Application, drawing and fees for 2027
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Sunday, October 10, 2027 |
| Application | October 8, 2026, 8 a.m. CT, to October 29, 2026, 2 p.m. CT, for both the drawing and guaranteed entry |
| Drawing results | By email on Tuesday, December 8, 2026; selected runners pay by December 15 |
| Entry fee | $250 for US residents, $260 for non-US residents, plus a processing fee. Charity entries: $325 and $335 |
| Time limit | You must be able to finish in 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Age | 16 or older on race day |
The number of drawing places depends on how many guaranteed entries are completed first. Source: Chicago Marathon: Apply.
Guaranteed entry
A time qualifier guarantees a place if you ran the marathon standard for your age between January 1, 2025 and October 29, 2026. Approved guaranteed applicants pay by November 10, 2026. Non-binary standards match the women's.
| Age on race day | Men | Women and non-binary |
|---|---|---|
| 16 to 34 | 2:50:00 | 3:20:00 |
| 35 to 39 | 2:55:00 | 3:25:00 |
| 40 to 44 | 3:00:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 45 to 49 | 3:10:00 | 3:40:00 |
| 50 to 54 | 3:15:00 | 3:50:00 |
| 55 to 59 | 3:25:00 | 3:55:00 |
| 60 to 64 | 3:40:00 | 4:15:00 |
| 65 to 69 | 3:55:00 | 4:30:00 |
| 70 to 74 | 4:15:00 | 4:45:00 |
| 75 to 79 | 4:30:00 | 5:00:00 |
| 80 and older | 4:50:00 | 5:20:00 |
Other guaranteed routes: five or more Chicago finishes in the last ten years (legacy), a charity place with at least $2,500 raised, first come, first served until September 10, 2027, or an international tour operator package, open until August 10, 2027. The pace calculator shows what pace a qualifying time needs.
The course: a loop from Grant Park
The race starts and finishes in Grant Park and loops through 29 neighbourhoods; more than 54,000 runners finished in 2025. The course is flat, which makes Chicago a popular race for a personal best. October weather in Chicago can swing from cold to warm, so keep a throwaway layer for the start.
When to start training
Hal Higdon's 18-week plan for a first marathon starts onMonday, June 7, 2027. It assumes you already run four times a week. You can start earlier too: Pacero builds a plan from your current fitness to October 10, 2027.
Show the week-by-week plan
| Week | Starts | Weekday runs, km | Long run | Total, km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 7 | 4.8, 4.8, 4.8 | 9.7 km | 24.1 |
| 2 | June 14 | 4.8, 4.8, 4.8 | 11.3 km | 25.7 |
| 3cutback | June 21 | 4.8, 6.4, 4.8 | 8.1 km | 24.1 |
| 4 | June 28 | 4.8, 6.4, 4.8 | 14.5 km | 30.5 |
| 5 | July 5 | 4.8, 8.1, 4.8 | 16.1 km | 33.8 |
| 6cutback | July 12 | 4.8, 8.1, 4.8 | 11.3 km | 29 |
| 7 | July 19 | 4.8, 9.7, 4.8 | 19.3 km | 38.6 |
| 8 | July 26 | 4.8, 9.7, 4.8 | race: half marathon | 19.3 + race |
| 9 | August 2 | 4.8, 11.3, 6.4 | 16.1 km | 38.6 |
| 10 | August 9 | 4.8, 11.3, 6.4 | 24.1 km | 46.6 |
| 11 | August 16 | 6.4, 12.9, 6.4 | 25.7 km | 51.4 |
| 12cutback | August 23 | 6.4, 12.9, 8.1 | 19.3 km | 46.7 |
| 13 | August 30 | 6.4, 14.5, 8.1 | 29 km | 58 |
| 14cutback | September 6 | 8.1, 14.5, 8.1 | 22.5 km | 53.2 |
| 15longest | September 13 | 8.1, 16.1, 8.1 | 32.2 km | 64.5 |
| 16taper | September 20 | 8.1, 12.9, 6.4 | 19.3 km | 46.7 |
| 17taper | September 27 | 6.4, 9.7, 4.8 | 12.9 km | 33.8 |
| 18 | October 4 | 4.8, 6.4, 3.2 | race: marathon | 14.4 + race |
Train for the Chicago Marathon on your own plan
The table above is a generic plan for a first marathon: it knows nothing about your fitness or your goal. Pacero builds your training from where you are today to race day, spreads the load across the weeks and updates the plan after your runs. Workouts from Apple Watch, Garmin and other watches come in through Apple Health; without a watch, record runs with GPS in the app, log them by hand or upload a screenshot.
The Chicago Marathon is already in the app's race list: pick it in the questionnaire.
Train with Pacero →First 7 days free, no card needed.Quick answers
When is the Chicago Marathon 2027?
Sunday, October 10, 2027, the 49th running of the race.
When does the Chicago Marathon application close?
At 2 p.m. Central on October 29, 2026. Drawing results are emailed on December 8, 2026.
How much does the Chicago Marathon cost?
$250 for US residents and $260 for non-US residents, plus a processing fee.
What is the time qualifier for ages 16 to 34?
2:50:00 for men and 3:20:00 for women and non-binary runners, run between January 1, 2025 and October 29, 2026.
Other races in 2027
Tokyo Marathon 2027
Lottery results, the ways in that remain, the course and March weather.
Boston Marathon 2027
Qualifying times, the 2027 cutoff and the new random draw, charity places.
London Marathon 2027
Two race days for 100,000 runners, ballot, Good for Age and charity places.
Cape Town Marathon 2027
The first African Major: ballot, charity and tour operator places.
Sydney Marathon 2027
Ballot, entry fees, travel partner places and the Harbour Bridge course.
Berlin Marathon 2027
Lottery until November 12, 2026, fast runner standards, the record course.
New York City Marathon 2027
Expected date, the drawing, guaranteed entry and the five-borough course.
Sources
- Chicago Marathon: Apply: dates, fees, guaranteed entry, time qualifiers, time limit, age.
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon: course and 2025 finishers.
- Hal Higdon: Marathon Novice 1: the 18-week plan.