pacertrip.Races
PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE
Pleasant Creek Trail Run race photo

Pleasant Creek Trail Run

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USSeptember 202745km
Race date Sep expected
September 2027
City · Distance
Palo Alto · 45km
Entry fee
$50From the 2026 edition
2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Sep 12, 2026 · Entry fee $50 · Start 07:30
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 8, 2026
Pleasant Creek Trail Run race photo
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Pleasant Creek Trail Run — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The race runs the outer loop of the Pleasant Creek Equestrian Trail (one lap is 15K).

The start is near the playground north of the beach parking lot.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Pleasant Creek Trail Run runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2
hugeholsteinRan in 2025 · Finish time 04:58
“The aid station volunteers were great and did a good job getting me ice and water.”

At the 2025 Pleasant Creek Trail Run 45km, the runner used an ice bandana and water to manage the heat and kept passing people on the final lap. Finishing 6th overall and 1st in their age group in 4 hours 58 minutes, they were pleased with the better-than-expected result and friendly aid stations.

Read the original on Long Run Ponderings
mikemac356Ran in 2015 · Finish time 01:47:23
“I just ran it like the old days.”

Still recovering from injury, the runner chose the 15km at the 2015 Pleasant Creek Trail Run, taking photos and enjoying the scenery through mud and puddles. They kept their competitive instincts in check to avoid overdoing it and finished in 1 hour 47 minutes 23 seconds.

Read the original on Former Action Guy

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Pleasant Creek Trail Run 30k 2015

angie maske-berka

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Pleasant Creek Trail Run — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Pleasant Creek Trail Run course map and elevation

The 45km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30
FINISH

4530 McClintock Rd, Palo, IA

Finish · Google Maps
Show more

45K, 30K, and 15K events will be held together.

Start line is located in Palo, IA, and departure time is 7:30 am local time.

Course is a circular composition that returns to the starting point.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your Pleasant Creek Trail Run race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Advance bib pickup: Friday, 5:00–7:00 PM at Soko Outfitters / Race-day pickup: 6:30–7:30 AM at the start/finish area

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area / Pleasant Creek Park, 4530 McClintock Ln, Palo, IA 52324 — no public transit

Clockwise loop course starting at the park;

45K/30K start 7:30 AM, 15K starts 8:00 AM.

Rural state recreation area, car access only.

Per web search (Iowa DNR and Travel Iowa park listings).

Rural state recreation area, no public transit, car access only.

Getting to the finish

Same location — Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area, 4530 McClintock Ln, Palo, IA 52324

Loop course finishes back at the park.

Stations & transport near the venue

Palo, Iowa is a rural county park venue with no dedicated transit card system;

car access is required, as there is no public transit serving this area.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Online pre-registration closes at 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday two days before the race, and on-site (day-of) registration is not offered.

Bib pickup is available from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Friday at Soko Outfitters,

and on race day it can also be picked up at the start/finish area from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. Picking up in advance is recommended to avoid crowding.

The race distance (15K, 30K, or 45K) can be changed through UltraSignup up until the race starts,

but registering after September 1 does not guarantee a commemorative T-shirt size.

Times are local to Palo Alto. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on mapEating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Palo Alto with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Total cost and budget for Pleasant Creek Trail Run

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Pleasant Creek Trail Run

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Palo Alto runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Creek Trail Run

FAQ
When does Pleasant Creek Trail Run 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 12, 2026.

How much is the Pleasant Creek Trail Run 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $50.

What distances does Pleasant Creek Trail Run 2027 offer?

Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does Pleasant Creek Trail Run 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:30. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does Pleasant Creek Trail Run 2027 start?

Palo, IA. (From the 2026 edition)

PacerTrip connects you to races, stays, flights and tours. You book and pay on each service; when you go through these links we earn a commission.