Chicago, United States
Bank of America Chicago Marathon 2027 Pacing Plan
Starts and finishes in Grant Park and threads through 29 neighborhoods in a single wide loop: the Loop's skyscraper canyons, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Boystown, Pilsen, Chinatown and Little Italy. It's certified dead flat, which combined with often-cool October weather is why it's produced multiple world records; the only real elevation change on the whole course is the gentle grade of a handful of underpasses.
Distance
26.6 mi
Gain / loss
+187ft / -194ft
Race date
Typical race-day weather
52°F, 12 mph
Weather is a 10-year seasonal average for this course's location and month, not a forecast for a specific date. See FAQ.
Elevation profile
Sample strategy: 3:45:00 goal
A real, AI-generated excerpt of what Splitshape produces for this exact course, not a hand-written example. Upload your own goal and recent results to get the full plan.
KM 0-5: You're in the corral with thousands of runners around you all itching to go out fast, but the plan calls for 5:07-5:17/km through this stretch. There's nothing to bank here: this is the fastest you'll feel all day, and that's exactly why it's dangerous. Let the crowd surge past you and hold the number on your watch, not the pace of the runner next to you.
KM 5-16: This is the settled middle-distance cruise: flat, mostly tailwind-assisted, pace holding in the 5:07-5:13/km band. You cross 10K around 52:05 and halfway-adjacent 16K around 1:23:17, both right on schedule if you've been honest with yourself since the start. Use this long, low-drama stretch to relax your shoulders and stay mentally checked out. The real work starts later.
KM 16-25: A sustained headwind sets in here and pace drifts out slightly, from 5:11/km up to 5:19/km by km 24-25. You cross halfway around 1:49:24 and 30K-adjacent fatigue is still a ways off, but this is the first place the model shows the legs and the wind working against you together. Don't chase the earlier splits: hold effort into the wind and let the pace settle where it settles.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Chicago Marathon considered one of the fastest marathons in the world?
The course has only about 57 m of elevation gain and 59 m of loss over 42.8 km, spread across gentle bridge and underpass grades rather than any real climb. Combined with typically cool October race-day temperatures around 10.9°C, these conditions minimize energy loss to hills or heat, which is why the course has produced multiple world records.
Is even pacing realistic on the Chicago Marathon course?
Yes, with very little elevation change (about 57 m gain and 59 m loss in total) and no sustained climbs or descents to disrupt rhythm, even splits are more achievable here than on courses with rolling or hilly terrain. The main variable to manage is wind, which averages around 18.5 km/h and can affect pacing more than the terrain itself.
Should I plan for wind on Chicago's flat course?
Yes, while the route through Grant Park and the 29 neighborhoods has essentially no hills to worry about, the typical race-day wind speed of about 18.5 km/h is a real factor since the course runs through open lakefront areas and skyscraper canyons downtown. Wind exposure can vary by direction and building corridors, so factor in slightly more effort on exposed stretches even though the terrain stays flat.
Do the underpasses on the Chicago Marathon course affect pacing?
The underpasses are described as the only real elevation change on the entire course, but they involve just a gentle grade rather than any significant climb. Given the course's total elevation gain of only about 57 m, these brief dips have negligible impact on overall pacing strategy compared to the effects of wind or temperature.
What weather should I prepare for on Chicago Marathon race day?
Typical race-day conditions are around 10.9°C with wind near 18.5 km/h, which is cool enough to support fast times without significant heat stress. This climate, paired with the flat single-loop course through downtown and 29 neighborhoods, is a key reason the race is associated with world-record performances.
Build your Bank of America Chicago Marathon plan
Upload your own GPX or use Bank of America Chicago Marathon's course, set your goal and recent results, and get the full km-by-km strategy.
Your plan also includes a gel schedule timed to your splits on this course, and a carb loading guide. How the fueling plan works →
Build my Bank of America Chicago Marathon plan →Splitshape is an independent pacing-plan tool and is not an official partner, sponsor, or affiliate of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon or its organizers. Course data source: digitized from the official course.