Top 100 Illinois Running Events

As you begin to prepare for a new season, the first step is making note of the races you want to compete in, and planning out a schedule. Many coaches advise athletes to select one or two “A” races, or target races, to put most of your focus on throughout the season. Once those are chosen, athletes should pick a handful of “B” races; “B” races should still be competitive and important to you, but might be shorter distances, less expensive, or simply a must-do each year. Finally, athletes can have several “C” races during the year, which can serve as a hard workout during training, but don’t require much emphasis.

Living near one of the biggest running cities in the country, it can be difficult to narrow down the few races you will choose to participate in this year. To help alleviate some of that overwhelming stress, we’ve compiled a list of 100 Illinois running events that have high ratings on several review websites.

Please note: This is not a comprehensive or definitive list of the best races in Illinois. In order to appease our audience, we selected races from all over the state, of all distances, and at all times of the year. For more races, visit Chicago Athlete’s online race calendar www.MyRacePal.com.