Lap your watch manually downtown
GPS is unreliable among the Loop’s tall buildings, both at the start and when you return around halfway. Use the mile markers, or a pace band, to stay honest.
Chicago, IL · Sunday, October 10, 2027
Chicago Marathon race guide
Chicago is the flattest of the big American marathons and one of the fastest in the world. It loops from Grant Park north through Lincoln Park and Lakeview, back through the Loop, west to the United Center area, and south through Little Italy, Pilsen, Chinatown and Bronzeville before the famous rise onto Roosevelt Road just before the finish. Almost every mile is lined with spectators. These notes use the 2026 course, which usually changes little from year to year.
Pace plan
Plan your race on this course
Set your goal and start time. Your checkpoints, the time of day you’ll reach each one, and the course guide below all update to match.
Build your plan01
Pacing
A little slower on the climbs, a little faster on the downhills and flats, for the same finish time. Based on where this course climbs. Treat it as an effort guide.
Enter your wave’s start time. In 2026 the waves went at 7:35, 8:00 and 8:35 a.m.; 2027 times aren’t out yet.
Splits
Your Chicago Marathon02
Average pace
8:01/mi
- First half
- 1:45:00
- Second half
- 1:45:00
- Finish line
Hover or tap a bar to see that mile.
| Checkpoint | Elapsed |
|---|---|
| LaSalle StreetMile 3 · Out of the GPS canyon. Check your real pace | 24:02 |
| Sheridan RoadMile 8 · Northern turnaround. Should feel easy | 1:04:05 |
| HalfwayMile 13.1 · On even pace, or a few seconds behind | 1:45:00 |
| Damen AvenueMile 15 · Westernmost point. Fuel here | 2:00:09 |
| PilsenMile 20 · Big crowds. Don’t surge | 2:40:10 |
| 35th StreetMile 23 · Last turnaround. Wind on the way back | 3:04:12 |
| Roosevelt RoadMile 25.9 · The only hill. Short and steep | 3:27:27 |
| FinishMile 26.2 · Grant Park | 3:30:00 |
Save it to your phone, or send the link to the people cheering for you.
- Date
- Sunday, October 10, 2027
- Start time
- 2027 times TBA (2026 waves: 7:35, 8:00 and 8:35 a.m.)
- Start
- Grant Park, on Columbus Drive
- Finish
- Grant Park, on Columbus Drive
- Time limit
- 6 hours 30 minutes (about 15:00 per mile)
- Elevation gain
- About 70 ft
- Official site
- chicagomarathon.com
- Profile
- Flat. The only real rise is Roosevelt Road in the last half mile
- Best for
- A PR or a Boston qualifier
- Biggest mistake
- Trusting GPS pace in the Loop, where tall buildings scramble the signal
- Time limit
- 6:30, about 15:00 per mile
The course
Mile by mile, at your pace
- Miles0–3
The Loop Flat
You start on Columbus Drive in Grant Park, cross the river to Grand Avenue, come back down State Street, and turn west on Jackson and north on LaSalle. Among the skyscrapers your watch’s pace will be unreliable, so run by feel and use the mile markers.
8:01 /miMile 3 at 24:02
- Miles3–8
Lincoln Park & Lakeview Flat
North on LaSalle Drive and through Lincoln Park on Stockton and Cannon Drives, then up to the course’s northern point on Sheridan Road around mile 8. Shady, flat and full of crowds.
8:01 /miMile 8 at 1:04:05
- Miles8–13
Boystown & Old Town Flat
Back south on Broadway and Clark Street through Lakeview and Lincoln Park, then down Sedgwick and Wells through Old Town to the river. Halfway comes as you return to the Loop.
8:01 /miMile 13 at 1:44:08
- Miles13–17
West Loop & the United Center Flat
West on Adams Street out to Damen Avenue around mile 15, then back east on Jackson. The crowds thin a little out west. It’s a good time to check in and fuel.
8:00 /miMile 17 at 2:16:09
- Miles17–21
Little Italy, Pilsen & Chinatown Flat
Halsted and Taylor Street through Little Italy, Loomis and 18th Street through Pilsen, then Canalport and Cermak into Chinatown around mile 21. Pilsen’s music and crowds are a lift right when you need one.
