Hi, I'm Alex, a runner based in the western suburbs of Chicago. I built chi.run because when I trained for my first Chicago Marathon in 2024, every real question sent me digging through Reddit threads, running store conversations, random blogs, and whatever I could get out of veteran runners.
The official info is fine, but it leaves out the stuff that matters when you live and train here. How to survive winter miles. How summer humidity changes every run. How the Distance Series fits together. Which tune-up races matter. Where the course starts to bite. Which spectator plans actually work.
My running story started in June 2024, when I signed up for the Chicago 13.1 and built my own DIY plan from YouTube, blogs, friends, and gut instinct. That half gave me just enough confidence to sign up for the full, and that's when the deep dive started. Once I commit to something, I want to understand it completely. So I researched everything, tested everything, and kept notes on all of it.
I crossed the finish in 3:54:39, and on the walk home I kept thinking one thing. Why is all this so hard to find in one place? So I built the guide I wish I'd had.
Two Chicago Marathons
2024
Finish Time: 3:54:39
Lesson Learned: The marathon rewards preparation, not vibes
2026
Goal: Sub 3:40
Finish Time: 4:14:04
Lesson Learned: Run the day you get, not the day you planned
What 2026 taught me
I trained four months for a sub 3:40. I hit my 19 and 20 milers, practiced my fueling, and showed up with a pace plan I believed in. Race day started in the low 60s and was in the upper 70s by the time I finished, with no clouds. My heart rate was 153 by mile 4. I crossed halfway in 1:51:59, my legs gave out around mile 18, and I walked a lot of miles 20 through 24. Final time: 4:14:04, a 30 minute positive split.
It was also the second time Chicago got away from me in the last third. That's a pattern, not bad luck, and I'm treating it that way. Next cycle I'm racing by heart rate instead of chasing a pace, taking strength work seriously, and adjusting my goal before the gun when the forecast says to.
The heat part wasn't new to me. I logged dew point next to pace and heart rate all summer, and the week before the race I told the Chicago Tribune that dew point had become my guiding metric. Sunday proved it on a bigger stage. The full story, splits and heart rate included, is in my 2026 race recap.
Training for 2027
I'm training for the 2027 Chicago Marathon on October 10. I have unfinished business with this course, and apparently with mile 18. Everything I learn this cycle ends up on the site. You can see the exact gear I train and race in on the gear page.
Injuries and Setbacks
I did not breeze through my first training block. I dealt with plantar fasciitis that made getting out of bed feel like stepping on gravel. I also picked up an upper back issue that showed up during long runs and refused to leave quietly. A couple of my twenty milers turned into pure stubbornness sessions. None of it was the end of the world, but it forced me to learn recovery, pacing, patience, and when to back off. In a weird way, those nagging issues made me a smarter runner.
What chi.run is now
What started as my own notes is now a full Chicago running resource: registration and the Distance Series, course and weather guides with race day data back to 2007, a race calendar, a directory of 63 run clubs, routes, the gear I actually use, and a spectator planner for the people cheering you on. In October 2026, the Chicago Tribune featured chi.run as an independent guide for Chicago runners in its story on marathon heat.
What Makes chi.run Different
This is not written by a coach with thirty years of experience.
It is written by a normal Chicago runner who has run this race twice, had a good day and a hard one, and took detailed notes both times.
This guide is:
- Chicago-focused. Weather, neighborhoods, the real course feel, local routes, tune-up races, winter survival, and everything unique to this city.
- Practical. No vague advice with no context. Only what actually helped.
- Always evolving. I am already training for 2027, and the site grows as I keep learning.
- Independent. No sponsored content or paid placements. Some links on this site are affiliate links, disclosures are on relevant pages. No polished marketing language. Just honest info.
Why Trust This Guide?
Because it is built from the exact questions runners ask when they train here:
- How do Shamrock, Chicago 13.1, and fall half marathons fit together?
- What is October race day actually like in Chicago?
- Where can spectators actually see you three or four times without teleporting?
- Which neighborhoods give you a boost when you need it most?
- What should you expect when miles 18 to 23 hit like a brick wall?
I obsessed over these questions. I tested every theory during training. I learned through mistakes and from smarter runners around me. This site is the result.
The Mission
My goal is simple.
Make your Chicago Marathon journey less overwhelming and more successful.
If you are a first-timer, you are exactly who I built this for. If you are a returning runner, my hope is you find insights that make this year smoother than the last.
Chicago is an incredible city to train in, even when the weather tries to break you. And the marathon is one of the best days you can have on two legs. I want you to show up ready, confident, and not guessing your way through the process the way I did.
Let's Connect
Have questions? Want to share your own insights? See something I should add or fix?
I would genuinely love to hear from you.
And if this guide helps you at all, please share it with another Chicago runner. The more runners this helps, the better.
Chi.run is an independent resource created by a local runner, not affiliated with the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.