The Chi-Town Half Marathon takes runners along Chicago’s stunning Lake Michigan lakefront, one of the most scenic urban running routes in the country. The course runs through Grant Park, past Soldier Field, along the Museum Campus with the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium as backdrops, and along the lakefront trail with the Chicago skyline rising to the west. It’s a flat, fast course that delivers world-class city views from start to finish.
The September timing catches Chicago at the tail end of summer — expect warm temperatures in the 70s with Lake Michigan breezes that help keep things comfortable. The flat lakefront path makes this one of the more PR-friendly courses in the Chicago area, and the multiple distance options (5K, 10K, and half marathon) make it accessible to runners of all levels.
Chicago’s public transit system makes race-day logistics easy — the Metra commuter rail and CTA ‘L’ trains connect the lakefront start area to virtually every neighborhood in the city. The dining options within walking distance of Grant Park are endless, from deep-dish pizza on Michigan Avenue to the chef-driven restaurants of the West Loop. O’Hare and Midway airports both connect to downtown via the ‘L’, making Chicago one of the easiest destination race cities to navigate.
