Chicago Marathon training plan

The Chicago Marathon is 42.2 km in Chicago, next held on 10 October 2027. A 21-week block for it starts on Monday 17 May 2027. For a club athlete on 45 km a week with a 1:55 half marathon behind them, the plan expects a finish around 3:57:48.

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The race

Distance	42.2 km
Where	Chicago
Altitude	180 m
Next edition	Sunday, 10 October 2027 (expected — not yet confirmed with the organiser)

Flat and fast. Entry by lottery, a guaranteed-entry time or a charity place.

On that date

Not yet confirmed by the organiser, so it is shown as expected rather than fact. Last checked 2026-09-11. Check the official entry page before booking anything.

Your calendar to race day

A 21-week block, laid out against the 10 October 2027 race date:

Block starts	Monday 17 May 2027 — week 1
Harder sessions arrive	Monday 12 July 2027 — week 9
Peak weeks begin	Monday 6 September 2027 — week 17
Taper begins	Monday 20 September 2027 — week 19
Race day	Sunday, 10 October 2027

Volume rises no more than 10% a week and every fourth week is lighter. The full week-by-week table for this distance is on the beginner marathon plan page.

Race-day targets

The race	5:41/km for the first third, then hold or lift Even pace beats a fast start on every course ever measured. If you feel comfortable at halfway you have got it right, and you have permission to spend what is left.
Expected finish	3:57:48 — Run 3:57:48

Worked out for a club athlete on 45 km a week with a 1:55 half marathon behind them. Yours come from your own time trial.

Predict your Chicago Marathon time

Filled in with an example. Type your own numbers and it recalculates.

Fitness (VDOT)38.3from 21.1 km in 1:55:00

Distance	Predicted time	Pace
5 km	24:59	5:00/km
10 km	51:52	5:11/km
15 km	1:19:54	5:20/km
Half marathon	1:55:00	5:27/km
Marathon	3:57:48	5:38/km
Two Oceans 56 km *	5:37:48	6:02/km
Comrades (about 90 km) *	10:08:22	6:46/km

Flat course, good conditions, properly trained for the distance. * Past the marathon, times follow how real Two Oceans and Comrades fields finish (about 1.42× and 2.56× a marathon), not the pure fitness model.

Marathon pace chart →

The coast, for or against you

At 180 m, an athlete who trains at altitude will find the same effort produces a quicker pace on the day — and the danger is going out too fast because it feels easy. Steady race pace for a club athlete on 45 km a week with a 1:55 half marathon behind them:

Where you train	Pace in training · pace on race day
Training at the coast	5:41/km · 5:41/km
Training in Johannesburg (1 753 m)	6:10/km · 5:41/km

Roughly 2% per 300 m above 500 m, corrected only for the difference between where you train and where you race. A planning estimate — individuals vary.

Common questions

When should I start training for the Chicago Marathon?

For a 21-week block, on Monday 17 May 2027. Starting later still works — the plan shortens the base phase to fit — but inside about six weeks the block stops being able to add fitness and becomes about arriving healthy.

What finish time should I expect at the Chicago Marathon?

For a club athlete on 45 km a week with a 1:55 half marathon behind them, about 3:57:48. Assumes a flat course, reasonable conditions and a sensible first half. Your own prediction comes from your own time trial.

Does altitude matter at the Chicago Marathon?

Not for coastal athletes. At 180 m there is no correction to make. Athletes who train at altitude, in Gauteng or the Free State, should expect the same effort to produce a quicker pace on the day.

What should I know about the Chicago Marathon?

Flat and fast. Entry by lottery, a guaranteed-entry time or a charity place.

Plans at this distance

Worth reading

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