Drake Relays: Schedule, tickets, weather and more to know if you go
Updated: 9:12 AM CDT Apr 24, 2025
NOW. THE DRAKE RELAYS FESTIVITIES ARE TAKING OVER DES MOINES, AND vlog IS THERE TO COVER IT ALL. OH MY GOSH STACEY, THE EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING. I’M LIVE OUT HERE AT WESTERN GATEWAY PARK FOR THE ANNUAL GRAND BLUE MILE. WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT OF THE BIG COMMUNITY EVENTS. WE’RE GOING TO START WITH vlog JEFF DUBROF. HE’S LIVE BY THE STARTING LINE, WHERE RUNNERS ARE TAKING THEIR MARKS. JEFF. OH, BEN, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE KENTUCKY DERBY? BECAUSE WHAT WE’RE ABOUT TO SEE IS NOTHING LIKE THIS. THIS IS SPIKE’S FUN RUN. HERE THEY COME, HERE THEY COME. THE LITTLEST RUNNERS HERE. OH, THEY’RE ABOUT TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE HERE. LET’S SEE. OH! OH, MAN IN THE GREEN, MAN IN THE GREEN. MAN IN THE GREEN TAKES IT. HOW ABOUT THAT 21 SECONDS FOR SPIKE’S RUN. OUR GUY IN THE GREEN AND HE’S WEARING CAMO CROCS TO. UNBELIEVABLE. THAT’S JUST THE BEST WAY TO START OFF THE GRAND BLUE MILE. ONE OF THE BEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR. THE WEATHER IS COOPERATING. THE SMILES ARE ON OUR FACE. AND FOR BLAKE BOLTON WHAT HE’S GOT LATER, HE’S THE DIRECTOR OF THE DRAKE RELAYS. IT’S A LOT OF FUN. LATER TONIGHT, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS. HE PREVIEWED IT FOR US RIGHT HERE. THERE’S NOT OFTEN OUT IN A STATE OF 3 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE TWO OLYMPIANS IN, YOU KNOW, IN A TOTAL LIFETIME, MAYBE. AND HERE WE ARE, TWO THAT ARE OF THE SAME ERA, THE SAME GENERATION, AND HAVE BECOME VERY BEST FRIENDS AND HAVE TRAINED TOGETHER FOR YEARS. AND NOW THEY GET TO COMPETE, POTENTIALLY NOT JUST FOR AN AMERICAN TITLE AND A US TITLE, BUT AN AMERICAN RECORD AND A SPOT ON TEAM USA. YEAH, IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY COOL. THAT IS AT 715, AS YOU SEE, THE YOUNGSTERS POURING IN WITH PARENTS, THE YOUNG MAN IN GREEN, WE’RE GOING TO FIND OUT HIS NAME WEARING CROCS WITH A TIME OF 21 SECONDS. I DON’T THINK I COULD DO THAT IN A PAIR OF RUNNING SHOES, LET ALONE CROCS. GRAND BLUE MILE NEVER DISAPPOINTS AND WE ARE JUST UNDERWAY. WE’LL HAVE ALL THE FESTIVITIES COMING UP LATER TONIGHT. WE’LL HAVE MORE IN SPORTS AT SIX. VICTORIA. TIP NUMBER SIX. OH MY GOSH, JEFF AND I THINK THEY’RE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE LITTLE GRIF DOLLS THEY’RE HANDING OUT JUST PAST THE FINISH LINE. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN. ALL THESE KIDDOS BEHIND ME, YOU COULD HEAR THE EXCITEMENT. I’M SURE. WILL THE DRAKE RELAYS BRING SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN U.S. TRACK AND FIELD TO DES MOINES EVERY YEAR. THIS YEAR, OF COURSE, IS NO DIFFERENT. IT INCLUDES AN OLYMPIC POWER COUPLE, TARA DAVIS WOODHALL, AND HER HUSBAND, HUNTER WOODHALL, WILL BOTH COMPETE ON SATURDAY. TARA WON GOLD IN THE LONG JUMP AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS LAST YEAR. THIS WEEK, SHE HAS HER SIGHTS SET ON BREAKING A DRAKE RELAYS LONG JUMP RECORD SET BY FELLOW GOLD MEDALIST BRITTNEY REESE HUNTER, A DOUBLE AMPUTEE, ALSO WON GOLD IN THE 400 AND THE PARIS PARALYMPIC GAMES. HE’S TAKING ON THE SAME EVENT AT THE BLUE OVAL, THIS TIME AGAINST ABLE BODIED RUNNERS. WE’VE BEEN DREAMING FOR THIS MOMENT SINCE WE STARTED DATING AND TRAINING TOGETHER, SO IT’S PRETTY SURREAL AND I THINK DRAKE RELAYS IS GOING TO BE ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS JUST IN OUR LITTLE WORLD. AND THE WOMEN’S LONG JUMP, IT STARTS AT 205 SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AND THE MEN’S 400 BEGINS AT 323. THAT TWO HOUR BLOCK IS GOING TO BE TELEVISED BY CBS SPORTS, SO YOU CAN CATCH IT THERE. IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE BLUE OVAL. WE CONTINUE OUR LIVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT. vlog AFFILIATE JACOBSON IS LIVE DOWNTOWN AS THIS EXCITEMENT CONTINUES TO BUILD. OFELIA. YEAH. BEN. THE EXCITEMENT IS IN THE AIR. I WANT TO STEP OUT OF THE SHOT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE EIGHT AND UNDERS WHO HAVE JUST STARTED THEIR SPIKE SPRINT. WHAT GREAT TIMING FOR US. