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Illinois Marathon race photo

Illinois Marathon

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USApr 24, 2027Distance TBD
T.J. Blakeman · CC BY-SA 4.0
Race date in 200 days
Apr 24, 2027 Sat
City · Distance
Champaign · Distance TBD
Entry fee
Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
Status
SoonTBD ~ Wed, March 31, 2027See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗
Instagram
D-day as of Oct 6, 2026
Illinois Marathon race photo
T.J. Blakeman · CC BY-SA 4.0
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Illinois Marathon — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

A marathon held in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA, on the fourth weekend of April.

The race starts in front of State Farm Center, passes through the University of Illinois campus and downtown Urbana,

and loops through Champaign and the neighboring village of Savoy before finishing at the 50-yard line inside Memorial Stadium.

It is a flat, fast course with very little elevation gain or loss.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Illinois Marathon runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 3
esasso11Ran in 2026 · Finish time 3:35:09
“From start to finish, this was one of the most well-executed races I’ve experienced.”

esasso11 returned to marathon racing after 7 years and finished the Illinois Marathon in 3:35:09. They said that, despite tight travel and packet pickup from a late race change, everything went smoothly, and staying at a hotel near the start made the morning logistics easy within walking distance. They praised the flat, fast course, the plentiful volunteers and crowd support, and the stadium finish, but found it disappointing that some aid stations were placed right after corners, making it hard to grab water.

Read the original on Reddit · r/AdvancedRunning
Chris ⓋRan in 2014 · Finish time 3:47:35
“Crossed the finish in a time of 3:47:35.”

Chris ran the 2014 Illinois Marathon full marathon in Champaign-Urbana. Although the heat took a heavy toll from around mile 23, Chris kept running without walking and pushed through to the finish at Memorial Stadium, completing the race in 3:47:35.

Read the original on Chris' Ultra Blog
ErinRan in 2012 · Finish time 3:34:05
“The long version is that the Illinois Marathon is a runner’s race.”

Erin ran a flat, fast course at the 2012 Illinois Marathon, finishing in 3:34:05 to set a personal best and qualify for Boston. She wrote in detail about the course through residential areas, the relatively well-stocked aid stations, the volunteers and spectators, and the finish inside the stadium.

Read the original on Running Ruminations

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Illinois Marathon 2025

Gordons Stories

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Illinois Marathon — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Illinois Marathon course map and elevation

Course

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:33
City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

Show more

The marathon starts near State Farm Center and passes through the University of Illinois campus.

It then loops around Urbana before returning to campus, continues through Champaign to Savoy in the south,

and finishes on the 50-yard line inside Memorial Stadium.

This course links the campus and three cities, but with little elevation change, it is well suited to chasing a fast time.

The 2027 race will take place on April 24 at 7:33 a.m. Wave start.

The time limit is 6 hours after the final wave starts, equivalent to 13 minutes 43 seconds per mile at the average pace.

The course is USATF-certified, with the men's record of 2 hours 18 minutes 11 seconds and the women's record of 2 hours 36 minutes 51 seconds, both set in 2019.

Alongside the marathon, half marathon, wheelchair half marathon, 10K, and 5K take place during the same race weekend.

Participant benefits

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Where and when to collect your Illinois Marathon race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

University of Illinois campus area, Champaign — served by Champaign-Urbana MTD local buses

Stations & transport near the venue

MTD buses cover Champaign-Urbana and the UI campus;

fares are payable in cash or via the MTD app.

Amtrak's Illini and Saluki trains link Chicago to Champaign in about 2.5 hours, arriving at Illinois Terminal downtown, which is also the MTD bus hub.

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The race starts at 7:33 a.m. on April 24, using a wave start.

Since the start is near State Farm Center, plan your race-day travel around this location.

The packet containing the bib, race shirt, and souvenirs must be collected before the race.

First, make sure you can finish within 6 hours.

If you exceed time limit, a bike marshal will get you onto the sag wagon (sweep vehicle) to Gies Memorial Stadium.

Course Hydration is provided by Nuun, and finishers receive food and drinks, finisher medal, an emergency sheet, and a fleece blanket.

To get a drink at the postrace 27th-Mile Celebrate Victory Bash, you must keep wearing your bib.

Times are local to Champaign. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Illinois Marathon start line in Champaign

Hotels that make race morning easy

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Country Inn & Suites By Radisson, Champaign North, Il

Hotel · 2.5km

8.3/10(648)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Champaign with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Champaign.

Total cost and budget for Illinois Marathon

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Illinois Marathon

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Champaign runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Illinois Marathon

FAQ
When does Illinois Marathon 2027 take place?

It takes place on Sat, April 24, 2027 in Champaign, United States.

What time does Illinois Marathon 2027 start?

The race starts at 07:33.

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