Monster Dash 5K & Lil' Monsters Fun Run

Monster Dash 5K & Lil' Monsters Fun Run takes place in West Des Moines, Iowa, on October 24, 2026, in the late afternoon. The Lil' Monsters Fun Run, a 100-meter dash for children, starts at 5:20 p.m., and the 5K Run/Walk over 3.1 miles follows ten minutes later at 5:30 p.m.

That order works nicely for families, since the kids' race is done before the adults line up. For the 5K, an evening start means fueling across the day rather than off a single breakfast: eat normally, then keep the last three hours light. Late October in Iowa can be genuinely cold once the sun drops, so warm up longer than usual and keep a layer on until close to the start. If you are new to racing, 3.1 miles is reachable after a month of running three times a week.