The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of the flattest and fastest courses in the World Marathon Majors, and on Sunday, October 11, 2026 roughly 50,000 runners will chase a personal best on its wide, loop course through the heart of the city. Whether you are running Chicago or pacing your own long run at home, this free printable pace chart lays out the even splits for every realistic goal time, from a 2:45 to a 6:00 finish, plus a quick per-mile and per-kilometer lookup. Print it, fold the split column to your wrist, and let the math do the thinking on race morning.
Quick facts
- Event: 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (48th running)
- Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Start: Grant Park. Wheelchair athletes from 7:20 a.m., the professional field at 7:30 a.m., then Wave 1 at 7:35, Wave 2 at 8:00 and Wave 3 at 8:35 a.m. CT
- Course: Flat, fast loop through 29 Chicago neighborhoods, starting and finishing in Grant Park
- Distance: 42.195 km (26.2 miles)
- Time limit: 6 hours 30 minutes (15:00 per mile), timed from your own wave start
Download the free printable Chicago Marathon pace chart
The one-page PDF gives even-pace splits at 5K, 10K, 15K, halfway, 25K, 30K, 35K, 40K and the finish for goal times from 2:45 to 6:00, plus a pace-lookup block showing the exact pace per mile and per kilometer for each target. Print it at home, fold it along the split column, and you have a ready-made race-day pace band.
How to use an even-pace strategy at Chicago
Chicago rewards patience. The course is flat, the turns are wide, and the crowd energy makes the first 10K feel effortless, which is exactly the trap. The runners who negative-split or hold even pace almost always pass the ones who banked time early. Pick your realistic goal row, note the elapsed time you should see at the half and at 30K, and treat those as checkpoints rather than targets to beat. If you reach 30K on pace and still feeling strong, the last 12K is where Chicago gives it back. Remember the clock on your pace chart is elapsed time from your wave start, not the gun, so line up with your assigned wave and start it when you cross the mat.
Even-pace split reference
| Goal finish | Pace / mile | Pace / km | 10K | Half | 30K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 42:40 | 1:30:00 | 2:07:59 |
| 3:30:00 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 49:46 | 1:45:00 | 2:29:18 |
| 4:00:00 | 9:09 | 5:41 | 56:53 | 2:00:00 | 2:50:38 |
| 4:30:00 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 1:03:59 | 2:15:00 | 3:11:58 |
| 5:00:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 1:11:06 | 2:30:00 | 3:33:18 |
| 5:30:00 | 12:35 | 7:49 | 1:18:12 | 2:45:00 | 3:54:37 |
| 6:00:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 1:25:19 | 3:00:00 | 4:15:57 |
The printable PDF carries the full set of markers (5K through 40K) for finer checkpoints along the course.
What makes Chicago so fast
Chicago is where the men’s world record has fallen more than once, most recently Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 in 2023, and the reasons are simple. The course has almost no meaningful elevation change, the October weather is usually cool, and the loop design keeps runners in the city with huge, continuous crowd support. For everyday runners that same flat profile means your goal pace is genuinely holdable from gun to tape, which is exactly why an even-pace plan works so well here.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Chicago Marathon?
Sunday, October 11, 2026, starting and finishing in Grant Park. The professional field goes off at 7:30 a.m. CT, with the mass-start waves following at 7:35, 8:00 and 8:35 a.m.
What pace do I need to run for my goal time?
Use the pace lookup on the chart. For example, a 4:00:00 finish is 9:09 per mile (5:41 per km), and a 3:30:00 finish is 8:01 per mile (4:59 per km). The printable PDF lists every goal from 2:45 to 6:00.
Is the Chicago Marathon course flat?
Yes. Chicago is one of the flattest major-marathon courses in the world, with minimal elevation change, which is a big part of why it produces so many personal bests and world records.
What is the time limit for the Chicago Marathon?
6 hours 30 minutes, measured from your wave start (a 15:00-per-mile pace). A vehicle follows the final starter at that pace and the course reopens behind it.
