IMT Des Moines Half Marathon - 2024 race recap

There’s plenty to say about the IMT Des Moines Half Marathon. 

It’s a race I’ve now done 10 times, and it never disappoints. I can’t say the same about my finish times, LOL, but it’s still a race I look forward to every year.

The 2024 edition was no exception…

This race weekend has been a big must-do for me, for the past 16 years:

I have run the Half Marathon in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023

***I ran the Full Marathon in 2014

***I ran the 5K in 2015 (as part of the 5K/13.1 Combo) and also in 2022 

***I ran the Mercy Live Up Loop 5-mile in 2016 (as part of the 5 Mile/13.1 Combo) and also in 2017 and 2021

A few (or several) great things about this year’s festivities on on race day…

The weather. What can I say? Momma N smiled on us, big time (or at least on me), with the weather she threw our way. 

The friends. I arrived on the scene around 7:20, giving me plenty of time to hit the porta-potty and regroup before the start line. I’d just walked up to the potty line when I saw Lauren and Mary, two of my Market to Market teammates! They were both running the full marathon, so we wished each other well.

The start line. It’s always exciting getting in line for a race. The temps were already warming up, so the orange 1/4-zip was off and tied (around my waist) almost as soon as I found my spot in the corral. It was then that I realized I’d forgotten my sunglasses (#MajorOops). I contemplated walking back to my car to toss the jacket in and grab the shades, but I’d be cutting it really, really close in getting back in time for the 8:00 start. So, I opted to just keep the jacket securely tied and deal with the lack of eye protection. First World Probs.

 

The new race course.

This year, the route had some major changes. The first three miles took us through several downtown streets, eventually passing the Pappajohn Sculpure Park. Let’s not forget the long stretch along Grand, which resulted in a long, gradual incline. After turning onto 45th Street (near the 5.5-mile mark), we were rewarded with some nice declines and a very scenic jaunt along the trail through Greenwood-Ashworth Park. That trail then lead us to the north edge of Water Works Park (instead of the previous route, which took us all the way around the loop), to the east side of Grays Lake, near the 10-mile mark. The next two miles had us on Meredith Trail, winding around the south side of Principal Park (home of the Iowa Cubs baseball team), with an out-and-back to Single Speed Brewery. By the time I got to the final mile, my body was ready to be done. All that remained was a turn on Court Street…then onward to the finish line!

I loved the new race course!

The finish. Does it get any better than crossing the finish line feeling like you’ve accomplished a great feat? Well, in my case, this year’s race was a little rough going. I inadvertently ran the first three miles much faster than intended (umm, just slightly faster than a 5K pace…not good when there’s 10 miles yet to be run, LOL). Consequently, the final three miles saw some walking (a lot of walking, actually). But I did muster a tiny bit of mojo just before the finish line.

The family. It’s always fun having family around, especially on the race course! My cousin, Jessica, was also running the half marathon. Her hubby and daughters gave me a cheer near the 3-mile mark, which was much appreciated. After the finish line, we all bumped into each other amidst the post-race party.

The meet-up. Social media friends are a huge part of my fitness life. I’ve known Gaby (from the east coast) for several years, via Instagram. She’d asked me about fun fall races in Iowa (a year ago)… and here she was, a year later! Only, she didn’t just run the IMT 13.1 on Sunday, she also ran the Kansas City Half Marathon the day prior (as part of the I-35 Challenge). It was fun meeting-up with her after we’d both finished. It felt more like a reunion than a first-time meeting.

The exhaustion. Despite how much I love this race, and as much as I was looking forward to it, I had mixed feelings on my training. Granted, I’d had some really good tempo-ish runs, but not any focused speed-training. My long runs all had gone well, so at least I was reassured that my endurance was in-check. Still, my gut was telling me I just wasn’t in optimal 13.1 shape. As mentioned, I ran the first three miles much faster than I should have. What can I say? I was caught up in the start line excitement and kind of hung with the crowd, LOL. Overall, I felt pretty good throughout the race, but there was some definite exhaustion setting in by the time I made it through Mile-10. According to my splits, via the Garmin, there was a five minute difference from the first three miles (9:04, 9:12, 9:07) to the final three (10:54, 10:34, 10:53), thanks to several walking breaks. Oh well! I’m not disappointed because I still enjoyed the race, a 10:01 average pace is nothing to sneeze at, and persevering through 13.1 miles is something I’ll never take for granted.

Just past the finish line…

Very similar to last year, either the course (again) ran long or I totally jacked the tangents

The stats. Not much to add; the numbers speak for themselves.

The pride. Although I would have liked a little better finish time (I’m usually in the 2:05 range), I’m satisfied with my 2:13 (and change). After all, running 13.1 miles, even with some walking thrown in, is a pretty sweet feat.

The swag. For the 23rd anniversary of the event, a new logo debuted. This new logo was reminiscent on all the event swag, as well as the medal. Half marathoners received black hooded windbreaker jackets. 

So, that’s another IMT Des Moines Half Marathon in the books. If anyone’s interested, October 19th is already set for 2025. I’m not registered (yet), but odds are ever in my favor of being there.

Do you have a race that’s on your must-do list every year? Have you ever been to Des Moines? What’s your absolute favorite race, ever, of any distance? 

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