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BOYS IN THE FRONT AND A GIRL IN THE FRONT THAT’S LEADING THE PACK. THEY ARE JUST MAKING THEIR WAY DOWN GRAND AVENUE, AND THIS SPRINT IS SO SPECIAL BECAUSE IT’S THE FIRST YEAR THAT THIS RACE IS HAPPENING. SO KIDS OF ALL AGES CAN JOIN IN ON THE FUN. BUT IT’S NOT JUST THE KIDS THAT ARE HERE TO RUN THE RACE. WE ALSO TALKED TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHO SAY THEY’RE EXCITED TO BE BACK FOR THE RACE, AND THEY’VE BEEN DOING IT FOR MULTIPLE YEARS NOW. THE PLACE TO BE AND THE REASON WHY I LOVE IT SO MUCH IS IT’S ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES. YOU’LL SEE PEOPLE IN THEIR WALKERS, IN THE WHEELCHAIRS. WALK, GOING THE WHOLE MILE. IT’S REALLY FUN TO SEE. AND THEN THE ELITES, I MEAN, HOW COULD YOU BEAT THAT? I MEAN, LIKE SHE SAID, HOW CAN YOU BEAT THIS IF YOU’RE NOT AN OLYMPIAN OR NOT AT THAT LEVEL YET? THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE HERE. WE WERE JUST OVER IN THE KIDS ZONE. THERE WERE BOUNCY HOUSES, BALLOON ARTISTS, FACE PAINTING, JUST A TON OF FUN. AND WHAT BEAUTIFUL WEATHER TO BE HERE AS WELL. I SPOKE WITH THE EVENT DIRECTOR EARLIER TODAY THAT SAID, AT 2000 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR THE RECREATIONAL RACES AND THERE WAS STILL TIME TO SIGN UP. SO I’M SURE THAT NUMBER HAS GONE UP HERE TODAY. WE’LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT TRACKING ALL THE FUN, THE PROFESSIONALS AND ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST HERE TO TO ENJOY THEMSELVES HERE IN DO
Drake Relays: Schedule, tickets, weather and more to know if you go
Updated: 9:12 AM CDT Apr 24, 2025
Drake Relays week in Des Moines truly is one of the best weeks of the year. The 115th Relays will draw hundreds of athletes and thousands of fans to Drake Stadium, where competitors are all trying to win the white flags given to champions. Drake Relays coverage: What a hunk: 80-pound pup crowned Drake's 2025 Most Beautiful Bulldog Drake neighborhood businesses get ready for the Drake Relays crowd Grand Blue Mile brings in runners of all ages and abilities to downtown Des Moines 2025 Grand Blue Mile championship races delivers nail-biting drama Here's what you need to know if you go to the 2025 Drake Relays.2025 Drake Relays schedule Wednesday, April 23, to Saturday, April 26 115th Drake Relays; Full schedule; TicketsTickets for 2025 Drake RelaysThere are single-session, all-session and other ticket packages available here. A ticket is needed for anyone 2 years old and older.Competitors at 2025 Drake RelaysIowa high school: Click here for full list of accepted entriesUniversity/college: Click here for full list of accepted entries Drake Relays forecastHighs will be in the low 70s in Des Moines on Thursday, but will drop to the mid-60s on Friday and Saturday, according to the latest vlog forecast. Expect showers and thunderstorms Thursday and Friday. Important note: You can take rain apparel into Drake Stadium, but umbrellas are not allowed. WATCH: vlog's Scott Reister finishes the Drake Relays Grand Blue Mile ... barelyLive results Drake will post live results from this year's relays here.Recent results2024 Drake Relays results2023 Drake Relays results2022 Drake Relays results2021 Drake Relays resultsMore results What you can and can't bring inside Drake StadiumItems permitted inside Drake Stadium include bags and purses no