When in October are most 10K races held?
The busiest weekend in Iowa is October 17 and October 18, with 4 10K races on those two days, and the single busiest day is Saturday, October 10 with 3. Every one of them is on a Saturday or a Sunday.
Race calendar · October 2026 · Iowa
October 2026 10K Races in Iowa
Every 10K in Iowa in October 2026, all 12 of them, sorted by date. Dates, entry fees, finish-time stats from past results, and start-line maps.
12 10K races in October 2026
When in October
The October Race Weekends
10K races do not spread evenly across October. The busiest weekend is October 17 and October 18, with 4 of them.
By the numbers
The Biggest and Longest-Running
The October 10K races that stand out on the numbers: the biggest field, and the longest unbroken run of editions.
October 10K Races by City
Soonest 10K Races in October
12 total Sat, Oct 3, 2026GRRRR Great River Road Road Race McGregor, IARegistration closedFrom $40Details Sat, Oct 3, 2026Haunted 5K, 10K, & 13.1M at Iowa City, IA (40) Iowa City, IAFrom $30Register Sat, Oct 10, 2026Hot Cider Hustle - Cedar Rapids Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Cedar Rapids, IAFrom $13Details Sat, Oct 10, 2026Spooky Sprint- Des Moines Polk City, IAFrom $22Details Sat, Oct 10, 2026Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) Des Moines, IAFrom $30Register Sat, Oct 17, 2026Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Bettendorf, IA (42) Bettendorf, IAFrom $30Details Sun, Oct 18, 2026Run for the Schools Iowa City, IAFrom $15Details Sun, Oct 18, 2026IMT Des Moines Marathon Des Moines, IAFrom $43Details Sun, Oct 18, 2026IMT Des Moines Marathon - Early Bird Des Moines, IARegistration closedFrom $20View race Sat, Oct 24, 2026RUNorwalk Norwalk, IAFrom $15Details Sat, Oct 31, 2026To Grandmother's House We Go West Des Moines, IAFrom $40Details Sat, Oct 31, 2026Medal Madness 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M Bettendorf, IAFrom $30Register
Common Questions About Running an October 10K in Iowa
When should I sign up for an October 10K?
As early as you can. 3 of these October 10K races already have a price increase on the calendar, and 10 are open for entry right now. Another 2 have published an opening date and have not opened yet.
How much does an October 10K cost to enter?
The typical entry is $30, with paid entries running from $12.99 up to $43. Entry fees climb as race day gets closer, so the same race is usually cheapest the week it opens.
10K Races in Other Months
September and November sit either side of October, which is where most people look next when a date does not fit.