Chicago, IL · Sun, September 27, 2026 · 07:00
Great first half · forgiving course · some friction
A forgiving debut distance.
Flat, mild mornings.
Open registration · ~$1,005 all-in from South Florida.
Date verified at the official source; course and climate data on file.
Legacy Green Score 8.4/10 · method
At the start line and start hour · NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals
Projected at race day for M 18-34, from your 4:00:00 marathon + training runway.
Lakefront. Flat. Late summer can be warm.
The Chicago Half Marathon is a half marathon held in Chicago, IL on September 27, 2026. With a Green Score of 8.4/10, it's one of the easier, more beginner-friendly US races. The course is flat (~11 ft of gain per mile). Typical race-day weather is a mild 60°F, dew point ~52°F (10-year normal). Entry is around $135. Marathon Compass rates every race across terrain, climate, logistics, travel, and field size so you can find the one that fits you — and build a training plan tuned to your fitness.
Typical start-line conditions (30-year normal (NOAA 1991–2020)): 60°F with a dew point of 52°F. On the temperature-plus-dew-point scale used by our pace engine, that's 112 — a 1% pace penalty. Heat is a minor factor here in a typical year — a small early-pace cushion is enough.
| Goal time | Realistic in typical conditions | Heat cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1:45 | 1:46:03 | +1 min |
| 2:00 | 2:01:12 | +1 min |
| 2:15 | 2:16:21 | +1 min |
| 2:30 | 2:31:30 | +2 min |
Method: temp°F + dew°F lookup from the heat-adjustment chart our training plans use daily. Sign in to see this adjustment applied to your own projected finish.
First marathons cost more than the entry fee — budget the whole weekend before you commit.
Entry is open — register before it sells out and the decision is made.
Stay within walking distance of the start corrals — a 6am rideshare on race morning is a gamble. Book a refundable rate now and forget about it; inventory tightens in the final month. The links below are pre-filled for race weekend (September 25, 2026 → September 28, 2026).
When to wake up, when the corral closes, and the exact clock time Chicago Half Marathon spectators should be at each split for your goal pace — plus a link you can send to whoever's coming to watch.
Build your race-day timeline →Race and date verified against the official race source on 2026-07-17. Race-morning climate from Open-Meteo — 10-year history at the start line and start hour. Race fees, dates, and rules change often — report incorrect information.