Chicago Marathon 2026
Chicago, IL, USA
The course
A flat, fast single-loop course through Chicago starting and finishing in Grant Park. Runners head north up Michigan Avenue and LaSalle through Streeterville, Lincoln Park and Lakeview, pass Wrigleyville, then loop west through the West Loop and Pilsen and south through Chinatown (passing under the Chinatown Gate at mile 19), Bridgeport and past Guaranteed Rate Field before returning north along South Michigan Avenue. Elevation gain is only about 243 feet, with the one noticeable rise on Roosevelt Road at mile 26; the course passes through 29 neighborhoods.
Course summary source: run.outsideonline.com
Course map & elevation
No GPS track for this course yet.
We haven't mapped the Chicago Marathon route yet. Elevation data will appear here once a licensed or organizer-verified course map is available.
Training for the Chicago Marathon?
Coach Icarus builds your plan around your fitness, your schedule, and this course's elevation.
Race-week weather
Typical high
18°C
Typical low
9°C
Year-to-year swing
±2.4°C
Rain
2.9 mm/day
Based on 2020-2025 of race-week history, with peak gusts around 26 km/h.
Difficulty
Entry difficulty: Lottery / ballot — separate from how hard the course itself is.
Race facts
- Official race site
- chicagomarathon.com ↗
- Start time
- 07:30
- Field size
- 54,382 finishers (2025)
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
Distances: 42.2 km
Training for the Chicago Marathon?
Coach Icarus builds your plan around your fitness, your schedule, and this course's elevation.
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