Bucket List / Fitness Goals / Complete The World Marathon Majors
Chicago Marathon
Ticked off in October 2026
A flat, fast loop through 29 Chicago neighbourhoods, with huge crowds and a world-record pedigree.
The adventure
Chicago is a marathon that feels like a tour of the whole city. Starting and finishing in Grant Park, the course heads through the skyscraper canyons of the Loop, north to Lincoln Park and back, then threads through neighbourhoods including Greektown, Pilsen and Chinatown, each with its own music, food and flags lining the streets.
It is also one of the fastest marathons in the world. The course is almost completely flat and cool October mornings suit fast running, which is why Kelvin Kiptum set the men's world record of 2:00:35 here in 2023. For everyone else, the one real climb comes in the final mile, a short rise on Roosevelt Road that runners call Mount Roosevelt, before you turn for the finish in Grant Park with the skyline behind you.
Why it’s epic
- Kelvin Kiptum ran 2:00:35 here in 2023, a men's marathon world record.
- More than 50,000 runners finish in a typical recent year.
- The course runs through 29 neighbourhoods, including Chinatown, Pilsen and Greektown.
- The race was first held in 1977.
What it is
A flat loop that starts and finishes in Grant Park and runs through 29 of Chicago’s neighbourhoods, with big crowds all the way round.
How to do it
Enter the ballot, which opens in the autumn the year before, or take a charity or tour operator place. There are guaranteed places for fast qualifying times.
Top tip
Tall buildings can confuse GPS watches in the first few miles, so run by effort or use the mile markers.
Need to know
- Tall buildings in the Loop confuse GPS watches, so use the course markers early on.
- October weather varies, and the 2007 race was halted because of heat, so be ready for a warm day.
- The ballot opens in the autumn before, with guaranteed entries for fast qualifying times.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- A long weekend
- Best time to go
- Early to mid October
- Fly into
- ORD airport
Transatlantic flights and city-centre hotels on race weekend are the main costs.
Do it yourself
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My experience
Ran it on 11 October 2026 in 3:36:24, just two weeks after Berlin: 42 km for my 42nd birthday.
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