Medal Madness 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Bettendorf, IA

Medal Madness 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Bettendorf, IA is held in Bettendorf, Iowa, on October 31, 2026. Four distances share an 8:30 a.m. start: the marathon (26.2 miles), the half marathon (13.1 miles), the 10K and the 5K. The routes are scenic out-and-backs, every finisher receives a medal, and prizes go to the best costumes.

Because the layout is an out-and-back, you can rehearse the day in halves: run the outbound leg controlled, then decide on the way home whether to hold or press. That structure works as well for a first marathon as for a time goal, since you always know exactly how much is left. If the full is your target, plan on roughly a 16-week build with one long run each week; for the 10K or the 5K, a few weeks of steady mileage plus one faster session will have you ready to race.