances began together at 7:45 am, following the playing of the National Anthem and recognition of the charity organization, Best Buddies. 5K runners began at 8:15 am. The first couple of miles had runners winding through the downtown streets and really feeling the vibe of the city. We then headed out to run through several different park systems. We went across two different bridges and around several lakes. The course was entirely paved with very little elevation. Water and aid stations were placed every 1-3 miles along the course, along with porta potties for runners. There were a small number of spectators on the course, but much of the middle of the route was tree lined and nature filled, allowing runners to really connect with the running. The course went out to the 7-mile mark and then circled back to the start line for a 13.1 finish. The full marathons turned at the start for a second loop.
I found the course to be a nice blend of urban charm and naturesque beauty. It was astounding to me that we could be running through the downtown area of commerce and then five miles later be circling a pond and hugging trees. I think the course was a reflection of the diverse offerings that can be found in the City of Des Moines.
My only complaint, and this is always a complaint for me, was the wind. It is my least favorite element to run in and always makes the run more difficult, as it adds friction to fight against. It was powerful and relentless on the outbound portion of the course. However, it made the turn at the midway point that much more enjoyable as it then became a tailwind for miles 7-11 and 20-24. The last couple of miles had us winding through the city streets and the wind was constantly shifting based on the direction we were going.
As runners crossed the finish line, they were greeted by friendly volunteers and a shamrock sugar cookie. Runners also received a finisher’s pint glass and medal, to go along with their choice of a hoodie or t-shirt. The finish line picture opportunities were also incredible as we finished facing the State Capitol building.
I finished the race and walked the 1 mile back to the hotel as a cool down. Unbeknownst to me the City was holding a St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the vehicles were all staging on the streets as I walked back. It was so fun to see the festively dressed people lining up to watch the parade. I took my time walking back, enjoying all of the green fun that was about to happen. There’s just nothing like crowds waiting for a parade to pass!
I got back to the hotel, cleaned up and we headed out to enjoy more of Des Moines. We began with Blank Park Zoo, which had lifelike structures set up throughout the zoo of animals and flowers. Many of the animals were outside, despite the temps being in the 50’s with wind. Walking through the zoo was a great way to shake out my muscles and bring them back to reality.
After the zoo, we went to Black Cat Ice Cream for some post-race fueling. This locally owned ice cream shop was packed full of people, lining up for the day’s handmade ice cream choices. All St. Patrick’s Day themed, the ice cream choices were as unique as the building itself. We also ordered their special ice cream nuggets, which looked exactly like chicken nuggets. Little balls of ice cream are rolled in a crushed topping or cereal and plated up with a dipping sauce of hot fudge for a fun, delicious ice cream experience.
After the sugar began hitting us, we headed to my children’s favorite part of the trip, Climb Iowa. As Iowa’s largest indoor climbing and training gym, there is something for climbers of all ages and abilities. Climb Iowa has a downtown location and a larger gym in Grimes, Iowa, which we opted for. It was just 20 minutes from our hotel and an easy drive. We began with a thirty-minute orientation, where we learned about the gear, safety rules, and were given instruction on climbing and falling. The staff was incredibly helpful and welcoming, especially to a set of new climbers.
Following the orientation, we began climbing! With 10,000 square feet of climbing and 200 routes to explore, there was a constant challenge to take on. The walls went up to 37.5 feet with varying levels of difficulty. This was a great workout and reminded me that I need to work on my upper body strength. My entire family enjoyed this experience, and it unlocked a new hobby for us to explore. We were also exhausted when we finally left the climbing gym.
After climbing, we headed to a classic Des Moines staple for dinner, the Iowa Tap Room. Also located in the East Village, this brewery features 99 taps of Iowa craft brews. The interior is rustic and comfortable with a fun, relaxed vibe. The staff was warm and welcoming and had our order out within minutes of us sitting down.
There were many healthy and gluten free food options and the waitstaff was meticulous to ensure that orders were correct. My husband tried out two of the local brews and enjoyed both of them. This place has a wide variety of items on the menu that your family will enjoy. A bonus of a Saturday race means you can enjoy a drink or two Saturday night! And, what better place to celebrate a finish than a local favorite.
Another bonus of the Iowa Tap Room is that it is located right next-door to Molly’s Cupcakes, a Chicago favorite. I had no idea that they also had a Des Moines location, but what a great way to cap off dinner. Molly’s always has gluten free cupcakes and separates their buttercream frosting to ensure that it stays uncontaminated. The kids sat on swings as we had a sweet treat to finish off the evening.
Lucky for us, the Iowa Wolves were in town on Saturday night. They play 50 games, with 24 of them being home games, which are played at the Wells Fargo Arena. We caught a 7 pm game, and watched the Wolves play a great game against the Mexico Capitanes. The highlight of the game was the mascot, Alpha, who engaged the crowd with games and entertainment.
We walked through an internal skywalk from our hotel to the arena, so we didn’t have a bulk of coats to store during the game. It was very convenient and an affordable, family-friendly way to spend our Saturday night. The arena hosts a variety of games and concerts and is a great place to visit with families.
The weekend was one to remember and I can’t thank Alex Wilson, Communications and PR Manager for Catch Des Moines, enough for helping us to experience Des Moines in an active, family-friendly way. This city is full of everything we, Chicago athletes, love from activities that keep your family moving to healthy menu options. The vibrant community has shopping and eateries of all types and a Midwest familiar comfort that is welcoming and engaging.
Check out the Des Moines Marathon is October 20, 2024 and follow this plan to have a great weekend in Iowa. Or, get the St. Paddy’s Day Des Moines Marathon on your schedule for 2025 and join me, as I return to explore more of this great city.
