During the summer, many runners are crisscrossing their neighborhoods while training for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. In October, the annual race has over 50,000 participants and draws boisterous crowds of supporters lining the route. To train for the marathon, runners steadily work up the distance of their runs and look for the best places to run, including locations with topography for hill workouts – sometimes a challenge in the flat city of Chicago.
Many runners in the Chicago Marathon run for a cause and fundraise for charities. In 2025, runners raised an impressive $47.1 million for nonprifits. Openlands is proud to partner with the Chicago Marathon as an official charity, with 13 runners participating in 2026. Funds raised by runners support important work for Openlands, such as protecting open spaces across the region for the public to enjoy.
Why choose to run for Opelands? Hear from Openlands runner Brad Hanzel, “As someone who works in the conservation field in Illinois, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Openlands and seeing first-hand the outstanding work they do protecting the natural resources in our region. When I saw there was an opportunity to support this work, while running my favorite race in my favorite city, I couldn’t pass it up!”
While runners can train on a treadmill, training outdoors provides the perfect opportunity to get outside and explore. When running, you can cover more ground and reach 20 miles during training runs. It is an opportunity to find new natural areas, visit cherished spots, and take advantage of shady paths on a hot summer day.
Where to find places to run outside in the Chicago region?
The Openlands Get Outside Map showcases over 400 locations to visit in Northeastern Illinois as well as Southeast Wisconsin and Northwest Indiana. Certain locations are linked by a network of long-distance trails, ideal for marathon training. For instance, the Grand Illinois Trail is roughly a 500-mile loop in Northern Illinois connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River. Openlands has long advocated for the Grand Illinois Trail and currently convenes the steering committee of the Grand Illinois Trail Alliance. The long loop connects regional trails, including the I&M Canal State Trail, the Old Plank Road Trail, and the Illinois Prairie Path, the nation’s first rails-to-trails conversion.
Kerl LaJeune, Openlands Board Member, shared some of his favorite places to train for marathons. As an RRCA certified marathon coach, Kerl knows the best spots to train in the Chicago region. For him, the lakeshore path is a favorite – 18 miles of paved trail between Hollywood and 71st Street. Arguably Chicago’s most prized civic asset, Openlands has led efforts to protect the lakefront since the 1970s. Another popular trail in Chicago is The 606. The 2.7-mile elevated trail, a former rail line, runs west from Ashland Ave to Ridgeway Ave and provides a great way to run without waiting to cross streets.
To find topography, LeJeune recommends heading to a couple of places in the suburbs. Unique to our region, we are fortunate to have extensive county forest preserve systems. In Cook County alone, the Forest Preserves of Cook County manage 70,000 acres. Head to Swallow Cliff in the Palos region (Cook County) for a 4.5-mile trail with some elevation gain. Waterfall Glenn in Darien (DuPage County) is another option, with a 9.5-mile loop and over 400 ft of elevation gain.
The best part is that with so many locations to choose from, you can try a new natural area every weekend. Although, it is good to remember that you can find beauty in the trees on your block as well. Best of luck to everyone training for the Chicago Marathon or any other race – stay hydrated and run fast.
