The Night Run DSM
About this race
The Night Run is a 5K, 10K, and Night Mile experience through downtown Des Moines that reimagines what a running event can feel like. The race starts in the new MRKT District of before cuts through downtown using parking ramps, viaducts, bridges, and city streets to create a route that’s as engaging as it is challenging. After the race, the night continues with a post-race party featuring a DJ along the Des Moines Riverfront, with city lights as the backdrop.
Built for all paces, Night Run is designed to be social, high-energy, and leave you with the feeling of endless summer.
The 10K begins at 7:00 PM, followed by the 5K at 7:15 PM. You can pair either race with the Night Mile, or run the Night Mile as a stand-alone event.
Night Mile Corrals
When registering, be sure to select the Night Mile corral that best matches your estimated finish time. We offer five corrals:
Community Wave – 8:15 PM
Open to all ages and paces, with a 15-minute cutoff.
Intermediate Wave – 8:35 PM
For runners expecting to finish between 7:00–9:00 minutes.
Fast Wave – 8:50 PM
For runners expecting to finish between 5:30–7:00 minutes.
Women’s Elite Final
For women only who can run under 6:30 minutes.
Men’s Elite Final
For men only who can run under 5:30 minutes.
Pick your distance
Running
10K
5K
Night Mile
Double: 10K & Night Mile
Double: 5K & Night Mile
Typical race-day weather
Based on 5 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Des Moines, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 5:40 AM and sets at 8:52 PM local time (CDT) in Des Moines on June 20, 2026 — 15h 11m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
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Capital Striders 100-Miles in November Challenge
Gobbler 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (46)
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Des Moines
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Des Moines 5K Races 52 races
- 10K Run Events in Des Moines 29 races
- Des Moines Half Marathons 22 races
- Marathons in Des Moines 7 races
- Des Moines Running Calendar 2026 64 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 67 Des Moines events
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