Chicago Marathon takes place on Sun, Oct 11, 2026 in Chicago, United States. The main route is 42.2 km.
- Date
- Sun, Oct 11, 2026
- Start
- Chicago 🇺🇸
- Distance
- 42.2 km
- Climbing
- 57 m
- Level
- Open to all
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is known for its flat and fast course that starts and finishes in Grant Park and travels through 29 vibrant neighborhoods.
Official event pageWhat this race demands
The Chicago Marathon demands sustained cardiovascular endurance and pacing discipline over a 42.2 km distance on a flat course.
Sustained Aerobic Power
Covering 42.2 km requires a high fractional utilization of VO2 max and strict pacing control to avoid early fatigue.
Impact Durability
Running continuous pavement for over forty kilometers places significant repetitive stress on joints, requiring strong structural resilience.
A target intake of 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour should be maintained to support glycogen stores over the multi-hour effort.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
3:45–4:35
Peak-week training
5–7 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at Chicago Marathon is 7 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Build1 week · Aug 24, 2026 – Aug 30, 2026
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
02Peak3 weeks · Aug 31, 2026 – Sep 20, 2026
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
03Taper2 weeks · Sep 21, 2026 – Oct 4, 2026
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
04Race week1 week · Oct 5, 2026 – Oct 11, 2026
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
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