111th Drake Relays Presented by Xtream Powered by Mediacom Postponed to 2021

Drake Road Races and Grand Blue Mile transition to virtual events in the fall

The 111th Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom has officially been postponed to April 2021, Blake Boldon, the Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays announced Thursday, July 23.

The 111th Drake Relays were first postponed March 18 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. In the ensuing months, Drake Relays staff has worked tirelessly, in conjunction with local public officials and track & field governing bodies, to explore and plan for the potential of a 2020 event. 

However, to preserve the safety and wellbeing of competitors, officials and fans, the difficult decision was made to postpone the event to April 21-24, 2021.

“The Drake Relays presented by Xtream has been known as America’s Athletic Classic since the first half of the last century,” Boldon said. “Our event is known around the world as a week-long celebration of athletic achievement, featuring thousands of athletes and tens of thousands of spectators. It has become clear that current circumstances will not allow us to safely host an event that meets the standard set over the last 11 decades. While exploring every option, the safety of athletes, officials, spectators and our entire community has remained our highest priority.”

In addition to the postponement of the 111th Drake Relays, Boldon announced that the Grand Blue Mile and Drake Road Races will be contested as virtual events in September and October.

“Our entire staff has worked diligently to explore every possibility of hosting our events in person in 2020, including the Drake Road Races and Grand Blue Mile” Boldon said. “The process has been challenging and the outcome is not what we desired. However, we have been reassured by the incredible show of support we’ve received from fans, coaches and athletes from Iowa, the nation and around the world. This support has been greatly appreciated. We want to share a special thank you to our partners at Mediacom, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Catch Des Moines and USATF, and all ticketholders, Baton Club members, our track and field officials and leaders at the City of Des Moines and Polk County. With the collaboration of those organizations and our passionate supporters, we look forward to the future of the Drake Relays presented by Xtream.”

The virtual Drake Road Races may be completed Sept. 27 - Oct. 8, with competitors submitting their performances to a virtual leaderboard. Grand Blue Mile competitors can complete their mile Sept. 29 - Oct. 8. Virtual registrations are still available at DrakeRoadRaces.org and GrandBlueMile.com. A limited number of additional registrations remain for those who wish to complete the 2020 Bulldog Double. Entrants who wish to defer their Drake Road Races registration to 2021 may do so for a small administrative fee. 

Drake Road Races FAQ

Grand Blue Mile FAQ

Current Drake Relays ticket holders will receive an email from the Drake Athletic Ticket Office detailing their ticketing options. Ticketholders may choose, by Aug. 17, to donate the value of their tickets as a tax-deductible donation, forward their tickets to the 2021 Drake Relays or request a refund. 

Drake Relays Ticketing FAQ

“We treasure and value the generous support our fans and ticketholders have shown us this past year,” Boldon said. “We are already eagerly preparing an outstanding 111th Drake Relays for 2021 and looking forward to having everyone back at the Blue Oval.”

-DrakeRelays-