8:00 /miMile 21 at 2:48:11
- Miles21–25
Bronzeville & Michigan Avenue Flat
South on Wentworth and Michigan Avenue to the 35th Street turnaround near mile 23, then back north. Long and straight, and often windy. Tuck in behind other runners.
8:01 /miMile 25 at 3:20:13
- Miles25–26.2
Mount Roosevelt Climb
North on Michigan Avenue, then a right turn onto Roosevelt Road for the short climb over the tracks. Runners call it “Mount Roosevelt”. It’s small but it comes at mile 26. Then left onto Columbus Drive for the finish.
8:02 /miFinish at 3:30:00
Every mile split for 3:30:00
| Mile | Terrain | Pace /mi | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rolling | 8:01 | 8:01 |
| 2 | Flat | 8:01 | 16:02 |
| 3 | Flat | 8:00 | 24:02 |
| 4 | Flat | 8:00 | 32:02 |
| 5 | Flat | 8:01 | 40:03 |
| 6 | Flat | 8:00 | 48:03 |
| 7 | Flat | 8:00 | 56:03 |
| 8 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:04:05 |
| 9 | Flat | 8:02 | 1:12:07 |
| 10 | Flat | 8:00 | 1:20:07 |
| 11 | Flat | 8:00 | 1:28:07 |
| 12 | Flat | 8:00 | 1:36:07 |
| 13 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:44:08 |
| 14 | Flat | 8:01 | 1:52:08 |
| 15 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:00:09 |
| 16 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:08:09 |
| 17 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:16:09 |
| 18 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:24:09 |
| 19 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:32:09 |
| 20 | Flat | 8:00 | 2:40:10 |
| 21 | Flat | 8:01 | 2:48:11 |
| 22 | Flat | 8:01 | 2:56:11 |
| 23 | Flat | 8:00 | 3:04:12 |
| 24 | Flat | 8:00 | 3:12:12 |
| 25 | Flat | 8:00 | 3:20:13 |
| 26 | Flat | 8:02 | 3:28:15 |
| Finish | Flat | 8:00 | 3:30:00 |
Lap your watch at each marker; GPS distance drifts over 26.2 miles. Even-pace card for 3:30:00
Race strategy
How to pace the Chicago Marathon
Run even and stay patient
With no hills to speak of, the race is about rhythm. Hold back slightly through the energetic early miles so you can keep pace through the long, straight stretches south of Chinatown.
Plan for October weather
Chicago in October can be cold, or unseasonably warm. If race morning is warm, slow your goal from the start. The race was stopped because of heat in 2007.
The last few weeks
Train for this course
- Long marathon-pace blocks on flat ground, like 12–14 miles at goal pace inside a long run.
- Practice running by feel and checking your pace with manual laps, not instant GPS pace.
- Finish a few long runs with a short, steep hill to rehearse Roosevelt Road.
Race-day weather
October mornings in Chicago are usually cool, often in the 40s or 50s°F, but warm years happen, and wind off the lake can matter on the long straight stretches. Check the forecast in race week.
Race morning
Getting to the start
- Everything starts and finishes in Grant Park, with security screening at the entrances. Leave plenty of time.
- In 2026, wave 1 corrals closed at 7:20 a.m., wave 2 at 7:45 and wave 3 at 8:10. Expect a similar setup in 2027.
- Hydration bladders and hydration backpacks aren’t allowed on the course. Vests with front pockets, handhelds, belts and soft flasks are fine.
- Runners who finish after 3:30 p.m. are sent to a separate area just west of the finish for refreshments and medals.
Questions runners ask.
Is Chicago flat?
Yes. It’s one of the flattest major marathons in the world. The only noticeable climb is the short rise onto Roosevelt Road in the last half mile.
What is the time limit?
Six hours and 30 minutes, about a 15-minute mile. Runners who fall behind are asked to move to the sidewalk as streets reopen.
Why is my GPS wrong in Chicago?
Tall buildings in the Loop bounce satellite signals, so watches often show wrong pace and distance downtown, at the start and again around halfway. Use the mile markers.
When is the 2027 race?
Sunday, October 10, 2027. Entry is mostly by application and drawing. Start times for 2027 haven’t been announced.
Last checked October 20, 2026. This is an independent guide from Miles. We’re not affiliated with the race organizer. Start times, cutoffs, and logistics can change, so confirm everything on the official race site before race day.
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