larger than 16x9x8 inches; blankets; rain apparel; stadium seats under 18 inches wide; one sealed bottle of water per person; and service animals. Prohibited items include umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, outside food and drinks; camera tripods; weapons; large bags and backpacks; tents; emotional support animals; strollers; lawn chairs; and coolers and thermoses. Visit godrakebulldogs.evenue.net for more information on what you can and can't take inside the stadium. Bags are subject to search at any time.Parking around Drake StadiumPaid parking in designated lots around Drake Stadium costs $10 per vehicle on Thursday and $15 on Friday and Saturday. Lots open no earlier than 3 hours before the start of the morning session.Click here for more parking information, including the location of handicapped-accessible spaces, and a map.Street parking is also available. Meet this year's Beautiful Bulldog Contest winnerAn English bulldog named Milo took the crown at Drake University's Beautiful Bulldog Contest on Monday at the Knapp Center. Milo, who hails from North Liberty, Iowa, will serve a year-long reign as the Drake Relays mascot and the Most Beautiful Bulldog.» Subscribe to vlog's YouTube page» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa — Drake Relays week in Des Moines truly is one of the best weeks of the year.
The 115th Relays will draw hundreds of athletes and thousands of fans to Drake Stadium, where competitors are all trying to win the white flags given to champions.
Drake Relays coverage:
Here's what you need to know if you go to the 2025 Drake Relays.
2025 Drake Relays schedule
Wednesday, April 23, to Saturday, April 26
Tickets for 2025 Drake Relays
There are single-session, all-session and other ticket packages available . A ticket is needed for anyone 2 years old and older.
Competitors at 2025 Drake Relays
- Iowa high school:
- University/college:
Drake Relays forecast
Highs will be in the low 70s in Des Moines on Thursday, but will drop to the mid-60s on Friday and Saturday, according to the latest vlog forecast. Expect showers and thunderstorms Thursday and Friday.
Important note: You can take rain apparel into Drake Stadium, but umbrellas are not allowed.
WATCH: vlog's Scott Reister finishes the Drake Relays Grand Blue Mile ... barely
Live results
Drake will post live results from this year's relays .
Recent results
What you can and can't bring inside Drake Stadium
Items permitted inside Drake Stadium include bags and purses no larger than 16x9x8 inches; blankets; rain apparel; stadium seats under 18 inches wide; one sealed bottle of water per person; and service animals.
Prohibited items include umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, outside food and drinks; camera tripods; weapons; large bags and backpacks; tents; emotional support animals; strollers; lawn chairs; and coolers and thermoses.
Visit for more information on what you can and can't take inside the stadium. Bags are subject to search at any time.
Parking around Drake Stadium
Paid parking in designated lots around Drake Stadium costs $10 per vehicle on Thursday and $15 on Friday and Saturday. Lots open no earlier than 3 hours before the start of the morning session.
Click for more parking information, including the location of handicapped-accessible spaces, and a map.
Street parking is also available.
Meet this year's Beautiful Bulldog Contest winner
An English bulldog named Milo took the crown at Drake University's Beautiful Bulldog Contest on Monday at the Knapp Center. Milo, who hails from North Liberty, Iowa, will serve a year-long reign as the Drake Relays mascot and the Most Beautiful Bulldog.
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» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |